Physics

2002

The establishment of the Master’s Program (S2) in Physics at FMIPA Universitas Sumatera Utara was initially driven by the need to fulfill academic qualification requirements for university lecturers, who were required to hold a Master’s degree. Although several Physics lecturers had already pursued graduate studies abroad, at the time, due to limited staff resources, it was difficult to send lecturers to study outside Universitas Sumatera Utara. Over time, the idea emerged to establish a Master’s Program in Physics under the Graduate School, initiated by Prof. Dr. Eddy Marlianto, M.Sc., along with other professors of Physics. The goal was to allow lecturers to pursue further education without interfering with their primary responsibilities as educators.

2002

In 2002, a discussion was held involving various stakeholders, including Physics Program Lecturers, Curriculum Development Team, Students, Physics Alumni Representatives, and Graduate Employers. One of the key outcomes of the discussion was the recognition of the need to establish a Master’s Program in Physics outside Java Island, particularly in Sumatra, to meet the growing demand for qualified human resources in the field of physics. This initiative was followed up with a meeting involving several Physics lecturers and the Rector of Universitas Sumatera Utara in 2002. The proposal was then advanced by the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) and the Rector of Universitas Sumatera Utara. These discussions led to a mutual agreement to establish the Doctoral Program in Physics (hereinafter referred to as PDIF). The discussion also involved several key stakeholders, including the Center for Physics Research of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (P2F LIPI, Jakarta), other universities such as Universitas Negeri Medan, the Indonesian Physical Society (HFI), and other educational figures. As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached to establish the Doctoral Program in Physics. The first Head of the Program was Prof. Dr. Eddy Marlianto, M.Sc., with Prof. Dr. Marhaposan Situmorang as the secretary. It is worth noting that all students in the first cohort of the 2002 Master’s Program in Physics were lecturers from USU’s Department of Physics, with no participants from outside the university. In the second year, the program began to admit high school teachers from public schools, supported by scholarships from the Provincial Government of North Sumatra.