Banda Aceh – December 2, 2023
The Graduate Program in Disaster (MIK) at Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), in collaboration with TDMRC USK, has once again organized a guest lecture on disaster management to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Graduate School. The event took place on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The distinguished guest lecturer for this occasion was Prof. Drs. Koentjoro, MBSc., Ph.D., Psychologist, a prominent figure from the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM).
The two-hour guest lecture attracted over 70 participants from various backgrounds, including students and the general public. The majority of attendees were from the Disaster Science Master’s Program at USK, Master’s Program in Architecture at USK, members of the TDMRC Fastana Club, faculty members, and more.
The event commenced with welcoming remarks by Prof. Syamsidik, the director of TDMRC USK, followed by an opening speech by Prof. Hizir, the director of the Graduate School at USK. Prof. Koentjoro delivered the main presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session and concluding remarks by Dr. Rina Suryani Oktari, the Head of the Graduate Program in Disaster Science.
In his opening statement, Prof. Syamsidik highlighted the fundamental differences between the challenges faced by previous generations and the current generation. He emphasized the need for a new approach to conveying disaster-related information due to changing times. Prof. Syamsidik expressed gratitude for the successful collaboration with the Faculty of Psychology at UGM, acknowledging their role as hosts of AIWEST in October 2023 and various ongoing collaborations.
Prof. Hizir, the director of the Graduate School, expressed thanks to Prof. Koentjoro for participating in the guest lecture as part of the 21st anniversary celebration. Prof. Hizir posed an intriguing question about Minister Nadiem Makarim’s emphasis on the importance of learning foreign languages, programming languages, statistics, communication, and psychology in today’s education. He expressed curiosity about the Minister’s emphasis on psychology and hoped that the guest lecture would broaden participants’ understanding of the crucial role of psychology in disaster science.
Prof. Koentjoro delivered a captivating lecture titled “Social Change and Disasters: From the Industrial Revolution, Human Rights Awareness, Big Data, Covid-19, Chimerika to Digitalization and its Impact on Human Behavior.” He underscored the significance of psychology in disaster science, stating that disasters gain meaning because of human involvement and that understanding psychology is essential in addressing the psychological aspects of disasters.
The lecture delved into the impact of the industrial revolution on disasters and social change. Prof. Koentjoro also discussed Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a double-edged sword, bringing both convenience and potential threats to human intelligence. Additionally, he addressed the negative consequences of excessive gadget use among children, which can limit creativity and have long-term repercussions for future generations.
The lecture generated high enthusiasm among participants, and the active question-and-answer session covered diverse topics. One notable question came from a Master’s student in architecture at USK, addressing the psychological phenomenon of people choosing to seek refuge in mosques rather than government-built safety structures during disasters. The student also raised concerns about the increasing trend of housing development in disaster-prone areas, particularly along the coastline in Banda Aceh.
In a separate interview, Dr. Rina Suryani Oktari, expressed the program’s commitment to hosting engaging and comprehensive guest lectures on disaster science. She highlighted the ongoing efforts to bring in experts in the field, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Rina encouraged interested individuals to follow the program’s Instagram account @mikppsusk or visit the website https://mik.usk.ac.id for more information.
