In an online 11th Annual International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, UGM had successfully won the award through Bertha Maya Sopha, ST., M.Sc., Ph.D., as a Lecturer in UGM Industrial Engineering. The Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) Society International awarded the title of Distinguished Woman in Industry and Academia (WIIA) in Singapore last March 7th-11th.
This achievement was considered a form of dedication from herself, who has persisted along with the struggle in her field experiences, Industrial Engineering, for 21 years. She has published so many works, both national and international, in the chemical industry. Even to date, at the age of 43 years old, she still dedicates herself as Chairman of the Industrial Engineering Higher Education Organizing Cooperation Agency (BKSTI) 2020-2023 and Chairman of the Bachelor of Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada 2016-2021.
She could not believe that she had made this achievement herself. She was very pleased when she got a contact from the reporter. To her, it was a big honor to get this achievement that coincided with the commemoration of International Independence Women’s Day. “Honestly, I did not expect to get this prestigious award. I feel so grateful, by God’s will, the IEOM Society mandated me to receive the IEOM Distinguished Woman in Industry and Academia (WIIA) Award,” she said.
Bertha revealed that the IEOM Society that Dr. Ahad Ali initiated and Prof Donald M. Reimer from Lawrence Technological University, USA indeed annually gave this appreciation award. Within this moment, there were also other awards such as IEOM Academy of Fellow, IEOM Fellow, Outstanding Professor Award, IEOM Industrial Award, and the several categories for Student Award.
When teaching as a UGM lecturer, she has learned various researches in Supply Chain engineering such as Humanitarian Logistics, City Logistics. Furthermore, the field of modeling systems and simulation that is based on agents and system dynamics and research on industrial ecology, even energy systems and policies. In conducting her researches, she also has partnerships with several governments and industrial companies such as SINTEF Industrial Management and ENOVA SF from Norway, Pos Indonesia, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia, Boeing USA, PGN, PLN, Regional Disaster Management Agency, Transportation Office, and Diy Industry and Trade Office.
From this form of appreciation, she highly hoped that later this could be a door to open bigger chances in encouraging industrial development in Indonesia to be more independent in managing its natural resources so that this condition is later expected to be able to meet the domestic needs and expand the export activities in this country. However, this accomplishment requires cooperation and support from various parties; higher institutions, government, and industrial companies.
As is known, Bertha was born in Malang, 11 August 1977. She grew up in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, along with her parents, who got the moving-in duty. She was the second of her siblings. Her historical education started at Elementary School (SD) of Teladan No. 009 Samarinda, Junior High School 1 (SMP N 1) Samarinda, High School 1 (SMA N 1) Samarinda. Next, in 2000, she graduated from UGM Bachelor Degree in Chemical Engineering with cumlaude predicate. Her master’s education in Management of Production was completed at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, in 2004. On the other hand, she completed a doctoral degree at Industrial Ecology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, in 2011.