Nobel Prize-winning scientist becomes member of Science Committee in ODTÜ

ANKARA

Prof. Dr. Peter Agre, who received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003, has become a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ), which is one of the leading universities in Turkey.

While visiting ODTÜ as part of program called “Nobel Lectures,” Agre told Anadolu Agency that Turkey has a generation of young people with “great motivation” in improving themselves.

“Turkey is a developing country, and its biggest success is the young generation with great motivation. I think this is a treasure for the country,” Agre said.

As part of the program “Noble Lectures,” ODTÜ invited Nobel Prize-winning scientists from around the world and brought them together with the students, one of which was Agre.

A professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Agre shared the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for “discoveries concerning channels in cell membranes.”

“Scientists need opportunities and institutions including distinguished academics in order to work. And ODTÜ is a great opportunity; I have seen bright, creative, enthusiastic and curious young brains. And I think this is Turkey’s future. And if a part of these young people come to the U.S., without later hesitating to go back to Turkey, it will be great,” he said.

“As a member of the ODTÜ Scientific Advisory Committee, I have a responsibility in pondering about areas in which the university might want to put effort. Firstly, resources are limited for every university, and they cannot do everything,” Ages said, adding that he was looking forward to working with ODTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Verşan Kök and other ODTÜ academics.