文/王翊丞、黃菊花、石賢真、余佳融
# Speaker’s Introduction
Renardi, also known by his Chinese name 楊昌翰, is a senior who studied his Bachelor's (2011-2015) and Master's (2015-2017) degrees in Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering Department from National Taiwan University. Born and raised in Palembang, a city in western Indonesia, he moved to Taiwan during senior high school. During his Bachelor’s and Master’s period, he often got Suncue scholarships. In return, Renardi gave back his best to provide Suncue Company a remarkable contribution and began researching the company to understand it better. He discovered that the company's work aligned with his Master's research. Consequently, he decided to start his professional career at Suncue Company, Taiwan, where he worked from 2017 to 2023, responsible for managing the Indonesian market as a regional manager. Currently, Renardi is an entrepreneur in Indonesia, using his expertise and wisdom from years of work to build his own business.
# University Life
Renardi's academic experience in Bio-industrial Mechatronics Engineering was quite instrumental in shaping his professional path. During his time at NTU, he specialized in mechanical systems and agricultural technology, gaining skills in electronics, electrical engineering, and automation. His academic journey was marked by rigorous coursework and practical laboratory experience, particularly under the mentorship of Professor Ye (葉仲基), whose vision aligned with Renardi's goal of applying technology for the betterment of human quality of life. He also shared his experience with one of his most challenging yet memorable courses, that course was Machine Design, taught by Professor Liao. He had to retake it three times before finally passing. Despite failing two times, his resilience and mental strength developed and were shaped to give him the courage to tackle this problem until it was done.
He also shared stories about his extracurricular activities during university. He served as a committee member of the National Taiwan University Indonesian Student Association for four years, holding various positions such as vice president, president, and advisor. Additionally, he mentioned that he and his two friends started a tutoring program to teach the Indonesian language. Marking his wisdom in all the entrepreneurial fields, Leadership settings, and Education fields.
# Professional Journey
Renardi's work at Suncue Company, as a leading producer of grain drying instruments, was a significant milestone in his career. Suncue's innovative solutions for drying various grains, such as paddy, maize, wheat, and coffee, tackled traditional drying challenges like weather dependency, mold growth, and insect infestation. By utilizing a controlled environment for drying, Suncue ensured superior grain quality, reduced breakage rates, and maintained the aromatic smell of grains. Renardi helped Suncue expand its global market to 60 countries, especially Indonesia. His multilingual skills and technical knowledge built a strong foundation to make a strong client relationships and drive sales growth.
# Differences Between Traditional and Modern Rice Drying Processing Procedures
- Technique/principle mentioned during interview
During the interview, Renardi explained the differences between traditional and modern rice processing procedures. Suncue Company, where he worked, is one of the manufacturing companies that produce grain dryer instruments supporting modern rice processing. In this report, we cited some journals to better explain the methods that were utilized.
The processing procedure for rice starts with harvesting paddy, followed by drying, dehusking, polishing, and finally becoming ready-to-cook rice (Meng. Z., et al., 2018). This time-consuming process demonstrates that if any step is not performed correctly, it can affect the final quality of the rice. Renardi highlighted how modern methods, supported by advanced equipment like those produced by Suncue, enhance efficiency and quality compared to traditional methods. This ensures better preservation and improved overall rice quality.
Source : left (Meng. Z., et al., 2018), right (Son, Seung-Wan, 2011)
In the traditional method, grain drying is typically done through sun drying, where harvested rice is spread out in the sun to dry naturally (Kalita, T., et al, 2021). While this method is much more environmentally friendly, it has its disadvantages. The process is dependent on weather conditions, bad weather can halt most of the production, and improper treatment (non-ideal temperature & high humidity) can lead to mold growth and insect infestation, resulting in wasted harvested grains. Furthermore, this method is not space friendly and requires a lot of human resources.
By using the machine provided by Suncue for of grain drying, the products are guaranteed to have excellent quality and be free from damage due to mold and insects. This is because of the use of controlled environments (for drying time and humidity). Besides ensuring quality, modern methods also make grain drying more convenient, as the process is space friendly, financial friendly since it requires fewer workers, and can be supervised in real-time with the help of a smartphone. Boosting the quality of life for farmers all around the world.
# Entrepreneurship and Future Aspirations
In 2023, Renardi transitioned from corporate management to vehicle entrepreneurship, starting his own business in Indonesia. This move was driven by his desire to apply his technical expertise and business capability in a more autonomous and impactful manner. His entrepreneurial journey is fueled by the experiences he has acquired over the years, including his proficiency in AutoCAD, electronic circuit design, and automation control acquired at NTU. These skills allow Renardi to troubleshoot car engine and innovate his startup business for success in the competitive market.
Renardi's commitment to continuous learning and professional development is evident in his advice to students and young professionals. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high GPA, building strong relationships with professors, and developing a unique selling point to enhance employability. Renardi's experience working in Taiwan provided him with a robust work ethic and an understanding of the competitive international job market. He encourages aspiring students to make use of their skills, pursue their interests, and stay resilient in the face of challenges.
Looking ahead, Renardi aims to expand his business in Indonesia while maintaining a balanced work-life dynamic, especially with his growing family. His long-term vision includes contributing to the agricultural technology sector, improving grain drying processes, and enhancing food security, while also expanding his business all around Indonesia. Renardi's journey from a dedicated student to a successful entrepreneur exemplifies the impact of perseverance, continuous learning, and strategic career planning. His story serves as an inspiration to many in the field of biomechatronics engineering and beyond.
# Highlight of Career & Academic Advice from Senior
- Principle mentioned during interview
Unique Selling Point (USP)
USP is one of the principles in marketing and business strategy that was often highlighted during the Interview. Unique Selling Point or so-called Unique Selling Proposition, is the essence of what makes your product or service better than other competitors. Seniors emphasize the importance of self-understanding before graduation, advices us to recognize both our strengths and weaknesses. By acknowledging our strengths, we gain insight into our competitive edge compared to others, which we can then develop, improve, and highlight when seeking for jobs to make us stand out among other job applicants. In these cases, USP is a blend of what we do well (our skills) and what customers (employers/companies) want.
Passion
Passion is the combination of what you are good at and what you love. Seniors advise that before we graduate from college, we should find our passion and delve into it, so that in the future, our passion can become our professional skill, increasing our value and enabling us to compete in the job market.
# Closing Note
This interview taught us about perseverance and hard work, which will eventually bring poresults. There are no instantaneous results in building a career. Discipline and a good mindset are essential. Most of us are still young and inexperienced in our professional careers. Fortunately, there is still time to change and learn from our mistakes. Therefore, keep exploring, build a better mindset, and never give up.
# Photo’s taken during the Interview
# Reference :
- https://suncue.com/index.aspx?lang=US
- Meng, Z., Chen, X., Guan, L., Xu, Z., Zhang, Q., Song, Y., Liu, F., & Fan, T. (2018). Dissipation kinetics and risk assessments of tricyclazole during Oryza sativa L. growing, processing and storage. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(35), 35249–35256.
- Kalita, T., Gohain, U.P., & Hazarika, J. (2021). Effect of Different Processing Methods on the Nutritional Value of Rice. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal.
- Son, Seung-Wan & Nam, Young-Ju & Lee, Seung-Ho & Lee, Soo-Min & Lee, Soo-Hyung & Kim, Mi-Ja & Lee, Theresa & Yun, Jong-Chul & Ryu, Jae-Gee. (2011). Toxigenic Fungal Contaminants in the 2009-harvested Rice and Its Milling-by products Samples Collected from Rice Processing Complexes in Korea. Research in Plant Disease.