After the February 6 earthquakes, the first stop of TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal was Kahramanmaraş within the scope of the visit planned to examine the activities in the fields of science, education and industry in the region and the new supports given and to be given by the institution.
Visiting Prof. Dr. İsmail Bakan, Rector of Kahramanmaraş İstiklal University, Prof. Mandal once again reminded the importance, value and support given to the projects developed within the scope of TÜBİTAK 1001ÇABA Earthquake Region Universities Special Call. Mandal shared on his social media account, "We thanked them for the precious efforts of our professors who are working to heal the wounds in the earthquake region with science with the projects they have developed despite all the difficulties they have experienced within the scope of TÜBİTAK 1001ÇABA Special Call for Earthquake Region Universities."
Afterwards, Prof. Mandal visited Mükerrem Ünlüer, the Governor of Kahramanmaraş, in his office and said: "We touched upon the potential of Kahramanmaraş to become a center of attraction with its science, technology and human resources. We reiterated that TÜBİTAK will continue to support the region."
TÜBİTAK President conveyed that our technology-based entrepreneurs in Kahramanmaraş Technopolis have a key importance for the projects that will pioneer the development of the region and that they are ready to support these projects with TÜBİTAK TEKNOÇABA program. Prof. Mandal visited Bebiller Medical Company, which continues its R&D activities with the support they received from TÜBİTAK despite all the difficulties of the February 6 earthquakes and will continue to develop and produce for our country by growing with the HAMLE program in the future. Prof. Mandal received information about their work and examined the products they have developed.
Prof. Mandal, who also visited Hey Technology Company, said in his social media post, "We received information about our company's R&D activities and TÜBİTAK-supported projects. We underlined our satisfaction with the continuation of our company's activities after the earthquake and the responsibility imposed on us by their selfless work."
TÜBİTAK President Mandal's second stop in the Earthquake Region was Hatay.
Prof. Mandal visited Mustafa Kemal University in Hatay and met with Rector Prof. Dr. Veysel Eren. "By participating in our TUBITAK 1001ÇABA call, we came together with our professors who addressed the problems in the region with science and listened to their projects. During the meeting, where we emphasized the importance and value of the work carried out by our professors, we also talked about what we can do to ensure that our students in the region are affected as little as possible from the difficulties caused by the earthquake in the new academic year."
Prof. Dr. Mandal went to Hatay Governor's Office and visited Governor Mustafa Masatlı and received information about the reconstruction and reconstruction process of the region. Prof. Dr. Mandal re-emphasized that TUBITAK stands by them in all matters, especially with its science and technology-based supports.
Prof. Dr. Mandal, who also went to Gaziantep within the scope of his visits, met with the students at Private SANKO Schools, who achieved historical success in the International Regeneron ISEF Science and Engineering Competition in 2023 despite all the difficulties brought by the February 6 earthquakes, and we are sure that they will make us feel the same pride in 2024 ISEF. The President of TÜBİTAK listened to the projects developed by the students.
Afterwards, Prof. Mandal visited Gaziantep Islamic Science and Technology University and was the guest of Prof. Dr. Şehmus Demir and discussed what can be done to make Gaziantep a national and international centre of attraction in the fields of science and education after the February 6 earthquakes.
TÜBİTAK President visited Müzeyyen Erkul Science Center, which was established with TÜBİTAK 4003 support in Gaziantep and started its activities after the earthquake, and the Teknogaraj established by Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, where teams preparing for TEKNOFEST competitions carry out their work.
Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin together with Gaziantep University Rector Prof. Dr. Arif Özaydın, Gaziantep Islamic Science and Technology University Rector Prof. Dr. Şehmus Demir, Hasan Kalyoncu University Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, SANKO University Rector Prof. Dr. Güner Dağlı, MD and academics who turned their projects into hope with our TÜBİTAK 1001ÇABA program discussed Gaziantep's education, science and technology potential and what can be done to reveal this potential.
Prof. Dr. Mandal, who came together with companies whose efforts turned into success with the TEKNOÇABA program, visited YGN Mekatronik, which strengthens its production activities with the support of TÜBİTAK TEYDEB in Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone (OSB). Mandal shared on his social media account regarding the visit, “We examined the work of our company, which overcame the difficulties brought by the earthquake with R&D and production.”
Afterwards, Prof. Mandal visited entrepreneurial companies engaged in R&D and Innovation activities in OSB Teknokent - Gaziantep and received information about the work and projects of Duru Otomasyon, Fikir Yazılım Teknoloji A.Ş., Verymoney, Bitoniş | Human Resources Platform, PkeyLabs and Stampamed-Medisan companies.
“We Came Together With Our Youth, Academia and Industry!”
TÜBİTAK President Prof. Mandal, who traveled from Gaziantep to Şanlıurfa, attended the Mesopotamia Youth Meeting and answered the questions of young people. Mandal said, "We came together at the Mesopotamia Youth Meeting with our young people, who will be our focal point in the scientific and technological progress of our country and the architects of the Turkish Century, and shared our work as TÜBİTAK, our activities and supports that show the value we attach to our young people."
Prof. Mandal met and chatted with science and technology enthusiasts at the Mesopotamia Living Lab and was informed about their science and technology-based activities. Mandal also visited Şanlıurfa Science Center, which will be the new base of science and technology in Şanlıurfa with the support of TÜBİTAK 4003, and examined the ongoing works.
Prof. Mandal, who was the guest of Harran University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Tahir Güllüoğlu in Şanlıurfa, received information about the projects and R&D studies developed with TÜBİTAK supports, especially TÜBİTAK 1001ÇABA. During the meeting, where what can be done for the development of Şanlıurfa after the earthquake was discussed, Mandal underlined that TÜBİTAK will continue to support Şanlıurfa's development with science and technology.
Mandal visited Dollvet, which continues to develop and produce with the support they received from TÜBİTAK in their R&D and Innovation studies, and examined the production facility by getting information about the company's activities.
Adıyaman Was the Last Stop of TÜBİTAK President Mandal in Earthquake Zone Visits
Prof. Mandal first visited Adıyaman University and met with Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kelleş and academicians developing projects for TÜBİTAK 1001ÇABA programme, listened to the activities and projects carried out at the university and expressed their readiness to provide support for the new academic year.
Afterwards, Mandal visited GTC Güneş Sanayi ve Tic A.Ş. in Adıyaman, which continues to work with the aim of adding added value to our industry with science and technology-based R&D activities despite all the difficulties caused by the earthquake.
“As TÜBİTAK, we are with you”
TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, who pointed out that he went to the region to see the hope on the spot after the earthquake disaster experienced by our country, gave the message that "As TUBITAK, we are with you today, as we were yesterday, in order to erase the traces of the destruction caused by the 6 February earthquakes in the region and in our minds and to walk more confidently into the future."
Prof. Mandal said, "We also came together with our industrial organisations that will carry our country into the future with the unity of science and technology and the stronger tomorrows that this unity will create. We have witnessed the determination of our companies that give us hope for the good days to come with their R&D and Innovation activities after the earthquake. As our visits have shown us, we will walk faster to beautiful and hopeful days by developing together, producing together and achieving together!" he emphasised.
Noting that more than 300 project proposals were submitted within the scope of 1001-Earthquake Region Universities Special Call-Binbirçaba, Mandal said, "The scientific evaluation process of 173 of the project proposals was completed and 42 of them were found suitable for support."
Noting that a total of 34 project applications have been received so far within the scope of TÜBİTAK 1501 and 1507 Earthquake Region Private Sector Call (TEKNOÇABA), which will be open until the end of the year for private sector companies in the earthquake region, Mandal said, "The evaluation process of 27 projects is ongoing and 5 projects have been decided to be supported. As TÜBİTAK, we believe in developing together, producing together and achieving together. In line with this belief, we continue to emphasise at every opportunity that the key concept to overcome all the difficulties we face is unity. We never lose hope for a stronger and safer tomorrow. We are with you today, as we were yesterday, to overcome the material and social damages caused by the earthquake in our region with unity. We will continue to be with you in the good days to come!"
08.09.2023