UNS – Mutia Septianingsih, student of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, won the Best Speaker title in a prestigious national statistics competition. She studies at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science. She achieved this recognition for her outstanding performance. She earned this recognition at the 2025 Statistics Introduction and Data Festival (Anava). The Statistics Student Association of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) organized the event.
Now in its 19th year, Anava serves as a platform for aspiring statistics students. The event features multiple competitions, including the Statistics Infographic Competition (KIS). Mutia participated in this category alongside her teammate.
A Challenging Journey to Victory
Speaking to uns.ac.id, Mutia shared that competing in Anava was a rigorous process. The KIS selection started with infographic submissions, which were reviewed by the organizing committee and a panel of judges. From these, the top 15 works advanced to the next stage. After an audience voting session, the six best teams proceeded to the final round.
“The competition opened in December, and submissions were due in January. We worked on our project during the semester break, focusing on brainstorming, designing, and refining our infographic. My teammate and I had intensive discussions about the issue we tackled, our proposed solutions, and the visual design. Once we reached the finals, we had just a week to prepare,” Mutia explained.
Mutia and her teammate, Satya Bintang Eka Resiadi, received valuable mentorship from UNS Statistics lecturer Husna Afanyn Khoirunissa, S.Stat., M.Stat. They practiced intensively, including question-and-answer sessions with peers to strengthen their understanding.
Overcoming Unexpected Challenges
In the final round, Mutia faced an unexpected challenge. Her teammate was unable to attend for personal reasons. As a result, she had to present alone. Competing against top universities such as UGM, IPB, and UNDIP, she initially felt overwhelmed and even considered withdrawing.
Despite this setback, Mutia decided to give her best effort. To her surprise, judges named her Best Speaker in the Statistics Infographic Competition at ANAVA#19 UGM during the award ceremony.
“I had no expectations during the awarding session. But unexpectedly, I won. I became the best presenter, even though I had to compete alone against students from the country’s top universities,” she said.
Inspiring Future Achievements
Mutia encouraged fellow students to embrace challenges and not fear failure. “If we fail, think of it as using up our quota of failures in this world. At first, I feared presenting alone and worried about disappointing my teammates. But in the end, I overcame my fears. The real competition is not with others, but with ourselves,” she reflected.
Her achievement highlights the capability of FMIPA UNS students to excel in national statistics and data science competitions. It also serves as motivation for students to continue improving their analytical skills and contributing to the field. This success aligns with UNS’s commitment to the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), which focuses on Quality Education.
HUMAS UNS
