Medan, October 31, 2026 – The Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FP USU), held PKM Kick Start Session 1 at Soeratman Hall on Saturday (October 31, 2026). The event aimed to encourage student creativity, innovation, and competitiveness through the Student Creativity Program (PKM).
The event was attended by the Dean of FP USU, Dr. Rulianda Purnomo Wibowo, S.P., M.Ec.; Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Alumni, Dr. Nini Rahmawati, S.P., M.Si.; lecturers; and students from the 2024, 2025, and 2026 cohorts.
In her remarks, Dr. Nini Rahmawati, S.P., M.Si., stated that PKM Kick Start serves as an initial step for students to develop their creativity and innovation into PKM proposals with the potential to be submitted to competitions in the coming year. She hoped that the event would provide a space for collaboration and discussion to generate ideas that could be turned into tangible works.
“Do not be afraid to dream big, try new things, and have the courage to face challenges. An innovation can begin with a simple step, but it must be carried out with commitment and hard work,” she said.
The first presentation was delivered by Suri Mutia Siregar, S.Psi., M.Psi., Head of the USU PKM Center, on PKM proposal preparation. Participants gained an understanding of various PKM schemes, the mandatory themes for PKM 2026, and strategies for developing ideas based on problems, novelty, methods, and intended outcomes.
Following the presentation, students participated in group discussions to explore and determine PKM ideas, then presented the results of their discussions.
Next, Dr. Ir. Zikri Noer, S.Si., M.Si., a lecturer who supervised finalists of the 39th PIMNAS at Universitas Diponegoro and Head of the Undergraduate Program in Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, USU, delivered a presentation entitled “From Research Ideas to Achievements: Strategies for Excelling in National Competitions through Palm Oil Innovation.” He shared his experience in developing research ideas into competitive innovations, including opportunities to utilize various palm oil products and waste materials for interdisciplinary research development.
He also emphasized the importance of addressing real-world problems, introducing novelty, strengthening testing data, building collaborative teams, and preparing presentation skills. The session continued with an interactive discussion featuring idea presentations, critical questions and answers, and feedback to refine students' ideas.
Through this event, FP USU hopes that students will become better prepared to develop creative ideas into high-quality PKM proposals that are competitive at the national level. The event also supports SDG 4 – Quality Education through the enhancement of student competencies and SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure through research and innovation development.
The series of PKM Kick Start activities at FP USU will continue with Session 2, scheduled for November 14, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, and student achievement.