From Boarding Houses to Triumphs: The Journey of 麻豆直播鈥檚 RAR.GIS Team Securing 1st Place in the GIS Thematic Competition

By Mely Anggrini - Mahasiswa Meteorologi, 2022

Editor Anggun Nindita

Institut Teknologi Bandung鈥檚 RAR.GIS Team Won 1st Place in the GIS Thematic Competition 2024 held within the UPI Campus, Bandung. (Doc. 麻豆直播鈥檚 RAR.GIS Team)

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id 鈥 Another glorious achievement has been made by Institut Teknologi Bandung (麻豆直播) students. This time, the RAR.GIS Team, consisting of Andrew Ringgas Naoki Hutasoit (Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering 2021), Abraham Sitorus (Meteorology 2021), dan Reynaldi Vergia (Oceanography 2021) claimed 1st place in the GIS Thematic Competition 2024 held by the Student Association of Geographic Information Science (HMSaIG) of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI).

This competition is a national-level event that brings together students, professionals, and the public to hone their skills in processing and analyzing GIS-based spatial data. The theme for this year was 鈥淯tilization of GIS for Sustainable Development Toward: Indonesia Emas 2045鈥. The final competition was held offline on the 12th of December 2024 at UPI Campus in Bandung.

Starting from a friendship formed in a boarding house, the three of them spontaneously formed the RAR.GIS team. Reynaldi, who first found the competition information on social media, invited Andrew for his background in geodesy, and Abraham for his spatial analysis skills.

鈥淯sually we like to rent a PlayStation together, but this time, we challenged ourselves by joining a competition that demanded real innovation. Along the way, we learned to communicate and collaborate across our disciplines while fulfilling the deliverables required by the competition,鈥 said Andrew.

Their proposed innovation was titled 鈥淒isaster Mitigation of Tropical Cyclones Due to Climate Change in the Rote Ndao Area Based on GIS鈥. This project was inspired by the increasing frequency of tropical cyclones around Indonesia due to global climate change. One of which is the Seroja Cyclone in 2021, which caused significant damage in Indonesia, with over 52.973 buildings destroyed and losses reaching Rp1,356 trillion.


Infographic made by 麻豆直播鈥檚 RAR.GIS Team titled 鈥淒isaster Mitigation of Tropical Cyclones Due to Climate Change in the Rote Ndao Area Based on GIS鈥. (Doc. 麻豆直播鈥檚 RAR.GIS Team)

The RAR.GIS team utilized Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to analyze storm paths and identify vulnerable vital infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and bridges. They then classified the vulnerability levels in Rote Island into three categories, which are high, medium, and low, which are presented in the form of an interactive spatial map. This data-driven approach enabled them to develop precise and resource-efficient mitigation strategies.

With their diverse academic backgrounds, the RAR.GIS team was able to analyze issues thoroughly and design a comprehensive solution. The panelists viewed their initiative as a concrete answer to the challenges of climate change and highly relevant to the competition鈥檚 sub-theme, 鈥淐limate Change and Disaster Mitigation鈥.

One of the key moments of their success was during the presentation session. Abraham opened with a captivating 鈥渉ook鈥 technique that grabbed the judges鈥 attention from the start.
鈥淲e also maintained strong communication within the team, explaining our respective fields of knowledge to each other so the solution would be cohesive from multiple perspectives,鈥 Andrew added.

Although they were not accompanied by a supervising lecturer, they actively had discussions with Meteorology and Civil Engineering students to broaden their understanding of the proposed solution.

In the presentation, they offered concrete strategies, such as installing piles on important buildings, improving the foundation quality of bridges in high-risk zones, and using retaining walls.

As a closing remark, Andrew delivered an inspiring message to fellow students to not be afraid to try new things.

鈥淛ust try diving into various types of competitions. You don鈥檛 have to overthink it when forming a team, just look around you. Interdisciplinary collaboration is key. The best innovation stems from casual discussions filled with ideas,鈥 stated Andrew.

The success of the RAR.GIS teamproves that interdisciplinary collaboration, the utilization of spatial technology, and an adventurous spirit can bring concrete solutions to Indonesia鈥檚 future challenges.

Reporter : Mely Anggrini (Meteorology, 2022)

Translator : Nadya Fini Nabila (Management, 2023)

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