USU PR – The Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), held an Engineering Talk themed “The Role of Geoscience and Remote Sensing for Disaster Management (Case Study: Disasters in Sumatra)” on Thursday (December 18, 2025) at the Faculty of Engineering Auditorium. The event featured international speakers and was attended by participants from various faculties as a form of multidisciplinary collaboration in responding to disaster challenges in the Sumatra region.

The Engineering Talk was moderated by Dr. Anita Zaitunah, S.Hut., M.Sc., and attended by students and lecturers from the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, the Faculty of Forestry, as well as undergraduate and master’s students. This forum emphasized the importance of science- and technology-based approaches in addressing hydrometeorological disasters that frequently affect Sumatra, Aceh, and West Sumatra.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T., Director of the Directorate of Internationalization and Global Partnerships of USU, highlighted the increasing intensity of floods and landslides in Sumatra due to high rainfall and environmental changes. He emphasized that disasters are not merely issues of extreme weather, but rather the result of complex interactions between geological conditions, land use, and environmental carrying capacity.

“In this context, the role of geoscience and remote sensing technology becomes highly important and strategic for mapping vulnerable areas and enabling faster and more accurate decision-making,” he stated.

The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering USU, Prof. Dr. Ir. Fahmi, S.T., M.Sc., IPU., ASEAN Eng., conveyed that higher education institutions have a realistic contribution through the development and application of disaster-related technologies. He added that strengthening disaster management is a major undertaking that requires cross-disciplinary and cross-faculty collaboration.

“Knowledge and remote sensing technology have developed significantly, and it is time for us to utilize them to the fullest extent for humanitarian purposes,” he expressed.

From an international perspective, Prof. Dr. Saibun Tjuatja, President of the IEEE Geoscience & Remote Sensing Society (GRSS), viewed this activity as important for broadening the horizons of students and lecturers to be more active in developing geoscience and remote sensing fields.

“The applications are very broad, not only for disasters. It is hoped that students will be motivated to develop research and technology-based innovations,” he said.

In line with this, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ir. Wahyudi Hasbi, S.Si., M.Kom., IPU., ASEAN Eng., Head of the Satellite Technology Research Center at BRIN, emphasized that Indonesia’s main challenge lies in the proper utilization of data and technology in coordination with government institutions. He encouraged students not only to become technology users, but also innovators.

“There are already many tools available, professional communities such as IEEE, as well as internship and scholarship opportunities that students can take advantage of to become technology producers,” he stated.