Over winter break, 19 EPICS students from Arizona State University traveled to Indonesia for an immersive, two-week experience that blended innovation, service, and cultural exchange. Throughout the trip, students took part in in-country orientation, city tours in Bali and Jakarta, and full-day cultural excursions that introduced them to Indonesia’s history, landscapes, and local communities—from temples and historic landmarks to tea plantations and volcanic sites. Along the way, they experienced Indonesia through its food, sharing home-cooked meals prepared by local communities and enjoying traditional dishes.
Alongside cultural exploration, the program centered on academic collaboration made possible through ASU’s partnership with the Global Engagement Institute (GEI) and Indonesian universities, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) and Bina Nusantara University (BINUS). GEI served as the in-country partner and travel provider, coordinating logistics, cultural programming, and local guides who supported students throughout the experience. At ITB in Bandung, students advanced two projects—Drying Technology for Agricultural Products and Water Purification for Farmers—by prototyping in campus facilities, meeting faculty, and presenting their work in a Design Review Showcase. In Jakarta, students partnered with BINUS on the Integrating Renewable Energy in Aquaculture project, meeting their international teammates and refining their prototypes. During the visit the team participated in the Synthesis: Human. Machine. Meaning. Event, hosted by BINUS Techman Day and BINUS Maker Innovation Space, where the team tabled with their prototype and presented their projects during the Design Review to BINUS faculty and students as well as local industry professionals.
Team: Integrating Renewable Energy in Aquaculture Collaboration with BINUS
The Integrating Renewable Energy in Aquaculture project focused on creating a renewable energy solution for small-scale fish and shrimp farmers in Indonesia. Composed of nine ASU students and eleven BINUS students, the team began collaborating in Fall 2024 with a shared goal: to address the high costs and environmental harm caused by traditional energy sources used in aquaculture.
Many farmers rely on unreliable aeration systems powered by expensive, non-sustainable energy. The team’s problem statement centered on designing a cost-effective, solar-powered aerator that could improve water quality while supporting more sustainable farming practices. Their solution aims to maximize the use of available land and resources, provide a sustainable and affordable alternative for farmers, and create a more efficient way to monitor shrimp health through data collection.
Before traveling, the team conducted in-depth analysis on user needs and design requirements, life-cycle costs, competitor products, and testing plans. While in Indonesia, students visited local shrimp farms to better understand real-world conditions and challenges. For the trip, they developed a small-scale, portable prototype equipped with a solar panel, an Arduino Uno, a wired circuit system, and a dissolved oxygen sensor.
During their time at BINUS, the team interviewed local farmers, built and tested their prototype, and collected water-quality data directly from shrimp ponds to inform future development. By the end of the program, they had finalized their prototype on campus and delivered a final presentation to BINUS and ASU faculty and students, showcasing a solution rooted in both technical innovation and community impact.
Team: Drying Technology For Agricultural Products Collaboration with ITB
The Drying Technology for Agricultural Products project addresses a critical challenge faced by farmers in West Java: crop spoilage caused by humid climates and unreliable traditional drying methods. As defined in their problem statement, Farmers in West Java struggle with crop spoilage due to humid climates and unreliable traditional drying methods, leading to significant losses. These conditions often result in wasted harvests and reduced income for local farmers.
Leading up to the trip, the team identified user needs and design requirements, conducted competitor analysis, and developed a prototyping and testing plan alongside a working budget. By Spring 2025, they refined three initial design concepts into one final design and brought a physical prototype to Indonesia. In addition to the hardware, the team designed a website to monitor and display data about the prototype’s internal environment, allowing for better tracking of temperature and humidity during the drying process.
The impact of this solution extends beyond efficiency. By preventing crop spoilage and increasing usable yield, the project aims to improve food security and strengthen the local economy. The system is designed to be adaptable based on the type of biomass being dried, encouraging farmers to grow a wider variety of crops and support greater biodiversity. Looking ahead, the team plans to begin testing the prototype, continue close collaboration with the ITB team to optimize performance, and implement a more efficient power supply.
Team: Indonesia Water Transportation for Farmers Collaboration with ITB
The Indonesia Water Transportation for Farmers project focuses on improving access to water for farmers working on uneven, hilly terrain. Currently, farmers rely on expensive outside water sourcing or physically carrying water uphill—an approach that is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. The landscape makes it difficult to install traditional piping, pump, or pulley systems, and limited access to power and electricity further restricts feasible solutions.
The team’s goal is to create a system that can transport water from the bottom of a hill to the top, making it easier for farmers to distribute water across their land. Leading up to the trip, students identified user needs and design requirements, developed a project roadmap, outlined next steps, and built a working budget. They brainstormed multiple potential solutions, evaluating the pros and cons of each while considering materials, feasibility, and technical calculations.
The future impact of this project is significant. By increasing year-round access to water at higher levels of the farm, the solution will reduce the physical strain on farmers and allow them to spend more time tending to crops rather than carrying buckets uphill. Farms can achieve higher crop yields and operate more efficiently, creating long-term benefits for both productivity and quality of life.
Cultural Discovery in Indonesia
The trip offered students a rich immersion into Indonesia’s culture, history, and natural beauty. After an in-country orientation, they explored Bali on a full-day excursion that included Tegenungan Waterfall in Ubud, the iconic Uluwatu Temple, and a traditional Kecak performance, while enjoying home-cooked meals prepared by local communities. In Jakarta, students toured historic landmarks including Fatahillah Square, Old Town Square, the National Monument, Istiqlal Mosque, Cathedral Church, and the National Library. During their time in Bandung, the team immersed themselves in both cultural exploration and academic collaboration. The group began with a full-day excursion to Kawah Putih, visiting the volcanic White Crater and Sunan Ibu Sunrise Point, followed by a trek through a tea plantation to observe local farming practices and take in the scenic countryside. The team experienced local lunches, a suspension bridge crossing, and time to relax in natural hot spring pools and mud baths. Academically, students engaged closely with Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), participating in a campus tour, a dedicated student workday, and a final project showcase in collaboration with ITB and ASU.
The cultural immersion also included lighter, humorous moments. One student reflected, “The biggest culture shock I experienced was driving on the opposite side of the road. Despite being in Bali for two days prior, when I opened the driver’s door of the Grab, I shocked myself and the driver. This was really embarrassing because obviously I wanted to be a passenger and not drive the car myself.” Moments like these highlighted the challenges and joys of navigating a new culture, making the trip as memorable as it was educational.