Medan, July 8–10, 2026 – Prof. Dr. Ir. Rosdanelli Hasibuan, M.T., Professor of Chemical Engineering and Vice Dean for Education, Student Affairs, and Alumni of the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FT USU), was among the featured speakers at The 4th TPOMI (The Palm Oil Management Institute) Conference & Exhibition 2026, held at Adimulia Hotel, Medan, North Sumatra.
During the conference, Prof. Rosdanelli delivered a presentation entitled "The Potential of Palm Oil Waste as a Future Biomaterial." The presentation explored opportunities to utilize various types of palm oil waste as alternative raw materials for producing biomaterials with significant value and promising future applications.
The utilization of palm oil waste as biomaterials represents one approach to advancing the transition toward a renewable resource-based industry. Through appropriate processing, by-products that were once considered waste can be transformed into value-added materials with potential applications across various industrial sectors.
This approach also reinforces the implementation of circular economy principles within the palm oil industry. Under this concept, residual materials are not treated as waste but are reintegrated into production and innovation processes. Such efforts have the potential to reduce the consumption of virgin raw materials, improve resource efficiency, and minimize the environmental impacts associated with industrial activities.
Prof. Rosdanelli's participation in TPOMI 2026 reflects the active role of FT USU academics in connecting scientific research with industry needs. The conference and exhibition also provided a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and the exploration of collaborative opportunities among universities, government institutions, industry stakeholders, and other partners.
The Faculty of Engineering at USU continues to encourage its academic staff to participate in scientific and industrial forums as part of strengthening the university's Tri Dharma—education, research, and community service. Through academic contributions, research, and collaboration, FT USU remains committed to advancing technologies that address industry needs while contributing to sustainable development.