got dizzy

Q-U-A-L-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N—–E-X-A-M

It got me dizzy whenever I heard or read any news related to qualification examination. I know it is not only qualification exam needs to be passed during my three years tenure study at NTUST, but also some other requirements such as completing the 18 credits courses and some list publications from research work. But, when you pass the qualification exam you will feel you are 50 % near to graduate, and take the exam is a MUST. There are 2 core courses out of 3  need to be passed: Transport Phenomena, ChE Kinetics, and ChE Thermodynamics.  So, when the students can not pass the 2 core courses within two years of their study, they should leave the school without degree. It sounds unfair, isn’t it? I knew some students did good research work but they are forced to leave the school since they could not fulfill this “only” requirement.

And last Friday, I found myself headache just by reading the syllabus of qualification examination. Can I  make it?  That is too much you know. I felt there will be no more space avalaible on my memory to memorize all of these stuff. I wish I can tell the commitee: ‘Profs, please……I am too old to study and memorize courses, would you kindly please revise the regulation? Don’t you think it is better to make us concentrate on research work? How can we publish more if we are busy by courses and qualify exams? ‘ Self defense, huh? so..so.. Some friends said we envy Japanese students

And here I come with the plan,  a weekly study basis (*thanks to M). I will take only Kinetics as a core course this

 

Why should we be any different?

“Mbak, susah nggak sih belajar di luar negeri kayak Taiwan?”

Sering saya mendapat pertanyaan ini dari beberapa adik kelas yang tertarik untuk belajar di luar negeri khususnya di Taiwan. Dan jawaban saya adalah:

“Saya yakin kamu pasti bisa survive….karena kita di Indonesia kita dituntut belajar lebih banyak dengan fasilitas terbatas. Dan itu juga nggak mudah…..

Saya tidak mengada-ngada lho…dan juga tidak bilang kuliah di Taiwan gampang (*kuliah di sini sulit karena evaluasi pengajaran yang sangat ketat, PR yang banyak, dan bagi saya pribadi karena….most of the exams are closed book LOL). So let us make comparison, kuliah program Master di Chemical Engineering Dept. NTUST hanya 24 sks (thesis di sini tidak dihitung). Karena semua mata kuliah memiliki bobot 3 sks, maka total mata kuliah yang harus diambil cuma 8 mata kuliah. Sedangkan di Jurusan Teknik Kimia ITS, total untuk lulus harus menyelesaikan 40 sks (sudah termasuk thesis, 9 sks). Antara mata kuliah yang satu dengan yang lain bervariasi kalau nggak 2 ya 3 sks. Jadi 31 sks bisa berarti sekitar 12 courses di ITS. Oke lah biar adil saya akan membandingkan antara sks yang bener-bener kuliah, di NTUST total 24 sks dan di ITS 31 sks. Jadi, sebenarnya kita dituntut belajar lebih banyak di Indonesia………

Itu baru dalam hal perkuliahan. Bagaimana dengan yang lain? Satu hal yang paling membuat saya surprise ketika datang ke sini adalah perihal fasilitas dan manajemen. Mungkin dua hal prinsip inilah yang membuat di sini dan di ITS

 

Tak Perlulah Aku Keliling Dunia

Well, I can say I like this song very much !!

This song is the Original Sound Track of Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warriors) which was adapted from the best seller novel by Andrea Hirata. This  movie is about ten amazing students and two great teachers in small poor Muhammadiyah Elementary School, in poverty-stricken Kampung Gantong in Belitong, which struggle for survival. The poor condition of their school building does not dampen their high spirits and hopes for a better future. Maybe it sounds too late to write about this movie since it was released at September 2008, but it’s OK

In fact of many critics according to the best-selling novel phenomenon itself, I can say this movie contain good moral values. And I like this song very much !!

TAK PERLU KELILING DUNIA

I don’t need to travel around the world (to get closer to you)

by Gita Gutawa

 

What is Vapor Pressure?

What is vapor pressure? I got this question last week from my Junior labmate. Since I work in vapor pressure term every day, I have to learn it well   Below are my note in vapor pressure.

Vapor pressure (also known as equilibrium vapor pressure), is the pressure of a vapor in equilibrium with its non-vapor phases. All liquids and solids have a tendency to evaporate to a gaseous form, and all gases have a tendency to condense back into their original form (either liquid or solid). At any given temperature, for a particular substance, there is a pressure at which the gas of that substance is in dynamic equilibrium with its liquid or solid forms. This is the vapor pressure of that substance at that temperature. The equilibrium vapor pressure is an indication of a liquid’s evaporation rate. It relates to the tendency of molecules  and atoms to escape from a liquid or a solid. A substance with a high vapor pressure at normal temperatures is often referred to as volatile.

Fig. 1 Ilustration of Vapor Pressure

Factors that affect vapor pressure are as follows :

 

Kill The Time

I was left here with a feeling of emptiness

Alone, only me staring to nothing

Like part of me had died

How can I live my life for tomorrow ?

How can I stand on my own ?

If I feel lonely among the crowd

If I feel cold when the sun shines so bright

If I’m laughing and crying then

No more strength

Shall I die this way ?

I’m tired

I’m weak

I’m sick

 

To End And To Start

* Life is difficult

 

VISA Taiwan

Syarat dokumen yang diperlukan untuk mendapatkan VISA Student Taiwan (scholarship) sebenarnya sangat sederhana, yaitu :

1. Mengisi formulir dan pasfoto 4×6

2. Paspor masa berlaku min 12 bulan

3. Letter of Acceptance (asli + fotocopy)

4. Ijazah yang telah dilegalisir TETO (asli + fotocopy)

5. Fotocopy Kartu Keluarga

6. Medical Check Up di RS atau klinik yang ditunjuk TETO

Untuk Student non scholarship maka wajib menunjukkan rekening tabungan dengan jumlah yang cukup untuk biaya hidup di Taiwan. Untuk LOA dasli dan ijazah yang telah dilegalisir TETO nanti akan dikembalikan kok saat VISA kita keluar. Untuk pengajuan VISA dilakukan di kantor TETO di :

 

Thermodynamics of Hell

The following is one of Dr. Schalmbaugh’s Final Test questions for May 1997. (Dr. Schalmbaugh, University of Oklahoma School of Chemical Engineering is known for asking questions such as this on his final exams.)

May 1997, Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer II Final Exam Question:

“Is hell exothermic or endothermic? Support your answer with truth.”

 

Robohnya Surau Kami

oleh : AA Navis (1956)

Kalau beberapa tahun yang lalu Tuan datang ke kota kelahiranku dengan menumpang bis, Tuan akan berhenti di dekat pasar. Melangkahlah menyusuri jalan raya arah ke barat. Maka kira-kira sekilometer dari pasar akan sampailah Tuan di jalan kampungku. Pada simpang kecil ke kanan, simpang yang kelima, membeloklah ke jalan sempit itu. Dan di ujung jalan nanti akan Tuan temui sebuah surau tua. Di depannya ada kolam ikan, yang airnya mengalir melalui empat buah pancuran mandi.

 

Natural Gas Processing (Process Overview)

Catatan berikut adalah lanjutan dari catatan kuliah saya sebelumnya di Natural Gas Processing (Introduction).

PRINSIP PEMROSESAN GAS ALAM

Penggunaan utama gas alam adalah sebagai bahan bakar (fuel) dan bahan baku industri petrokimia (feedstock) semisal dalam industri pupuk. Ada tiga prinsip dalam pemrosesan gas alam :

1. Purifikasi (pemurnian)

2. Separasi (pemisahan)

3. Liquefaction (pencairan)

Komposisi gas alam bervariasi antara lokasi yang satu dengan lokasi yang lain. Karena itu spesifikasi produk gas alam biasanya dinyatakan dalam komposisi dan kriteria performansi-nya. Kriteria-kriteria