A team of students from the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of MIPA, Universitas Gadjah Mada, consisting of Gian Luky Saputra (Statistics, 2021) and Daud Muhamad Azhari (Statistics, 2021), succeeded in securing third place in the Statistics Olympiad (SO). This event is part of the 2024 Poisson Statistic Competition organized by Politeknik Statistika STIS, under the theme “Data-Driven Development: Unleashing the Power of Official Statistics for Sustainable Futures.”
The Poisson Statistic Competition is a national intercollegiate competition that includes three main categories, one of which is the Statistics Olympiad. The competition aims to hone data analysis skills and foster a competitive spirit among students across Indonesia. Participants are encouraged to apply data analysis, think critically, and solve various issues using relevant statistical approaches.
Gian stated that the 2024 Poisson Statistic Competition was attended by students from various leading universities, including Politeknik Statistika STIS, IPB University, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Padjadjaran, and Universitas Gadjah Mada.
Daud and Gian’s journey to winning was no easy feat. They first had to pass a qualifying round that tested their endurance in solving statistical problems within two hours. In the semifinal round, the team was required to create a paper that discussed data analysis with a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) theme. Gian and Daud chose stunting as their topic—focusing on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being)—by highlighting areas with high stunting disparity, specifically Bali and Nusa Tenggara. They proposed a spatial regression analysis approach to identify critical locations and provide data support for more effective policy interventions.
In the final round, they competed against four other top teams and presented their analysis results directly in front of a panel of expert statisticians. Despite facing challenging questions during the Q&A session, they successfully defended their arguments and provided optimal responses.
Daud expressed that this achievement marks a promising start following their previous year’s setbacks. “We are truly grateful for this accomplishment in one of Indonesia’s most prestigious competitions,” said Daud. They hope to achieve even greater success and make their university proud in the future.
Keywords: Statistics Olympiad, Spatial Regression Analysis, Stunting
Author: Gian Luky Saputra
Editor: Endang Sulastri
Photo: Gian Luky Saputra