The TÜBA-GEBİP 2014 Annual Assessment Meeting was held in Afyonkarahisar
The TÜBA Young Scientist Outstanding Achievement Award Program (GEBİP) 2014 Annual Assessment Meeting was held on November 28-30 in Afyon with the contributions of the Afyon Kocatepe University (AKÜ).
The program, which was organized at the Afyon Korel Hotel, was attended by TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, TÜBA Council Members; Erciyes University Rector Prof. Dr. H. Fahrettin Keleştemur, Necmettin Erbakan University Rector Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker, Trakya University Assistant Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Sarıoğlu, Prof. Dr. Tayfun Özçelik, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Gül, Prof. Dr. Aydın Gülan, Prof. Dr. Reşat Apak, Prof. Dr. Fikrettin Şahin, Prof. Dr. İzzet Öztürk, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Nuri Yurdusev, Afyon Kocatepe University Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Solak, TÜBA Associate Member and Gebze Technical University Rector Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, AKÜ Assistant Rector Prof. Dr. Kemalettin Çonkar, TÜBA Chairman Advisors Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kaya and Prof. Dr. Kenan Çağan, Advisor TÜBA Members, academicians, scientists and students.
Afyon Kocatepe University Assistant Rector Prof. Dr. Kemalettin Çonkar, who made the opening speech following the AKÜ musical concert on Friday November 28, expressed how pleased he was to have the 2014 GEBİP Annual Assessment Meeting in Afyon and continued his speech by providing information about the Afyon Kocatepe University.
In the speech by TÜBA Council Member Prof. Dr. Ahmet Nuri Yurdusev he said “With this program, which was started as an academy in 2001, we strive to create a network that includes several hundred young researchers working in the fields of science, health, engineering and social sciences and their study groups. We have been working to gain a qualified generation of researchers to our country by these means for nearly twenty years. By supporting outstanding young scientists with this program we aim to increase their dedication and reverse the migration of intellect to provide important contributions to our country”.
Prof. Dr. Yurdusev said “GEBİP, one of the first examples of the “Young Academy” concept in the world, rewards young scientists who work in all of the fields within the scope of TÜBA, Turkey’s national academy, who have expertise in health sciences, a doctorate in other sciences, work in Turkey and/or have committed to work in Turkey and are not yet 39 years of age. In all fields of science a total of 335 outstanding scientists have been supported to date through TÜBA-GEBİP”, and concluded his speech by explaining the completed and planned projects and activities of TÜBA.
TÜBA Council Member Prof. Dr. Fikrettin Şahin presented a conference on “The Effects of Genetically Modified Organisms and Foods on Human and Environmental Health” which was listened to with great interest. Prof. Dr. Şahin continued the presentation, which started with developments in agriculture from the past to the present, by presenting the developments in biotechnology for the most part and the main problems concerning genetically modified organisms.
A tour of the AKU campus and Medical Faculty took place on the first day of the program.
Projects Presented in Four Fields Were Discussed
After the opening program the GEBİP 2014 Annual Assessment Meetings were conducted in the form of parallel sessions with the participation of award recipients and advisors in 4 different fields and 4 different conference rooms. During the meetings the presentations made by GEBİP members on research conducted in the fields of science, health and life, engineering and social sciences were evaluated.
Following the evaluation of presentations in the fields of science, health and life, engineering and social sciences assessments and recommendations were expressed by the Academy President, Field moderators and participants on the presented projects and the GEBİP program.
TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar who spoke at the closing meeting said: “We place great importance on these assessment meetings both in terms of monitoring the progress of grant recipients and their projects and in terms of enabling the grant recipients to form new communication and cooperation networks amongst themselves and with the advisors. As an administration we strive to make sure this organization, which includes all of the scientists and fields of science within the Academy, does accurate work with the awareness and responsibility of being a national academy in Turkey. When I first took over this assignment we received a lot of criticism that the GEBİP grants were very selective and should be more widespread. Of course rewarding more scientists is more desirable, but considering the qualities of the Academy and the Program it is clear that the selectiveness of GEBİP should be maintained. The GEBİP program has been continued in line with the concept of rewarding the “outstanding achievements” of young scientists. It is clearly evident that the selective and objective evaluation process used to date has made very good choices. I believe that the quality and success of this program will continue to grow. I would like to express our gratitude to our following teachers who have served as advisors to grant recipients and session chairman in the meeting attended by over 100 scientists: TÜBA Associate Member Prof. Dr. Zeynel Kılıç in science, TÜBA Principle Member Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öztürk in health and life sciences, TÜBA Principle Member Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Aydın in engineering and TÜBA Associate Member Prof. Dr. Halit Keskin in social sciences. Also I would like to thank AKU Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Solak for their contributions and cooperation in this year’s program.”
After information and evaluations were presented on the projects presented by the field moderators in the meeting the members and grant recipients expressed their opinions and suggestions. The meeting was concluded with a thank you speech by AKU Rector Prof. Dr. Solak and presentation of a plaque to Chairman Acar.
A Cultural Tour in Afyon
During the first leg of the tour organized by AKU on Sunday the Ulu Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Afyonkarahisar constructed during the Anatolian Seljuks period, was visited. The Karahisar Castle, Ancient Afyonkarahisar houses and the Mevlevi Mosque which had been destroyed but reconstructed in 1844 by Abdülmecit, were among the other stops on the tour.
