Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

An undergraduate student from the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), Ghozi Naufal Ali, participated in the 4th ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment (AICEE) held in Vientiane, Laos on September 25-29, 2014.

Ghozi, an Economics student in the 2020 class, attended the conference with various academics, including undergraduate and graduate students, lecturers, and researchers from ASEAN countries, Australia, and Japan. The 4th ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment (AICEE) is a premier annual international conference organized by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) as a platform for academics, policymakers, and businesses to discuss energy and environmental issues in Southeast Asia.

This year, the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines hosted the event under the theme "Charting ASEAN's Energy Future for Regional Interconnectivity and Resilience". The theme aimed to address interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral issues to promote the ASEAN Energy Blueprint and prioritize energy development under Laos' chairmanship of ASEAN.

During the conference, Ghozi presented his paper "Quantifying the Health Factor as a Mediator of the Pollution-Productivity Relationships in Indonesia". His research focused on the impact of air pollution on labor productivity in Indonesia. "In my presentation, I outlined the calculations of how air pollution affects labor productivity using health as an instrument," he explained.

Ghozi's study examined the impact of air pollution on labor productivity in Indonesia, using longitudinal data from 2007 and 2014. In addition, he incorporated satellite imagery data to provide a more accurate representation of air pollution levels. The research findings indicated that air pollution negatively affects worker productivity, with health being the dominant mediating factor in this relationship.

During the presentation session, participants were grouped based on the sub-themes of their research. Ghozi was part of the environmental, policy, and socioeconomic sub-theme. He received questions about his data and methodology and valuable feedback from participants and panelists, which helped him improve the quality of his research.

Initially, Ghozi was supposed to prioritize conferences. But when a friend told him about this conference, he became interested because the topic was closely related to his field of study. "At first, I participated in essay and scientific writing competitions, but since I already understood statistics and methodology, I decided to step up and try to present at a conference. Luckily, it was an international conference," he said.

Although Ghozi successfully demonstrated his skills at the international level, he was initially hesitant due to the high cost of accommodation and travel for the conference. However, FEB UGM provided substantial support to help its students excel through various activities. This support included covering conference fees, travel, accommodation, and operational expenses in Laos. "The faculty provided full financial support, so I didn't have to worry about expenses and could focus solely on preparing my presentation," he said.

Ghozi also shared tips and tricks for other students who want to attend international conferences. First, he emphasized developing technical skills, such as academic writing, statistics, and literature review, which can be honed during college and by participating in competitions. Second, actively seek out national and international conference opportunities through social media. Third, seek advice from experienced individuals, including seniors and faculty. "Start by focusing on what you excel at and enjoy, and identify what you want to accomplish in college. Actively explore your interests while completing academic assignments. The key is not to be afraid to ask questions and try new things," he concluded.

Sumber: Microeconomics Dashboard FEB UGM
Penulis: Najwah Ariella Puteri
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
Foto: Dok. AICEEE

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