HUMAS USU – Dr. Muhammad Taufik, S.Si., M.Si., a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), won two medals at the 2026 Student Impact Program: Community Empowerment in Post-Disaster Recovery in Sumatra.

The awards consisted of a Silver Medal in the category of Best Community Empowerment Impact and Innovative Technology Implementation and a Bronze Medal in the category of Best Student Impact Program.

The awards were presented directly by the Director General of Research and Development, Dr. Mohammad Fauzan Adziman, S.T., M.Eng. The recognition highlights the contributions of academics and students in developing innovations that deliver tangible benefits to communities, particularly in post-disaster recovery efforts.

The awards were earned through a community service project entitled "Restoring Post-Flood Fish Pond Water Quality through the Implementation of an IoT-Based Smart Water System in the Student Impact Program." The project was supported by the Directorate of Research, Technology, and Community Service (DRTPM), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), 2026.

The initiative involved five student organizations, with the Chemistry Students Association (Ikatan Mahasiswa Kimia/IMK) serving as the lead implementing organization, alongside HIMABIO, FORMILTAN, HIMATIF, and PSMKGI USU.

As part of the project, Dr. Muhammad Taufik and his team implemented the AQUA-SMART FISH IoT and FILTRA-KOLAM CARE technologies at two partner locations: Pak Bangun Fish Farm and UNCU Fishing Pond, both located in Klambir Lima Kebun Village, Hamparan Perak District, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra.

The program was initiated in response to challenges faced by fish farmers following flooding, including increased water turbidity, low dissolved oxygen levels, unstable pH, and the absence of a real-time water quality monitoring system.

The implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) technology provides a practical solution by enabling communities to monitor pond water quality more quickly, accurately, and based on real-time data.

"Through this system, water quality can be monitored in real time, so our partners no longer have to rely solely on visual observation. The data generated supports more accurate and informed decision-making," he explained.

The project produced significant improvements. Water turbidity decreased from approximately 70 NTU to 40–45 NTU, dissolved oxygen levels increased from around 4.0 mg/L to 4.8–5.0 mg/L, and water pH stabilized at approximately 6.8–6.9. In addition, the real-time monitoring system successfully operated with monitoring intervals of approximately 10 minutes.

At Pak Bangun Fish Farm, fish production increased from approximately 25–30 kilograms per production cycle to 50–60 kilograms per cycle. Fish survival rates also improved from around 40–50 percent to 70–80 percent.

Meanwhile, at UNCU Fishing Pond, post-flood recovery time was reduced from approximately 4–5 days to 2–3 days, while the number of visitors increased by approximately 20–30 percent.

Overall, the program delivered benefits beyond environmental restoration and production improvements. It also strengthened business management, marketing capacity, and the partners' ability to manage their fish ponds independently and sustainably.

Dr. Muhammad Taufik stated that winning the two medals serves as motivation to continue developing practical innovations that provide meaningful benefits to society.

"These awards demonstrate that collaboration among lecturers, students, universities, and local communities can produce real solutions. We hope this technology can continue to be developed and replicated in other regions facing similar challenges," he said.

This achievement further reinforces Universitas Sumatera Utara's commitment to advancing community engagement, promoting research commercialization, and implementing appropriate technologies that create a direct and lasting impact on society.