93 teams of Student Creativity Program (PKM) of various universities in Yogyakarta and Central Java had Monitoring and Evaluation (MONEV) on Wednesday-Thursday (15-16/6) at graduate school building of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY). The MONEV was also conducted at University of Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), and Yogyakarta State University (UNY).
There were five PKM categories, namely research, applied technology, community service, entrepreneurship, and copyright works. The MONEV was organized by Directorate of Research and Community Service (Ditlitabmas), Directorate General of Higher Education (DIKTI) cooperating with UMY.
“72 teams are from UMY, and the other are from universities in Yogyakarta II and Central Java. The teams are divided into two to have the MONEV for two days,” Head of Creativity Development Center of UMY, Sugito, S.IP., M.Si.
Sugito mentioned that there were nine universities from Yogyakarta and Central Java, namely Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta (ISI), Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo, Akademi Peternakan Brahma Putra, Akademi Teknik Radiodiagnostik dan Radioterapi, Institut Pertanian Sniper, Institut Sains dan Teknologi Akprind, Sekolah Tinggi Teknologi Nasional, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Rajawali, and UMY. “UMY becomes the host of the region of Yogyakarta II and Central Java since UMY has the greatest number joining the PKM,” Sugito stated.
The MONEV aimed at monitoring and evaluating whether PKM grantees have carried out their planned programs. Prof. Dr. Ir. Amin Retnoningsih, M.Si. conveyed, “This MONEV is to monitor and evaluate the grantees’ accountability, program input, process, and program output,” Prof. Amin asserted.
He told that the MONEV would show whether the teams could pass to PIMNAS 29 on 7-12 August 2016 at Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB). “All the teams must write final report, and who pass to PIMNAS should write an article to be published on online journal of PKM Ditlitabmas,” he said.
Additionally, one of UMY’s teams researched ‘The Utilization of Basil Leaf Extract for Therapy to Diminish the Addition Rate of Smokers’. The team’s members are Ade Palin Salmah, Nadya Rianda, Sundari, and Septania Dini Arviani. The team presented their research to a reviewer, Prof. Dr. Ir. Amin Retnoningsih, M.Si. on Thursday (16/6). They stated that the number of smokers in Indonesia is escalating due to addictive substances such as nicotine.
“Once smokers get addicted, it is hard for them to escape. If they quit smoking, they will encounter various symptoms as depression. Basil leaf extract or so-called essential oil can be used to overcome depression and indirectly it can control desire to smoke,” Ade mentioned.
After conducting the research for four months, Ade informed that the basil leaf extract will diminish the addiction. The other benefit of the basil leaf extract is to freshen up mouth and breath.
“I wish that basil leaf extract candies may comfort smokers so that they can alleviate the addition to smoke,” he expected.
