15 February 2022
Threesna Sharfina
On Monday, February 7, 2022, the Faculty of Dentistry (FKG) at the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) conducted a socialization and assistance event to prepare national service proposals for teaching staff within FKG USU. This event was held online via Zoom Meeting with speakers Prof. Dr. drg. Ameta Primasari, MDSc., M.Kes., Sp.PMM, and Dr. drg. Wilda Hafny Lubis, M.Si. This socialization and assistance aimed to increase interest and assist FKG lecturers in planning community service activities by utilizing government grants.
In addition, FKG held another event titled "Briefing and Assistance for DRTPM Proposal Preparation for 2022" on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. This event was conducted in person (offline) in the Nazir Alwi Room at FKG USU, featuring speakers Prof. Dr. dr. Tengku Siti Hajar Haryuna, Sp.THT-KL, and Dr. dr. Rina Amelia, S.Ked., MARS. The event was also attended by the Dean, Vice Dean I, Vice Dean II, Vice Dean III of FKG USU, and FKG USU teaching staff.
According to Prof. Dr. dr. Tengku Siti Hajar Haryuna, Sp.THT-KL, one crucial aspect to consider in creating or drafting research proposals to pass the national grant selection is to follow the existing proposal preparation guidelines. 80% of the proposal preparation process is well-executed if these guidelines are correctly understood. Prof. Tengku Siti Hajar Haryuna also added that research is part of the tri-dharma of higher education. Moreover, students can assist with lecturers' research, and students' research is part of the lecturers' research framework. Government funding (grants) for research and the outcomes of that research serve as a ticket to achieving the highest rank of becoming a professor. Thus, the continuous process motivates all lecturers, whether or not they have already become professors.
Vice Dean III, Dr. Pitu Wulandari, drg., Sp.Perio(K), stated that the government has provided substantial funds (grants) for conducting research and community service activities for lecturers. The available funding strongly supports the quality of research and community service activities. A decline in the number of research and community service activities conducted by FKG USU lecturers in recent years has resulted in very few activities being funded by government grants. Therefore, this assistance event is expected to increase the number of research and community service activities and provide guidance on obtaining national grant funding.
