Behind the scene of ICASS 2025 & ISICT 2025
A Volunteer’s Note
Written by Soni Kesuma, BEng Civil Engineering, Institute Teknologi Bandung
I volunteered at the 12th ICASS & 4th ISICT 2025 mainly as technical support, handling the audio-visual setup for keynote and paper presentation sessions. This included managing the presentation laptop, screen connections, and audio system to make sure everything ran smoothly. I also helped with other on-site tasks such as arranging banquet tables, setting up banners, and acting as a timekeeper during several paper presentations. Most of my work happened behind the scenes, but that actually became one of the most interesting parts of the experience, as it allowed me to follow the presentations closely without being directly involved on stage.
The conference featured keynote talks from both academics and industry professionals, alongside paper presentations competing for best paper awards. As someone who is particularly interested in construction technology, the keynote sessions were the highlight for me. One talk that left a strong impression was “Enabling Industrialized Construction: Singapore’s Integrated Approach to Industry Transformation” by Mr. Tan Chee Kiat, Deputy CEO of Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA). Hearing directly about Singapore’s Built Environment Industry Transformation Map, the thinking behind it, and the future direction of the industry gave me insights that felt very relevant to my own academic and career goals.
What made this experience especially enjoyable was getting a real look at how an academic conference actually operates. Before this, conferences felt like a “vague idea” to me, something I only imagined from the audience side. Being part of the organizing team showed me how much coordination, preparation, and teamwork are involved. I also really appreciated the people I worked with. Many committee members were PhD and postdoctoral students, and they were open, friendly, and willing to share advice, which made the environment both professional and comfortable.
Through this volunteering experience, I improved my technical skills in handling conference equipment, while also practicing communication, teamwork, and quick decision-making. More importantly, it made the academic world feel much closer and more tangible. This experience confirmed my interest in being more involved in conferences in the future. Not just as a volunteer, but eventually as a researcher presenting my own work. I would highly recommend this experience to students and early-career researchers who want to better understand academia beyond the classroom.