USU PR – Two professors from Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T., and Prof. Drs. Mahyuddin, M.IT., Ph.D., have been listed among the top 2% of the world’s most influential scientists. The data, released by Elsevier BV and Stanford University on October 20, 2021, includes 58 Indonesian-affiliated scientists in the single-year category. Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, a Mechanical Engineering Professor from USU’s Faculty of Engineering, ranked 44th, while Prof. Drs. Mahyuddin, an Information Technology Professor from USU’s Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, ranked 58th.

Prof. Himsar expressed gratitude for the recognition, which motivates him to pursue more impactful research, particularly in technology-based studies that contribute to improving social and economic functions.

“I hope that in the coming years, more USU lecturers will be included in this list and significantly contribute to the advancement of science and technology,” he said.

USU Rector, Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si., responded to the achievement with joy, emphasizing that the inclusion of USU professors in the world’s top 2% will pave the way for USU to achieve its goal of becoming an internationally recognized university.

“I extend my congratulations to these two professors and thank them for their dedication and contributions to advancing science and technology. This achievement should inspire other USU lecturers to follow suit, enhancing USU’s reputation in international rankings,” the Rector stated.

Prof. Himsar Ambarita has conducted numerous impactful studies. His work titled Design of a Continuous Solar Dryer System Integrating Photovoltaic-Thermal (PV-T) and Thermal Storage was highly praised by Elsevier-Stanford University for its quality and significant impact. The solar dryer operates even at night, reducing drying time.

Among his notable research projects are: Improvement of Indonesian Cocoa Quality Through Drying Methods (2013-2014), Characteristics of Mixed Adsorbents for Solar Energy Cooling Generators (2014-2015), Modification and Testing of Dual-Fuel Diesel-Biogas Engines (2016), Design of a Solar-Powered Seawater Desalination System Using Multi-Stage Natural Vacuum Technology (2016-2017), Development of Heat Pipe Solar Water Heaters with Secondary Fluids (2017)
Compact Dryer Using Waste Heat from Air Conditioning Systems (2017), Development, Analysis, and Optimization of Hybrid Flat Plate Solar Collectors (2018).

As of October 23, 2021, Prof. Himsar has published 134 Scopus-indexed papers with an h-index of 14. During the pandemic, he developed several patented innovations, including a sterilizer chamber and nano healing device.

Born on June 10, 1972, Prof. Himsar completed his undergraduate studies at USU, his master’s at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), and his doctorate at the Muroran Institute of Technology, Japan. He has authored two books, Heat and Mass Transfer: Analytical and Numerical Solutions (Perpindahan Panas dan Massa (Penyelesaian Analitik dan Numerik)) and Engineering Thermodynamics: Fundamentals and Applications ( Termodinamika Teknik Fundamental dan Aplikasi) in 2017. He continues to publish and actively participates as a speaker at national and international forums.

Over the past five years, Prof. Himsar has received several prestigious awards, including: Best Published Paper 2006 from the Japan Solar Energy Society (2007), Innovation in Automotive Technology Award from IMI Sumut (2013), Advisor for the Most Efficient Urban Concept Alternative Gasoline Car in Asia by Shell Asia (2014), and Mentor for Team Horas at the Asia Energy-Efficient Car Competition from North Sumatra Provincial Government (2014).
Additionally, he has contributed to public policy and social engineering, such as:

Formulating the Regional Action Plan for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction in North Sumatra (2012).
Developing Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) for renewable energy in Indonesia (2013).
Drafting USU’s Strategic Plans (2014-2039).
Currently, Prof. Himsar serves as the Chair of USU’s World Class University (WCU) Team.

Author: Renny Julia Harahap – Public Relations
Interviewee: Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T. – USU Professor
Photographers: Amri Simatupang, Muhammad Andriansyah – Public Relations