Prof. Dr. Yuly Kusumawati SSi MSi when delivering her scientific oration at Grha Sepuluh Nopember ITS during the Open Session for the Inauguration of ITS Professors

ITS Campus, ITS News — Nearly all innovations require chemistry to provide foundational knowledge. In her scientific oration, the 230th Professor of the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) , Prof. Dr. Yuly Kusumawati, SSi, MSi, examined the role of computational chemistry in strengthening the foundation of technological development.

The professor from the ITS Chemistry Department explained that computational chemistry is the application of chemistry using computers to efficiently calculate molecular structures and interactions between molecules. “This science creates a new paradigm between structural design and desired properties,” he explained.

Furthermore, the woman born in 1981 explained that there are two scientific innovations in the computational chemistry she is researching: predicting the electronic properties of molecules and studying the interactions of molecules with surfaces. “These scientific innovations are the result of my hard work in deepening computational chemistry,” she said.

The 230th ITS Professor, Prof. Dr. Yuly Kusumawati SSi MSi, is explaining how the interaction of a molecule works.

In his scientific innovations in predicting the electronic properties of molecules, the Professor from the Faculty of Science and Data Analytics (FSAD) at ITS explained that electrons are particles that play a crucial role in chemical reactions and the properties of compounds. He cited the color of an object or plant as an example of the crucial role of electrons. “We study the properties of electrons through the objects around us,” he said.

The next scientific innovation is the study of molecular interactions. The Bandung-born woman explained that computational chemistry can determine the continuity of the molecular modification process with additives on a surface. “With computational science, we can determine the reactions that will occur with a compound,” said the professor of computational chemistry.

Based on this scientific innovation, Yuli stated that it can be applied to the development of optical materials. By utilizing a molecule, this innovation has potential as an optical device for detectors in medical devices, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). “Molecules will play a role in producing good images,” explained the alumnus of the Chemistry Study Program at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

Prof. Dr. Yuly Kusumawati SSi MSi (left) during a visit to the Quantum Material Design Laboratory, National University of Singapore (NUS)

According to Yuli, optimizing Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) devices is the next scientific contribution. DSSCs are a type of solar cell device that can convert sunlight into energy. They contain several components whose interactions must be optimized for optimal performance. “Simulations of these component interactions have been conducted using computational chemistry,” he emphasized.

Finally, Yuli continued, catalysis is a chemical reaction in which a catalyst is added, resulting in a faster reaction and a greater yield of product. The modeled catalytic process utilizes light to degrade a compound. “We have developed a catalytic esterification process for biodiesel production,” said the Head of the ITS Chemistry Undergraduate Program.

Concluding her scientific oration, the mother of two stated that this scientific innovation can be useful for driving energy and environmental innovation, as well as research and industrial efficiency. This will also help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), point 7 on clean and affordable energy, point 9 on infrastructure, industry, and innovation, and point 11 on sustainable cities and communities. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Muhammad Rafi Ardiansyah
Translator : Devinka Mutianeira