Athiah's Introduction

 Hi everyone!

My name is Jaenab Athiah Al Afifah, but most people call me Athiah. I currently live in Shizuoka, but I originally come from Bandung, Indonesia.

Most people think of Indonesia as a hot country, but Bandung is actually one of the cooler cities in Indonesia. It's surrounded by quite a few mountains, which gives it a much cooler climate compared to many other parts of the country. Bandung is also famous for its delicious food. And well, that's probably one of the reasons why I'm such a big foodie! >_<

Since I love food, two of my favorite hobbies are cooking and baking. I also enjoy reading books, writing opinion articles, listening to music, watching movies, traveling, and trying new things. Recently, I've developed a new interest in fishing! However, now that the weather is getting colder, I guess I'll have to put it on hold until spring comes.

My Academic Life

I am currently pursuing my PhD under the United Graduate School of Agricultural Science (UGSAS) at Gifu University, while conducting my research at Shizuoka University.

My research focuses on making wood more fire-resistant using calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). There are already many types of fire-retardant treatments available, but what makes my approach interesting is that CaCO₃ is an inorganic compound with very low solubility in water. This means that, hopefully, it can remain inside the wood for a long time without being easily washed away. 

When we want to modify the properties of wood, we usually introduce certain chemicals into it in liquid form. However, since CaCO₃ is hardly soluble in water, I cannot simply dissolve it and put it into the wood. Instead, I have to produce CaCO₃ directly inside the wood through a chemical reaction.

It was quite challenging at first because my initial specimens did not meet the required Japanese building standards for fire performance. However, after many trials and errors, I finally managed to achieve the required performance!

Now, I'm working on improving the treatment method to make the process more efficient. I find this whole process really interesting (at least my sensei and I do! :D). It's fascinating to see how a material that burns so easily can become much more resistant to fire after my treatment. Sometimes, it almost feels like I've performed a magic trick! >_<

Food and Culture

In between my research activities, I always try to make time for cooking and baking. One dish that particularly impressed me was Selat Solo, which I made about a month ago. 

Selat Solo is a traditional dish from Surakarta (also known as Solo), Central Java, Indonesia. Interestingly, the food culture in Central Java is quite different from that of West Java, where I come from. West Javanese cuisine tends to be more savory and spicy, while Central Javanese cuisine is generally sweeter. In fact, even dishes that are supposed to be savory often have a noticeable sweetness to them!

About two years ago, I visited Solo and had the chance to try Selat Solo. I really loved its flavor, and the memory of that dish stayed with me. So, just last month, I decided to recreate it here. I followed a recipe I found on TikTok, and surprisingly, it tasted almost exactly like the one I had tried in Solo. I was so happy with the result! >_<

I would love to make it again, but honestly, the preparation was quite time-consuming and involved a lot of steps. Maybe someday, when I have enough time (and motivation!), I'll make it again.