Muhammad Salehuddin, S.T., M.T.

Muhammad Salehuddin served as Head of the Engineering Physics Study Program at the age of 28. This made him the youngest Head of Study Program at Multimedia Nusantara University (UMN). The man who was born in Bontang, East Kalimantan, is a graduate of the Master’s Degree in Instrumentation and Control – ITB and a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Physics at the same institution.

His interest in the Engineering Physics Study Program began in his hometown, which is the city with the largest liquefied natural gas processing industry in the world, which at that time was in need of engineering experts. However, when he was studying for his undergraduate degree, it turned out that this study program was multidisciplinary in nature, so that the variety of engineering work applied was not limited to one domain. In the end, he chose a career in research and education.

“Pak Deden”, as he is familiarly called, has had a number of career experiences, including laboratory assistant for Engineering Physics ITB (2008-2010), PLC designer apprentice PT Indominco Mandiri (2008), Member of Deputy Coordinator for Academic Affairs D-3 Metrology and Instrumentation ITB-KEMENDAG (2011-2013), and Research Assistant for Medical Instrumentation Laboratory – ITB (2010-2014). Starting while undergoing his master’s education, he was also trusted to be an energy project consultant and professional training instructor in the field of industrial instrumentation at several companies such as PT PINDAD, PT Badak NGL, PT Perusahaan Gas Negara, AKAMIGAS Cepu, PT Chandra Asri, and PT Chevron Mount Salak Geothermal. He is also a professional organizer for international scientific conferences where he served as General Secretary of the IEEE Indonesia Control Systems/Robotic Automation Joint Societies Chapter (2011-2014).

Despite his busy schedule as Head of the Study Program as well as a lecturer at UMN at this time, he is also active in activities or organizations outside UMN, such as the Physics Engineering Cooperation Agency which is a collection of Physics Engineering study programs throughout Indonesia. In addition, he is also active in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineer (IEEE) Indonesia Section, where he served on the executive committee as vice secretary (2017-2019). With this number of career experiences, despite his young age, he has been recognized internationally as a senior member of the IEEE at the end of 2018.

The opening of the Engineering Physics Study Program and the New Media Tower Building were the main reasons why he fulfilled his intention to join in sharpening his career at UMN in early 2016. According to him, although at this time Engineering Physics is a rare major that (possibly) is rarely known by the public but it’s impossible to feel like it still has an existence to this day if its needs are considered so important. Moreover, at UMN because it is still relatively new, the opportunity to make UMN a green building pioneer should be wide open, not only in terms of building infrastructure but also to produce superior human resources through this Physics Engineering Study Program. Excellence is not limited to intellectual, cognitive and psychomotor, but must be accompanied by “interpersonal values” that have an impact on facing the era of Society 5.0 in the future.