YSEALI, Mengunjungi MIT, Pusatnya Para Peneliti Terbaik di Dunia

Massachusetts yang berpopulasi sekitar 560.000 jiwa dan terletak pada ketinggian 6 meter di atas permukaan laut, terkenal sebagai daerah Pendidikan. Ada paling tidak 32 perguruan tinggi di wilayah dalam Kota Boston dan sekitar 65 perguruan tinggi jika dihitung hingga batas pinggiran luar kotanya. Karena itu setiap tahun, biasanya di bulan September, populasinya membengkak dengan sekitar 130.000 mahasiswa yang datang dari penjuru dunia, termasuk saya, hehe ngarep.

Dari sensus tahun 1990 tercatat bahwa separuh dari penduduk Boston, yang disebut Bostonian, adalah mahasiswa. Fakta selanjutnya menunjukkan bahwa Boston mempunyai angkatan kerja yang berpendidikan terbaik di seluruh Amerika, hebat ya.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Salah satu universitas terbaik yang akan saya ceritakan saat ini adalah MIT, bagi yang suka baca Komik Q.E.D karya Motohirou Katou pasti tidak asing lagi dengan kampus ini. Kampus-nya So Toma, Massachusetts Institute of Technology atau MIT adalah institusi riset swasta dan universitas yang terletak di kota Cambridge, Massachusetts, tepatnya di seberang Sungai Charles dari distrik Back Bay, kurang lebih tiga kilometer dari Universitas Harvard. Kita bisa menggunakan subway atau pun bus dari Harvard atau pun sebaliknya.

Sekolah ini didirikan tahun 1861 oleh William Barton Rogers. dan baru pada tahun 1916 pindah ke kompleks yang sekarang ini. Bidang-bidang studi yang dipelajari di MIT di antaranya Architechtur and Planning, Engineering, Humanities, Social Science, Health Science and Technology juga Management.   Dalam kurun waktu 60 tahun belakangan ini, MIT telah mengembangkan cabang lain seperti manajemen, ekonomi, ilmu politik, dan biologi.

MIT hingga kini menjadi andalan Amerika di bidang riset dan pengembangan khususnya yang berkaitan dengan industri elektronika dan komunikasi. Pada tahun 1929, komputer yang pertama kali dikembangkan di MIT, yang kemudian memantapkan posisinya sebagai yang terdepan di bidang teknologi tinggi (hi-tech). Ditunjang oleh semakin banyaknya perusahaan yang bergerak di bidang hi-tech di wilayah ini, maka tidak heran kalau MIT bangga dengan mengidentikkan dirinya sebagai A Campus Built For Innovation.

A Campus Built For Innovation

Departemen dan sekolah yang paling terkenal adalah Lincoln Laboratory, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Media Lab, Whitehead Institute dan Sloan School of Management. 59 dari anggota dari komunitas MIT telah memenangkan Penghargaan Nobel.

Kampus MIT Terbagi menjadi 2 bagian oleh Massachusetts Avenue, dengan asrama mahasiswa dan fasilitas untuk mahasiswa terdapat di sebelah barat dan sekolahnya di sebelah timur. Juga terdapat jaringan kereta api dekat Kendall Square yang terletak di sebelah timur laut kampus ini. Di sekeliling bangunan kampusnya terdapat banyak sekali perusahaan teknologi.

MIT Dome, makes everyone can fly ^ 3 ^

Berbeda dengan Harvard, mahasiswa di sini terlalu serius, hehe. Tapi wajar dengan prestasi dan hasil yang mereka dapatkan. Yang menarik dari kampus ini, ada banyak scuplture unik dan futuristik. Selain itu, jadi tempat favorite saya dan teman-teman Bostonian YSEALI Profellows lainnya untuk nongkrong menikmati pemandangan Kota Boston dari seberang.

Introduce Aceh to America

With The Teens at 3D Studio AFH

Working in Artists for Humanity became an unforgettable experience for me, being able to work in a company that has a concept that has been my dream all along. Artists for Humanity is a creative company located in Boston, Massacussets, United States.

This social company started in 1991 when Susan Rodgerson as Founder and Artistic Director met with youngsters in schools who have skills in the arts, especially painting. But they are not yet convinced of their ability to become one of the future careers.

Susan invites them, especially Rob Gibbs and Jason Talbot who are 14 and 15 years old to make the project together and produce. In the end they form the Artists for Humanity to accommodate, give the same place and opportunity for young people who have the same conditions with them.

Until now Artists for Humanity invites young people to work with mentors to create creative works to solve problems that exist in the environment and also meet client demand. Combining creative processes for social change and also helping to change lives financially for young people.

25 Years already, nearly 3,000 young people have already worked and reach up to 12,000 young people in arts and entrepreneurship activities. All come from schools in Boston, from different skin types, sex and various languages.

Every Tuesday through Thursday, young people, especially school children, once school starts from three to six o'clock, they can intern at Artists for Humanity. They make artwork, such as painting, collage, 3D, graphic design, video, and photos.

Later their work will be sold or rented to companies in need of art, and young people whose work is bought or rent will earn commissions. During the apprenticeship they will be accompanied by mentors, learning to produce works that have a decent quality to sell. Interestingly, the mentor here does not give instructions or orders, but invites young people to discuss and think scientifically, because the technique used STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

In the process, Artists for Humanity not only helps financially young people in Boston, but also motivates them to solve their educational problems. Many are ultimately motivated to complete their education and move on to a higher level with positive motivation.

There are approximately 40 full-time workers in Artist for Humanity, from director, mentor, finance, management and development, 3D mentor, painting mentor, graphic design mentor, photography mentor and animation mentor. Everything is gathered with the power of dreams of a Susan. She said, "do something positive for others and pass it on, and magic will come."

In addition to studying, I have the opportunity to teach young people who are apprenticing in 3D Studio to get to know Aceh and Indonesia through Creative Class that I usually do with The Leader friends. We make Piyohtoys with kokoru paper material that I brought from Indonesia.

Susan see the Piyohtoys

They learn how to create personal characters with paper materials and get to know Indonesia through the characters I create. And it turns out the work we make makes us know Indonesia and America closer. And interestingly, Susan, Director of Artists for Humanity and Rich Mark, Marketing Director is interested in the concept and is waiting for the sale of the product to the international network.

And this becomes our next homework, can we accept this challenge?

* Program Participants The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellows Economic Empowerment Fall 2017 represents Indonesia.