The Professor Chair Holder of IPB Who Collaborates Agriculture and Computer Science
Prof. Dr. Ir. Kudang Boro Seminar, M.Sc, who is currently serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology of Bogor Agricultural University (FATETA-IPB) is very eager to apply computer science in the field of agricultural technology. As a modern electronic device computer has not only have made changes in modern occupation but it has also have made changes in traditional occupation sector like Agriculture. "I have to embody computer science that can be applied in agriculture. For the past several years, the impact of computer science within the agriculture industry has taken off. And there’s no sign of that integration slowing down. I started with the development of research on the application of computer technology for sorting the agricultural products, microclimate control such as temperature, humidity, light intensity in house plants (green house) and animal house (animal house), and prediction and analysis of land suitability for cultivation certain plants in a certain region," said Prof. Kudang.
Prof. Kudang began his higher level of education at the undergraduate program (S1) majoring in Agricultural Engineering at IPB and he had been graduated in 1979. Then, he was granted the scholarship to pursue his Master Degree Program on Computer Science at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. "Apparently I was admitted into the School of Computer Science. Of course I had to compete with other Master Degree Program candidates whose undergraduate degree were from the computer sciences, so I was admitted into the university as probation student, "said Prof. Kudang.
I successfully admitted to pursue my doctoral degree program in the same university, the University of New Brunswick, Canada, on Computer Science. Of course the Department is certainly not offer or teach its students any agricultural subjects. After all, food production and software haven’t traditionally been a duo that most students correlate with each other. "But I am still eager to analyse the application of the computer science for agriculture. Because I realized that my home base assignments in IPB is focused primarily in agriculture, "said Prof. Kudang.
After completing his doctoral degree from Canada on 1993, Prof. Kudang worried whether he would be accepted by IPB, because by the time he arrived in Indonesia IPB had not established any Computer Science courses yet. "Especially at that time, only me myself who had both Master and Doctoral Degree on Computer Science in IPB. I returned home from Canada in 1993, and met Rector period 1987-1996, Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Sitanala Arsjad. Alhamdulillah, he accepted me and stated that knowledge I learned in Canada would be required for the development of science in IPB in the future. I was really happy to hear Rector's responds, "explained Prof. Kudang.
Even so, he was promoted to get his Professor Chair Holder on Computer Technology by FATETA IPB. As a modern electronic device computer has not only have made changes in modern occupation but it has also have made changes in traditional occupation sector like Agriculture. He also began to develop software that brings efficiency, automation, and analytics to all aspects matters related to intelligent agriculture IPB offers.
Prof. Kudang began his university tracks as Secretary of Department of Agricultural Engineering, then he was promoted into the Chairman of the Department. He had also been the Head of IPB Library, Academic Senate Secretary, Director of Communication and Information System (DKSI), Chairman of Bioinformatics Lab, and Faculty Senate Chairman. In addition, he involved in the team for the establishment of both undergraduate (S1) and master degree (S2) program for the Department of Computer Sciences of IPB. Further, he was assigned as the Chairman for the Strategic Planning Team (Renstra) of IPB, and participated actively in developing Renstra of FATETA IPB and Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biosystem (TMB). He had also been the President of AFITA (Asian Federation of Information Technology for Agriculture). In 2015 he was elected as Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology (FATETA) of IPB.
The vision of FATETA IPB, through high commitment to the quality, high efficiency and accountability to become a leading Faculty under Bogor Agricultural University, in Indonesia and the world with the major competence in advanced agricultural technology”
The Dean who had been awarded the innovative technology three times, are keen of studying and teaching as his hobbies. According to him, a hobby is a regular activity that is done for enjoyment. "I love learning and I love knowledge. Even sometimes when I have been sick, I get better soon if I have to teach. Hopefully teaching is almsgiving of knowledge for me," said the professor who has memorized 30 Juz of Al-Quran. (Wied)
