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This year, the PMB ceremony was divided into two sessions: morning and afternoon. The morning session welcomed new students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering (FTTM), Faculty of Industrial Technology (FTI), School of Business and Management (SBM), and School of Pharmacy (SF).

One of the main highlights of the morning session was the scientific oration delivered by Dr. Mika Rizki Puspaningrum, S.Si., M.T., Ph.D., a lecturer from ITB’s Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology (FITB).

Carrying the theme “Beyond Dinosaur: Digging the Past, Preparing for the Future,” Dr. Mika invited new students to broaden their understanding of ancient life—reminding them that it encompasses much more than just dinosaurs.  “Dinosaurs were merely one season in the long history of life on Earth,” she remarked.

She emphasized that, although no dinosaur fossils have been found in Indonesia, the nation’s fossil record holds vital stories about evolution, migration, and the extinction of various prehistoric species.

Drawing from her research experiences across paleontological sites in Flores, Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Java, Dr. Mika illustrated how fossils serve as “pieces of a puzzle” that are pieced together with the aid of scientific inquiry.

“The process involves identifying the right geological formations, field excavation, morphological analysis using technologies like CT scanning and photogrammetry, both absolute and relative dating, and reconstructing ancient environments through isotopic studies and paleogeography,” she explained.

According to her, studying the past offers invaluable insights into how the Earth and life upon it have changed over time. “Extinction is inevitable. What we can do is learn to adapt, survive, innovate, and build a sustainable future,” she emphasized.

Closing her oration, she encouraged new students to become the next generation of pioneers who will write new chapters in the history of life. “You are the generation that will leave its own mark. Use knowledge not to live in the past, but to shape a wiser future,” she concluded.