“Georg Forster Research Award” to TÜBA Principal Member Prof. Dr. Aral Okay
Prof. Dr. Aral Okay, TÜBA Principal Member and Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Faculty member, has received Georg Forster Research Award from the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation in Germany for his lifelong scientific contributions.
Prof. Dr. Okay took award for his studies on geology of Turkey. The award will be presented at the annual meeting of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to be held in Berlin.
Stating that his researches aim to assert Turkey’s geological evolution, Prof. Akay said: “Geology has an important historical dimension. Just as history studies the changing states, civilizations, social and administrative structure in a region, geology tries to recognize and understand the changes that have taken place in the world over a much longer period of time. The main data of historians are written documents and geologists are rocks. By examining rocks and fossils, it is possible to obtain detailed information about the seas, oceans, atmosphere, volcanoes, plateaus that existed in the past and how they changed in time.” Emphasizing that he is a TÜBA Principal Member, he said he was pleased to receive award like his brother Prof. Oğuz Okay who received the same award in 2014.
The Georg Forster Research Award is given to researchers who contribute to science at the international level with their discoveries and new theories and bring solutions to the problems of developing countries. The award is given for researches throughout the scientist’s working life. The award, which covers all areas of scientific research, is awarded to three to eight researchers worldwide each year.
