The Story Behind ITS’s 132nd Graduation Ceremony: Stories of Two of the Seven Best Doctoral Graduates from ELECTICS ITS

Image: The seven outstanding doctoral graduates of ELECTICS ITS at the 132nd ITS Graduation Ceremony, including Mr. Jean and Dr. Licha.

Surabaya, ELECTICS ITS — The Faculty of Intelligent Electrical and Informatics Technology (ELECTICS) once again celebrates a remarkable achievement with seven outstanding doctoral graduates at the 132nd graduation ceremony of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS). They are Ahmad Firdausi, Swardiantara Silalahi, Ntivuguruzwa Jean De La Croix, M. Aidiel Rachman Putra, Hilya Tsaniya, Tanzilal Mustaqim, and Adhatus Solichah Ahmadiyah. Each of them has their own unique story of perseverance and determination. Among them, two graduates stand out with inspiring journeys of resilience, dedication, and an unyielding passion for learning.

One of the most inspiring graduates is Ntivuguruzwa Jean De La Croix, a doctoral student from Rwanda who successfully completed his Ph.D. at the Department of Informatics Engineering, ITS. His research focused on digital forensics, particularly on malware analysis and digital system security. His interest in this field stemmed from his desire to understand how technology can be used to uncover cybercrimes and strengthen information security. “I wanted to do something that not only contributes to science but also has real benefits for society,” said Mr. Jean.

Image: Several moments captured during Mr. Jean’s doctoral journey at ITS.

Jean’s journey in Indonesia was not without challenges. He admitted that the early stage of adaptation was particularly tough due to cultural and language differences. However, the support from the ITS International Office through the Buddy Program made the transition smoother. “During the first year, it was really hard to adapt. But ITS has a program called Buddy, and they assigned each international student a buddy who follows you up. They really helped me so much,” he recalled. Jean still keeps in touch with his buddies to this day and shared how they helped him even with small daily interactions outside the campus. Today, Jean is actively engaged in three domains, academia, industry, and research, focusing on advancing sustainable digital security practices.

Jean concluded his story with an inspiring message for other international students who aspire to pursue doctoral studies at ITS. He emphasized the importance of having a clear goal and maintaining determination and consistency throughout the process. For him, every step is part of the journey toward success.

“There is a saying in French that means if you don’t know your destination, that means you get lost. So, have your target, and with determination and consistency, your routines will take you there,” he said.

Meanwhile, from another corner of ELECTICS, Adhatus Solichah Ahmadiyah, fondly known as Dr. Licha, successfully completed her doctoral studies with a dissertation on software traceability, a subfield of software quality assurance. Her research aimed to maintain software quality throughout each phase of the development cycle from analysis, design, and implementation to delivery. “What I did was take the artifact from one phase of development, then check it in the next phase to see whether it matches or not, so that the software quality remains consistent,” she explained. Interestingly, Dr. Licha introduced an innovative approach by adopting concepts from psychology and applying them to software engineering an idea that emerged after attending an international seminar on interdisciplinary research innovation.

Balancing her roles as a lecturer, mother, and doctoral student was no easy feat. Despite her busy schedule, Dr. Licha continued to supervise up to 20 undergraduate theses, 17 of which she served as the main supervisor. 

“There were difficult times while waiting for my journal to be accepted, but I reminded myself that when you face challenges, give more. Since I’m a lecturer, my form of giving is dedicating time to my students,” she shared sincerely. 

Her perseverance and commitment not only earned her a doctoral degree but also became a source of inspiration for many students and colleagues within ELECTICS ITS.