Yogyakarta – From students who are still collecting data to those already working on their theses and research manuscripts, 40 students from the Master’s Program in Food Science and Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (MFST UGM), presented the progress of their research during the Thesis Progress Seminar held on August 13-14, 2026. The seminar gave students from the 2024 even-semester intake and earlier cohorts who are still completing their studies a chance to review their research progress, discuss challenges, and plan the next steps toward finishing their theses and scientific publications.
The event was held in a hybrid format in Rooms 504, 505, and 514 at the Faculty of Agricultural Technology UGM. Most participants attended in person, while several students and supervisors from outside the faculty joined online.
The seminar was divided into three parallel sessions. Class A was moderated by Dr. Widiastuti Setyaningsih, S.T.P., M.Sc., Class B by Dr. Qurrotul A’yun, S.T.P., M.Sc., and Class C by Rachma Wikandari, S.T.P., M.Biotech., Ph.D. Each student had up to seven minutes to present their research progress, followed by around 23 minutes of discussion with two reviewers and two supervisors.
The students were at different stages of their research. Some were still collecting data, while others had moved on to data analysis, thesis writing, or preparing scientific manuscripts. Several students were already close to completing their research and were encouraged to finish the remaining requirements before their thesis examination.
During the discussion sessions, reviewers looked not only at how much progress had been made, but also at the quality of the analysis and how well the results addressed the research objectives. Students were encouraged to strengthen the links between their research questions, hypotheses, methods, data, and the novelty of their work.
The depth of discussion was another important point. Reviewers highlighted that master’s-level research should go beyond simply showing differences or effects between treatments. Students are also expected to explain the scientific mechanisms behind their findings. In several cases, students were advised to strengthen supporting analyses and make sure that the selected parameters were sufficient to answer the research objectives.
Several research topics received positive feedback for their strong potential and novelty. At the same time, students were encouraged to look at their data more critically, revisit their interpretations, and identify any additional analyses needed to strengthen both their theses and publication manuscripts.
Completing the degree on time was also an important part of the discussion. Students who had already completed their data collection were encouraged to move forward with data analysis, thesis writing, and manuscript preparation. “You already have the data, now it is time to write it up. If you run into any difficulties, we can discuss them together,” was one of the messages shared by a supervisor during the seminar.
Overall, the seminar showed that students are currently at different stages of their research. Some are nearing completion, while others still need to speed up or strengthen certain parts of their work. With feedback from reviewers and supervisors, students are expected to set clearer priorities and plan their next steps more effectively.
The Thesis Progress Seminar is part of MFST UGM’s effort to monitor student progress while maintaining the quality of research. Through regular evaluation and discussion, students are expected to complete their research, thesis, and publication requirements more smoothly and finish their studies on time.
