Scientists get TÜBİTAK awards from president

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

President Abdullah Gül and senior ministers attended the Turkish Scientific and Technical Researches Institution (TÜBİTAK) Science Awards ceremony, held yesterday in Ankara.

“The future and survival of countries are usually put in a military and political context. However, the future of governments are now shaped by developments in science, research and technology,” said Gül at the ceremony held at his official residence, Çankaya Palace.

The history of science is also the “history of humanity,” Gül said, adding that Turkish government had taken steps to align the development of the country with advancements in science and technology; thus the name of the Ministry of Industry changed to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Trade to serve as a flagship in the field.

By realizing that the main factors in helping Turkey progress and develop is science, technology and research, the government was able to take steps to adapt its laws to organize the necessary means and create new job openings in the field, Gül added.

Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Kağıtçıbaşı was awarded for her internationally significant work in the field of Social/Cultural Psychology, focusing on the self, family, and the development of humans in Turkey. The TÜBİTAK’s special award in sciences for work conducted internationally was given Prof. Dr. İlhan Fuat Akyıldız in the field of engineering sciences.

Joining academics and scientists at the award ceremony were: Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Şahin; Minister of EU Egemen Bağış; Ministry of Science, Technology and trade Nihat Ergün; Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız; Minister of Development Cevdet Yılmaz; Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Mehdi Eker; Minister of Forestry and Waterworks Veyzel Eroğlu; Parliament Deputy Chairman Sadık Yakut; Secretary General of the Presidency Mustafa İsen; TÜBİTAK head Prof. Dr. Yüksel Altunbaşak and Higher Education Board (YÖK) Chairman Prof. Dr. Yusuf Ziya Özcan.

Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Kağıtçıbaşı was awarded for her internationally significant work in the field of Social/Cultural Psychology, focusing on the self, family, and the development of humans in Turkey. The TÜBİTAK’s special award in sciences for work conducted internationally was given Prof. Dr. İlhan Fuat Akyıldız in the field of engineering sciences.

Awards were also given to scientists under the age of 40 who display extraordinary potential for future contributions to the international field. The TÜBİTAK Incentive Awards were given to: Prof. Dr. Ali Murat Güler; Assistant Prof. Dr. Ömer İlday; Associate Professor Dr. Amitav Sanyal; Associate Professor Dr. Nurettin Şahiner; Associate Professor Dr. Suna Timur; Prof. Dr. Hafzullah Aksoy; Associate Professor Dr. Hande Yaman Paternotte; Associate Professor Dr. Osman Sağdıç; Prof. Dr. Harun Sönmez; Associate Professor Dr. Refet S. Gürkaynak and Associate Professor Dr. Kaan Güven.