Couple students of grade 12th of Thursina IIBS, Aqila Nayyara Setiawati and Kezia Putri Madhini, won the 1st place in Indonesia STEM Project Olympiad (ISPO) 2.0 2025, organized by SMA Trensains Muhammadiyah Sragen through 2025 STEM Festival. The victory is a prestigious achievement after their innovative research outperformed other participants from many schools in Indonesia.
The research did not emerge overnight, however, it was the result of six-month in-depth research. Previously, the project had been submitted to several competitions; it first won a prize in Glocolis at Malang State University (UM), and was then further developed for the Global Youth Invention and Innovation Fair (GYIIF) at Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB). By continuous refinement, the project became increasingly robust and ultimately achieved a top spot in the ISPO 2.0 event.
Furthermore, their research project entitled “Bioethanol Production from Banana Peels and Coffee Waste: Analysis of Production Efficiency and Energy Potential” focuses on the utilization of organic waste such as banana peels, coffee peels, and coffee grounds to be processed into bioethanol through a fermentation process using Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Following fermentation processes, the bioethanol was tested using a spectrophotometer. The combination of banana peels and coffee grounds yielded the highest bioethanol yield, at 6.71%, demonstrating its great potential as an environmentally friendly renewable energy alternative.
As additional information, the ISPO 2.0 2025 itself is a national science competition with the theme "STEM for Earth: Youth Innovation to Solve Environmental Challenges." The competition aims to encourage a culture of scientific research and innovation among Indonesian junior and senior high school students, with seven competition categories: Technology, Environment, Health, Agriculture, Marine, Renewable Energy, and Food.
The final was held on October 11, 2025, at SMA Trensains Muhammadiyah Sragen, with teams consisting of two students and one supervising teacher. The winners will receive prizes worth millions of rupiah, a 50% golden ticket, and exclusive merchandise.
Meanwhile, Aqila expressed her pride and gratitude for the achievement she and her teammate accomplished. "I am delighted and grateful for the opportunity to research and compete in this ISPO event. Through my research on bioethanol from banana peels and coffee waste, I learned new things about science, renewable energy, and the importance of protecting the environment," said the student from Sragen.
She said, this research is a small but significant step in providing solutions to the problems of waste and dependence on fossil fuels. More than just a scientific innovation, it carries a mission of environmental sustainability. Aqila hopes the results of the research can be developed further.
"I hope it can provide an innovative solution for organic waste management and can be applied on an industrial scale. Hopefully, it will support the development of renewable energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels in the future," she added.
Aqila and Kezia's achievement reaffirms Thursina IIBS position as an institution that encourages scientific research, applied innovation, and contributions to environmental sustainability. It inspires other students to boldly experiment, research, and benefit society. From coffee waste and banana peels, energy is born from the hand of santri, growing hope for the future of the nation. (iz/lil)
