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Rudy's long academic and career journey has been an inspiration to many. This 1976 graduate of Mechanical Engineering at ITB began his career at Garuda Indonesia as Head of the Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF). He played a major role in developing domestic aircraft maintenance capabilities.

Thanks to his achievements, Rudy received the opportunity to pursue international studies. He completed three master's degrees: a Master of Management from the University of Indonesia (UI), a Master of Public Administration and Air Transportation Policy from Harvard University, and a Master of Airline Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

"My main motivation is to help companies and hospitals in Indonesia become more disciplined, efficient, productive, and profitable. To be able to teach this, I had to study and academically prove the theories I developed," said Rudy.

The topic of his dissertation was born from this concern. Titled "Hospital Strategy Execution System by Maximizing Daily EBITDA to Enhance Operational Performance and Profitability," Rudy researched hospital management strategies through the approach of maximizing daily EBITDA. This method has proven to be effective in transforming companies from loss-making to healthier and more sustainable ones. He currently actively helps dozens of regional hospitals (RSUD) in Jakarta improve their financial performance.

Despite being much older than his classmates, Rudy never tires. He continues to study late into the night, write academic articles, and successfully publish two articles in reputable Scopus Q1 journals.

For Rudy, the key to writing is aligning research with real-world practice. Each topic he addresses draws on his professional experience, ensuring that his theories are both academically proven and practically relevant.

Rudy shared tips on how he managed to write Scopus articles while pursuing his doctoral studies. According to him, the key is to synchronize academic research with daily professional activities.

"Synchronize what you do in the office with research on campus, so it's beneficial. As you learn, you think about how you can apply it to your work. This way, over time, your learning becomes more and more useful for your work. It's very efficient," he explained.

He also emphasized the importance of perseverance when facing journal rejections. He uses every reviewer's note as learning material to improve his writing.

"When I'm rejected, I have more reason to study. The more rejections, the more perfect my writing becomes," he said.

For Rudy, feedback from reviewers isn't a barrier, but rather a guide to building stronger arguments. He diligently researches the suggested additional literature and refines his work until it's finally accepted.

The full support of his family and the SBM ITB community has been a crucial part of his success. His wife, who also holds a master's degree from Boston University, his children, and his grandchildren have always been a constant source of encouragement throughout this long journey.

For Rudy, this graduation is not just a personal achievement, but also a form of responsibility to share knowledge.

"Knowledge is useless if it's not utilized by others. I hope what I've learned can help many companies and hospitals in Indonesia," he said.

Through his story, Rudy gives a strong message to the younger generation: never stop learning.

"All ITB undergraduates, 50% must become masters. And of those who have masters, the other 50% must become doctors. Not for themselves, but for Indonesia," he said.

Rudy's graduation is a reminder to us all that the spirit of seeking knowledge, caring for others, and dedication to the nation knows no age limit.