Banda Aceh — The Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC), Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), welcomed an educational visit from Grade VII students of SMP Islam Al-Azhar Cairo Banda Aceh on Tuesday (4/8/2026). The visit was part of the school’s Outing Class program, aimed at introducing young students to the world of disaster research from an early stage of their education.
The group, consisting of dozens of students accompanied by their teachers, arrived at the TDMRC USK complex at 08:00 WIB and was welcomed by TDMRC representative Dr. Ir. Yunita Idris, S.T., M.Eng. In her remarks, Yunita expressed appreciation for SMP Islam Al-Azhar Cairo’s initiative in introducing disaster-related issues to students from an early age, noting that Aceh is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis. 
“Knowledge about disasters should be instilled as early as possible, not only as general awareness, but also as a foundation of preparedness for Aceh’s younger generation,” Yunita said in her opening remarks.
The visit was organized by TDMRC USK’s Training Division, with Khairunnisa, S.Pi., M.Si. serving as the activity coordinator. Under her coordination, students took part in an introductory session about the institution, along with a presentation on basic disaster knowledge, delivered in an engaging and accessible format suited to junior high school students.
The material was presented by two TDMRC resource persons, Aulia Khalqillah, S.Si., M.Si., and Rizka Puspitasari, S.Kom., M.Si. Both speakers introduced TDMRC’s profile and role as a disaster research center in Sumatra, and explained fundamental disaster concepts—ranging from the types of disasters Aceh is prone to, the disaster management cycle, and the importance of mitigation and preparedness at school and at home.
In addition to the classroom session, students were also given a guided tour of several disaster research laboratory facilities at TDMRC USK, including:
- Shaking table — an earthquake simulation device used by researchers to test the resilience of building models against seismic shaking. Through this facility, students could directly observe how building structures respond to ground motion of varying intensity.
- Tsunami wave flume — a long channel-shaped laboratory facility used to simulate the formation and propagation of tsunami waves at a small scale, supporting research into structural mitigation measures for coastal areas.
- Real-time earthquake monitoring — a seismic monitoring system that displays earthquake activity in real time from a network of sensors. This facility showed students how TDMRC contributes to the ongoing monitoring and analysis of seismic activity in Aceh and its surrounding areas.
The facility tour was designed to give students a tangible sense of how scientific research and technology are applied to understand natural hazard behavior and to support evidence-based mitigation efforts.
The educational visit is expected to raise students’ awareness and understanding of potential disaster risks in their surroundings, while fostering a culture of disaster preparedness from an early age. TDMRC USK reaffirmed its commitment to continued collaboration with educational institutions—from elementary and secondary schools to universities in order to expand the reach of disaster education across Acehnese society.
The visit by SMP Islam Al-Azhar Cairo Banda Aceh to TDMRC USK stands as a tangible example of synergy between the education sector and research institutions in building community resilience to disasters, particularly in Aceh’s coastal areas, which carry a long history of earthquakes and tsunamis.
