Muhammad Sarkawi and Farikhatul Fitria are graduates of the Global SDGs Program and are currently in their second and first years of doctoral study, respectively, in the Sustainable Earth and Environmental Sciences Program at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering. They have been recognized in the ‘Young Voices in the Chemical Sciences for Sustainability’ essay competition, which was jointly organized by the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCSD) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Muhammad Sarkawi was awarded first prize in the East Asia and Pacific region, while Farikhatul Fitria was selected as a finalist.
https://pubs.rsc.org/su/collection/39515/IOCD-Essay-Competition-Winners-2026

His essay has been published in the journal RSC Sustainability.
https://doi.org/10.1039/D6SU90060G

Sarkawi’s award-winning essay, “Chemistry before crisis: reframing the role of chemical sciences in sustainable water systems,” proposes a role for chemistry in preventing environmental crises through early sensing and phosphorus recovery and reuse (https://doi.org/10.1039/D6SU90060G).

Meanwhile, Fitria’s essay, “From pollution to regeneration: redefining wastewater in the age of water bankruptcy,” reframes wastewater as a valuable water resource amid growing water scarcity and explores sustainable water use through the integration of advanced treatment technologies and water-quality monitoring. Their recognition in this international competition highlights the value of their proposals for addressing water-related environmental challenges through chemistry.