South Tangerang, 14 December 2022

Wageningen University & Research

Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708
PB Wageningen, The Netherlands

Dear Admission Committee,

My name is Naufal Hafizh and with this letter, I express my interest in applying for the MSc of Biobased
Sciences offered at Wageningen University and Research. With my current experience as a Research
Engineer in the Research Center for Agroindustry of the Indonesian National Agency for Research and
Innovation, I wish to enrich my knowledge about how to develop biotechnological aspects in the bio-based
and circular economy to substitute petrochemical-based materials. I am also interested in the Biorefinery
and Conversion specialization because it is related to the usage of oil palm, one of the biggest agricultural
commodities in Indonesia, for the production of materials such as ethanol and its derivatives.

I hold a B.Eng. degree in Bioprocess Engineering from the University of Indonesia. I learned several courses
I wish suitable for this program such as Biocatalyst, Biochemical Engineering, Equipment Design, and System
Simulation as well as one of my team’s projects in Plant Design course that focused on the preliminary design
of xylitol production from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB). For my undergraduate thesis research, I did
research about unsaturated fatty acid extraction from Rhizopus oligosporus from soybean fermentation that
can be used as an alternative for food supplements.

During my career as a research engineer for two years, I have participated in several research projects related
to food technology and nutrition such as the production of a protease-like-trypsin enzyme from lactic acid
bacteria for the supplementary digestive system to replace trypsin that is usually produced from animal’s
digestive system that leads to people’s concern about plant-based raw material in food production. I also
have planned research about irradiation dosage to improve the shelf life of red chili by using gamma-
radiation in small dosages for sterilizing food materials to prevent microbial growth so it can expand its shelf
life rather than the conventional method.

With all of my experience listed, I want to step up my professional career miles ahead. This program is
specifically relevant to both my educational background and research career. In addition, studying abroad
provides a great experience for celebrating cultural diversity and exchanging knowledge with students
around the world. I am sure that the knowledge and skills that I have got from my job, university, and
extracurricular campus would make me a valuable addition to the M.Sc. of Biobased Sciences at Wageningen
University and Research.

Thank you in advance for considering my application and hopefully, I would love to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Naufal Hafizh