Mourning the loss of our Former Presidents Prof. Dr. Nuri Saryal, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar

In December 2020, just as an extremely difficult year was coming to an end, the METU community was deeply saddened to hear the passing of two esteemed professors and former METU presidents, Prof. Dr. Nuri Saryal and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar.

Prof. Dr. Nuri Saryal, who passed away on December 22, 2020, served as Chair of the Department of Energy, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as well as Vice President and President.

Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar, who made immense contributions to the development of METU, passed away on December 27, 2020.

Prof. Acar began his academic career at the Department of Business Administration under the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences in February 1980, later serving as Department Chair, Dean, Vice President as well as the Founding President of Northern Cyprus Campus. During his terms as President between 06.08.2008 and 28.07.2016, Prof. Acar, with his outstanding leadership skills and visionary personality, made invaluable contributions to the success of METU.

Our late professors will always be remembered with love, respect and gratitude.

May our esteemed professors, Prof. Dr. Nuri Saryal and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar rest in peace.We extend our deepest condolences to their grieving families, friends and the METU family.

You may access the memorial pages for our professors using the link below and send us any memories and pictures you would like to share.

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Assoc. Prof. H. Mecit Öztop and team to lead €2 million Fun TomP project

METU will coordinate the FunTomP (Functionalized Tomato Products) project, submitted under the Section 1 Agrofood Value Chain of the Horizon 2020 PRIMA Program, which supports agriculture, food, agro-food chain, and water related projects in the Mediterranean Region. The project was granted nearly 2 million Euros in funding.

The project consortium comprising 16 partners from 9 different Mediterranean countries (Turkey, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Tunisia) will combine two indispensable Mediterranean foods, tomatoes and olives, to produce tomato juice, sauce, powder, fruit leather and snack type products.

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METU Institute of Marine Sciences to lead €9 million project on Blue Growth

Prof. Dr. Barış Salihoğlu and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yücel from the Institute of Marine Sciences will be leading a €9 million project entitled, “BRIDGE-BS: Advancing Black Sea Research and Innovation to Co-Develop Blue Growth within Resilient Ecosystems”, which was submitted for the “H2020-BG-2018-2020” call.

Having placed first among all of the project submissions, the BRIDGE-BS Project involves a consortium of 33 partnering organizations from seven countries around the Black Sea, 8 EU member states and several international entities. BRIDGE-BS is also on record as the EU H2020 project with the largest number of Turkish partners to date.

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METU partnering in EuroCC, large-scale Horizon 2020 High Performance Computing Project

EuroCC, an EU Horizon 2020 project, officially commenced on September 1, 2020 with the participation of 33 countries, including METU as one of its Turkish partners ( https://hpc-portal.eu/ and https://eurocc.truba.gov.tr ). Assoc. Prof. Hande Toffoli from the Physics Department is the project coordinator for METU.

The project aims to establish national High Performance Computing (HPC) Competence Centers in the participating countries to support interdisciplinary collaboration in important disciplines such as material sciences, molecular dynamics, bioinformatics, fluid dynamics, machine learning and artificial intelligence. The ultimate goal is to create a national platform to develop industry-university cooperation, along with a Europe-wide network of HPC Competence Centers.

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METU/BILTIR-UTEST “User Experience Research” Project receives TÜBİTAK 1001 – COVID-19 and Society funding

The METU/BILTIR-UTEST Product Usability Unit is investigating the effects of remote working conditions caused by the pandemic on User Experience (UX) practices, which is an emerging field in Turkey.

The project team includes Assist. Prof. Gülşen Töre Yargın from the METU Industrial Design Department, Assist. Prof. Sedef Süner Pla Cerda from the TEDÜ Industrial Design Department, and PhD student Semih Danış and MSc student Hilal Şahin from METU.

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…and the Academy Awards go to: Dr. Erik Jeppesen and Dr. Korhan Özkan

Prof. Dr. Erik Jeppesen, METU affiliated faculty member, has received the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) International Academy Award in the Science and Engineering Sciences category for his groundbreaking research on the effects of global climate change on aquatic ecosystems.

Assist. Prof. Korhan Özkan from the METU Institute of Marine Sciences has received the Academy’s Outstanding Young Scientist Award (GEBİP) for his promising work on Antarctica.

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Undergraduate Research Day Held Online

AdımODTÜ, a joint project between the Corporate Communications Office and the METU Development Foundation, is continuing to fund METU undergraduate student research projects.

We extend our congratulations to all of our undergraduate students and their advisors who continued their research despite pandemic related challenges and thank all of our faculty members and alumni who supported the project.

The poster presentations our students made on December 24, 2020 for Undergraduate Research Day can be viewed on the “gather.town” platform from the below link.

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Prof. Berrin Tansel wins AAEES Award

Prof. Berrin Tansel, METU alumna, professor of environmental engineering and undergraduate program director at the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, has been granted the AAEES 2021 Science Award for her outstanding contributions to the field of environmental engineering. Prof. Tansel will receive her award at a ceremony tentatively scheduled for April 2021 in Washington, DC. Prof. Tansel says, “I am humbled and honored. I am happy to see my work getting recognition from my professional society.”

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Applications Open for Graduate Programs

To help graduate school candidates applying for Master’s and PhD programs at METU, the Career Planning Center has conducted interviews with Institute Directors, faculty members, students, and alumni. Please click the below “watch” to see interviews on YouTube METU CPC Channel.

Application deadline: January 29th, 2020.

https://oibs2.metu.edu.tr/Ms_Phd_Applications/

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Registration Still Open: METU SFL Online Language and Test Prep (TOEFL/IELTS) Courses

The online language learning programs offered by the METU School of Foreign Languages are still accepting students. Please click on the link below for detailed information about the language and test preparation courses.

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“For the Love of METU” Student Scholarship Project

AdımODTÜ has initiated a METU student scholarship project on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. Alumni and friends of METU can make donations on their own behalf or on behalf of a loved one to the scholarship fund to demonstrate their love for METU as well and help support our students’ education.

Those donating to the scholarship fund will receive a METU stuffed teddy bear or the “ODTÜ Aşkına” mug sent by cargo to an address of their choosing along with their personal message.

Support the project here.

Watch the “For the Love of METU” video here.

AdımODTÜ is a joint project between the Instutional Communications Office and the METU Development Foundation. It is a communication-sharing-action platform where everyone is invited to contribute by helping fund support students’ and faculty members’ scientific research and community service projects, spread the word about the projects, and even take part in projects voluntarily.

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Prof. Asuman Özdağlar named IEEE Fellow

Our Electrical – Electronics Engineering alumna Professor Asuman Özdağlar has been named as an IEEE Fellow for 2021. Prof. Özdağlar, who is currently leading the MIT Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, was recognized for her contributions to distributed multi-agent networks. Her research investigates problems in the analysis and optimization of large-scale, dynamic multi-agent networked systems, including networks for communication, transportation as well as social and economic enterprises.

For more detailed information click here.

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BIOMATEN Publication is on the Cover of Advanced Biology

An article by METU Center of Excellence in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering researchers Dr. Ezgi Antmen, Prof. Dr. Vasıf Hasırcı and Prof. Dr. Utkan Demirci was published in the inner cover of the Advanced Biology Journal.

In the article, Vasıf Hasırcı, Ezgi Antmen and Utkan Demirci present micropatterned surfaces that reveal the association between actin filaments, mechanotransduction, nuclear deformability and cancer malignancy. The transparent micropatterned surfaces can be used as image analysis platforms to provide robust, high throughput measurements of nuclear deformability of cancer cells, including the effect of cytoskeletal elements.

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METU and U Glasgow to 3-D print low-cost and high-speed housing components

Assist. Professor Çağla Meral Akgül from the METU Department of Civil Engineering was granted funding for the project she is leading entitled, “Climate resilient 3D-printable building components incorporating sustainable and low-cost materials (3D-PC): Providing low-cost and high-speed housing for vulnerable populations”. Dr. Akgül’s project will be supported by the “TÜBİTAK – British Council (UK) Bilateral Cooperation (Institutional Links) Programme”.

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Three METU faculty members receive Elginkan Foundation Technology Award

The winners of the Elginkan Foundation 2020 Turkish Culture, Research and Technology Awards have been announced. Three faculty members from METU were selected for the Technology Award Program, which has recognized outstanding technological efforts for the past 15 years.

The recipients of this prestigious award were Prof. Dr. Haluk Külah from the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering for his work on microsystems (BioMEMS) for biomedical applications; Prof. Dr. Hüsnü Emrah Ünalan from the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering for his work on metal nano-technology and its industrial applications, and Prof. Dr. Mayda Gürsel from the Department of Biological Sciences for her work on the immune system.

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Winners of the 2020 METU Prof. Dr. Mustafa N. Parlar Education and Research Foundation Awards Announced

The winners of the Honor, Science, Outstanding Service, Research and Technology Incentive Awards granted by METU Prof.Dr. Mustafa N. Parlar Education and Research Foundation have been announced.

Prof. Dr. Doğan Altınbilek from the Department of Civil Engineering was deemed worthy of the 2020 Outstanding Service Award of the METU Parlar Foundation. The recipients of the Research Incentive Award include Assoc. Prof. Batur Ercan from the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering; Assoc. Prof. Mustafa Yücel from the Graduate School of Marine Sciences; Assist. Prof. Emre Akbaş from the Department of Computer Engineering and Assist. Prof. Zöhre Kurt from the Department of Environmental Engineering.

Please find the full list of the award-winning faculty members here.

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10 Tips for a Good Winter Break during a Pandemic

Assoc. Prof. Aslı Bugay Sökmez from the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Department at the Northern Cyprus Campus offers much needed advice on how to make the most of a school break with children under pandemic conditions.

To see these tips, please click here.

Dear METU Alumni,

It is our pleasure to let you know that METU Alumni Office, in collaboration with Audio-Visual Systems Research and Production Center (GİSAM), has initiated a project called “METU Alumni Stories” to introduce our university, particularly to prospective students.
One aspect of the project involves METU alumni residing abroad. We hope to create visual stories about METU alumni living abroad with your videos. These movies will be stored in the METU digital archive, shared on our social media accounts and shown to prospective students in person after the pandemic.

For the videos you would like to send, please include:

•Personal information such as name, year of graduation, department, current city/country and job,

•Brief accounts of how you got to your present position and your post-graduation story,

•Your advice for students preparing for university as well as current METU students,

•An account of the impact METU has had on your life and your career,

•The feelings you associate with METU, any memories from your time at METU that you would like to share

Here is a sample video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wGjZymcegY.

You are welcome to send to us your videos using any cloud service such as
Google Drive, by the end of April 2021 to gisam@metu.edu.tr. We cannot wait to see your videos!

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Somel’s Group Published in Nature

An article co-written by Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Somel from the Biological Sciences Department and his team was published in Nature. To reach the article entitled, “Million-year-old DNA sheds light on the genomic history mammoths”, click on the link below:

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Prof. Deniz Üner Receives TÜBİTAK BİDEB National Leading Researchers Grant

Chemical Engineering Department faculty member Prof. Deniz Üner has been awarded funding under the TÜBİTAK BİDEB 2247-A National Leading Researchers Program for her project entitled, “Operando NMR Spectroscopy: A New Method for Monitoring Heterogeneous Catalytic Reactions”.

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METU Alum Prof. Behçet Açıkmeşe’s Algorithm Used to Land NASA’s Perseverance Rover on Mars

An algorithm created by Prof. Dr. Behçet Açıkmeşe, a METU Civil Engineering Department alumnus, for the Curiosity rover was also used on the guided navigation and control system of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which recently landed on Mars. For more details: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/

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Physical Education and Sports Department Joined Erasmus+ Project Consortium

Our Department of Physical Education and Sports has joined a consortium for a project entitled, “Standing Together for a Healthier and Safer Society”, supported by the
European Commission ERASMUS+ program. Prof. Levent İnce has been acted as the department representative on the
project.

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METU Industrial Design Department Receives European Union Erasmus+ KA203 Grant

Our Department of Industrial Design has recently become a partner in a new European Union project “D.Doc” that will map doctoral-level design education across all 34 Erasmus+ member states. The project is funded under the “KA203Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education Scheme” and locally coordinated by Prof. Owain Pedgley.

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Save the Date: METU Career Fair 22-26 March (online)

The METU Career Fair is on this year to introduce METU students and alumni to companies, and career opportunities. The Fair will be take place online on 22-26 March.
For details, see the link below:

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ODTÜ TEKNOKENT Support for TÜBİTAK BİGG Applications

Are you an entrepreneur-to be and want to be your own boss? Take advantage of the support ODTÜ TEKNOKENT is offering again this year for TÜBİTAK BİGG applications! ODTÜ TEKNOKENT continues to support entrepreneurs through 5 different consortia featuring collaborations in all areas with Turkey’s leading companies and organizations. For more information, visit

http://odtuteknokent.com.tr/tr/programlar/girisimcilik#38 or email bigg@odtuteknokent.com.tr.

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2nd Annual Sci-Fi Story Writing Contest!

How would you like to write a science-fiction story that takes place on campus? The METU Science Communication Group is organizing the Sci-Fi Story Writing Contest for the second time this year. Please visit https://big.metu.edu.tr/bilim-kurgu-oyku-yarismasi-2/ for more details.

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METU Speed Networking Event Goes Online

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the METU Career Planning Center and the Alumni Office brought together METU’s esteemed alumni and third and fourth year METU students for a jointly organized project, “METU Speed Networking Event”.

This exciting and fun event gave our students the opportunity to meet many distinguished alumni within a very short time while we enjoyed hosting our alumni, who were glad to be home again.

Due to the pandemic, we had to give a break to our “METU Speed Networking” event, which we previously held face-to-face with the Departments of Economics, Psychology, and Statistics. However, we held our Speed Networking Event online On Saturday, April 3rd, in collaboration with the Mathematics Department using the Zoom and Gather.Town applications.

Mathematics Department Alumni and students were able to meet in the designated spaces we arranged for them on Gather.Town during the two-hour event. We intend to continue these online “METU Speed Networking” events soon.

We would like to thank those who helped us organize this fun event, most notably, The Chair of the Department of Mathematics, Professor Yıldıray Ozan, and our professors, alumni and students who joined.

We hope to have more of these events with even greater participation.

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April 23 Science Event: Curious Kid’s Questions

We celebrate April 23, National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, which the Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk presented to children, at METU in the light of science.

METU professors will answer children’s scientific video questions in an online activity organized by METU Science and Society Research Center, Science Communication Team, and GİSAM.

You can watch the introductory short film about the event from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3drtIqmor0 and you can access the detailed information on the TBM website below.

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METU Earthquake Engineering Research Center

The METU Earthquake Engineering Research Center (EERC) is a multidisciplinary institute founded in 1976 as one of the first research centers in the field. Its goal is to conduct scientific and professional research on earthquake engineering, engineering seismology and earthquakes’ socio-economic aspects.

Directed by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yakut from the Department of Civil Engineering, the Center brings together faculty members from the Departments of Civil Engineering, Geological Engineering, Engineering Sciences and Statistics.

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Research Helping Cancer Patients with Anticipatory Nausea

METU Department of Psychology Faculty Member Dr. Sezen Kışlal has been working on finding a solution to the anticipatory nausea experienced by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy through the TÜBİTAK 2232 International Leading Researchers Program.

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METU Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Department ranks 11th in World Rankings

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Department has been ranked 11th in the QS World Rankings List. CNN TÜRK interviewed department Chair Assoc. Prof. Çağlar Sınayuç about the secret behind the success of the department, which trains engineers to work on drilling and seismic research ships.

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“Digital Teachers” Project Receives 3 Awards!

The first cohort of 1,000 teachers have received training under METU’s “Digital Teachers” Project, conducted in collaboration with ING Turkey and the Habitat Association. The project has been awarded in the “Outstanding Community Initiative” and “Outstanding Educational Service” categories in the international Global Business Excellence Awards, and received the Gold Award in the Social Responsibility category in the PSM Awards 2020 in Turkey.

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“Share UR Research” Video Competition

The METU Science Communication Group and GISAM (Audiovisual Systems Research and Production Center) hold a video competition for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at METU.

The competition entitled “Share UR Research” aims to contribute to science communication and requires participants to present their own original research in an English video they will make themselves. The winner will receive funding to attend an international conference.

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AdımOdtü Internet Scholarship

Thanks to the invaluable support of our esteemed alumni, staff and friends of METU, we were able to support 700 students by paying for their internet access during the 2020 Spring and 2021 Fall semesters. We are deeply grateful to those whose generosity sustains METU as it flourishes into the future.

We would like to offer an Internet Scholarship 100 TL per month for four months to METU students in need of support as we hold the Spring semester online this year.

We invite all friends of METU and our alumni to support our students’ education during this unprecedented time. To support the project please click here.

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ODTÜDEN Now Ships Abroad

METU Logo products and course books are now shipped to 178 countries! As of 15 March 2021, purchases made on odtuden.com.tr are delivered around the world.
For detailed information, visit: ODTÜDEN.

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Have a Computer Lying Around? A METU Student Could Use It!

AdımODTÜ is still supporting students in need during the pandemic with computers donated by faculty members, alumni and friends of METU.

Instruction is online this spring term, and we still have students who need access to distance education. We are more than happy to deliver your PC or laptop in working condition to METU students on your behalf.

Donated computers are picked up by the AdımODTÜ team, checked, and then formatted with support from IT Department staff, who finally install the programs students need. Students who have submitted a request are sent a computer free of charge via the courier company ODTÜDEN has an agreement with.

If you would like to donate a computer in working condition, all you need to do is fill in the form and the AdımODTÜ team will get in touch with you.

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April 23rd Children’s Day Festivities

METU used science to celebrate April 23rd Children’s Day, dedicated to children of the world by the Founder of the Turkish Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

During the event supported by the TBM (Society and Science Application and Research Center) and GİSAM (Audio-Visual Systems Research and Application Center), our professors conducted experiments to respond to the science-related short video questions from children all over Turkey on April 23rd during a live broadcast.

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Business Management Computer Lab Renewed

In 2019, the Classes of ’89, ’90, ’99 and 2000, who would be celebrating the 20th and 30th anniversary of their graduation in 2019 and 2020, made personal donations to cover the cost of the 335,000 TL project to renew the computer laboratory at the Department of Business Management located in the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences (B) Block. The project was featured in “Education Snapshots”, an important online publication in the field of educational architecture and as the project of the week in “Bi_Özet”, a leading Turkish architectural publication.

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METUWIND Cooperating with Danish Partners on WindFlag Project

The METU Center for Wind Energy Research (METUWIND) cooperates with
partners from Denmark in a project coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Ozan Keysan
from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, with the
participation of researchers Assoc. Prof. Nejan Huvaj and Assoc. Prof.
Elif Oğuz from the Department of Civil Engineering. The international
project entitled “Offshore Wind Farms Large-Scale Integration in Turkey
(WindFlag)” was launched on March 1, 2020, and is planned to take 36
months.

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METU Faculty Members Receive BAGEP Awards

METU faculty members Assoc. Prof. Murat Göl from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, Assist. Prof. Antione Marion from the Department of Chemistry, and Assist. Prof. Selçuk Yerci from the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences have been awarded by the Science Academy’s Young Scientist Awards Program (BAGEP).

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Interview with Prof. Mayda Gürsel on the VLP-based Turkish COVID-19 vaccine

METU Biological Sciences Department Faculty Member Professor Mayda Gürsel
and her team are nearing the end of Phase 1 of clinical trials of their
VLP-based COVID-19 vaccination, being developed in cooperation with
Bilkent University. We interviewed Professor Gürsel on her work.

To read the interview: ODTÜ’den Haberler.

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Breakthrough paper by Institute of Marine Sciences published in Nature Geoscience

A breakthrough article entitled, “Effect of Tectonic Processes on Biosphere–Geosphere Feedbacks across a Convergent Margin”, co-authored by Assoc. Prof. Mustafa Yücel from the METU Institute of Marine Sciences, has been published in Nature Geoscience, a leading and high impact factor journal in the field of Earth Sciences. All of the geochemical analyses of hydrothermal fluids for the multidisciplinary research were conducted at the METU Institute of Marine Sciences, Marine Ecosystem and Climate Center (DEKOSIM) laboratories, and the data interpretation and integration were done by the METU Institute of Marine Sciences.

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Live Webinars – METU Undergraduate Programs

Since April 2020, we have been introducing our undergraduate programs
online with the invaluable support of our faculty members, students, and
alumni. You can reach these presentations on METU’s official YouTube
Channel.

The presentations of our undergraduate programs are not only an excellent
resource for prospective students and their families but are also being
collected in an invaluable archive. To access the previous webinars, click here.

> watch

Graduate Admissions

Graduate program applications for the 2021-2022 Academic Year Fall
Semester are now being accepted. Please check the following website for
detailed information about programs, admission requirements, and
eligibility.

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AdımODTÜ Undergraduate Research Project Results Announced

A research fund created with the contributions of staff, alumni, the METU
Development Foundation, and friends of METU has been supporting
undergraduate student research projects as part of an AdımODTÜ initiative.

The AdımODTÜ Undergraduate Research program has funded 70 different
research projects from 22 departments since 2018. This year, the program
received a total of 116 undergraduate research projects. Of the
submissions, 67 of the 92 projects shortlisted for evaluation by a jury of
faculty members were selected for funding.

Click below to see the selected projects.

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2021 METU Alumni Day

Dear Alumni,

Sadly, we have to postpone METU Alumni Day event due to the ongoing global
pandemic. We hold our traditional METU Alumni Day festivities each year in
June. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures still in place, we
have decided to hold an online event in September under the current
circumstances. The corresponding announcements will continue to be made
through the METU official social media accounts, the Alumni Office website , and email.

Furthermore, we plan to create a list of alumni who could not receive
their medals due to the canceled METU Day festivities, have the medals
made, and present them to their owners during the first face-to-face event
we hold for Alumni Day. We cannot wait to celebrate Alumni Day with you at
the first possible opportunity. Your support and understanding at this
time are much appreciated.

In the meantime, we would like to kindly remind you that you can purchase
your missing medals from past years through the ODTÜDEN shop as always.

Hope to see you in healthier times,

METU Alumni Office

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Alumni Visiting the Campus

The Internal Services Office has announced that campus visitor access is allowed as of 5 June 2021 as per the tiered normalization process.

Therefore, all campus visitors are urged to practice pandemic safety measures including mask wearing, social distancing and good hygiene to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and keep it under control.

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METU Day

In 1988, taking into account the date of the founding law for METU, the
METU Senate resolved that May 27th would be celebrated as METU Day, with
annual festivities be held on the occasion. Since that day, the final
workday of the week of May 27th has been celebrated as METU Day.

Please click on the link below to watch the video prepared as part of the
METU Day celebrations.

> watch

Mourning the Loss of METU’s First Alumni, Doruk Pamir

With great sadness, we share the news of the passing of M. Doruk Pamir,
the first graduate of the Department of Architecture, who received the
very first METU diploma. Doruk Pamir was born in Istanbul on April 30th,
1938, and studied at the Department of Architecture between 1956 and 1960.
After working in the same department as an assistant, he went to the US
for graduate studies. Upon his return, he taught at the Department of
Architecture between 1962 and 1970. Pamir was the designer of many
important works and did academic work nationally and internationally.

We extend our condolences to his loved ones. May he rest in peace.

METU Research Ship Bilim-2 in the Marmara Sea

The METU Marine Sciences Institute Bilim-2 research ship set sail towards
the Marmara Sea and observed the devastating sea snot. According to Marine
Sciences Institute Faculty Member and Institute Deputy Director, Assoc.
Prof. Mustafa Yücel, “The live feed from our ship shows that the sea snot
is not just on the surface but has a gel-like consistency below and the
oxygen in the sea is down to alarmingly low levels.”

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METU Ranked First for Patents and Commercialization

METU ranked 1st in the Patent Effect’s 2020 Patent Report, according to
both commercialization and numbers of commercialization by cumulative data
and licensed patents.

The report entitled “Turkey’s Patent Map” is created based on patent data
to measure and track the innovation performance of countries, companies,
universities, and institutions. The report features an overall analysis of
the patent applications submitted until 31 December 2020.

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METU Ranks First among Turkish Universities in CWUR’s Global 2000 rankings

METU ranked first among 55 universities from Turkey according to the
2021-2022 rankings of 2,000 universities worldwide, according to the
Center for World University Rankings (CWUR).

CWUR considers the quality of education, alumni employment, quality of
faculty, and research performance for its rankings, where METU came in
first in the national rankings, with a total of 73.4 points.

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METU Team receives 2 Grand Prizes in International Business Ethics Case Competition

The METU team comprising Nurpari Damirova and Rabia Akçay won first place
in two categories in the International Business Ethics Case Competition.
Damirova and Akçay are Prof. Semra F. Aşcıgil’s students in her “Business
Ethics” undergraduate class at the Department of Business Administration.

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Graduate Admissions Still Open

Graduate Applications will be accepted until June 25th. You can watch the introduction of our graduate programs using the following
link.

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“Celebrating Scientists on their Birthdays” Podcast Series

The METU Science Communication Group is celebrating the birthdays of
world-famous scientists with their new podcast series. Please click on the
link below to listen to their episodes on Richard Feynman and Peter Higgs.

Click below to see the selected projects.

> listen

Science Congress for High School Students

The METU and Ministry of National Education joint initiative called
“Science High Schools 4th National Student Congress” will be held on
14-15-16 June and feature science high school students from all over
Turkey. The themes for this year are “Nanotechnology” and “Artificial
Intelligence” in this 3-day online conference led by the METU Society and
Science Application and Research Center and Cumhuriyet Science High
School. The congress will have high school student presentations and
panels, and competitions with METU faculty members in attendance. The
event will be broadcast live over the METU official YouTube channel.

Click below for details about the schedule.

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With Love from Eymir

We proudly present our new video clip featuring blue skies, the sounds of nature and a cool spring breeze accompanying an outstanding quartet playing Antonio Lucio Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons-Spring”.

Click below to view.

> watch

Congratulations, Class of 2021!

While the past one and a half years have been full of challenges, you have proven that focus, hard work, and dedication can get you to your goal.
We want to congratulate you on completing your program
in these unprecedented times.

Your journey has been different than that of any other class in our
history. Still, we know that you’ll take all that you’ve learned, both
inside and outside the classroom, to build more meaningful lives,
successful careers and ultimately make a difference in the world.

We welcome you into the METU Alumni Network as our newest esteemed
members. As you move forward on your path, remember that your ties with
METU will last a lifetime.

You are now joining a big family with more than METU 140,000 alumni who
live in 140 different countries. Your achievements as alumni will inspire
our current students and thousands of those to come. We are always proud
of you and wish you the very best in all your future endeavors.

Enjoy this moment in time. You’ve certainly earned it!

METU Alumni Office

METU Sports Club Amputee Football Team Goes ‘Super’

The METU Amputee Football Team has established itself as the 2020 – 2021
season champion among the ten teams competing in the 1st League, now
joining the Super League. The METU team played against Şanlıurfa in their
final game, which ended in a tie. The METU team scored the most penalties
during the extra time and grabbed the championship cup for the 2020-2021
season. Congratulations to our champions!

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Sky News Interviews Dr. Yücel of Marine Sciences Institute on Sea Snot Crisis

Marine Sciences Institute Faculty Member and Institute Deputy Director, Assoc. Prof. Mustafa Yücel, spoke to Sky News about the current sea snot crisis
in the Marmara Sea and how
to mitigate this recent environmental crisis.

> watch

METU to Meet Prospective Students at Online Fair

The METU Fair for Prospective Students will take place online this year
due to the pandemic.

The fair will take place on 5-6-7 August 2021 and offer prospective
students information about our Ankara and Northern Cyprus campuses. All of
our academic programs will feature in the METU Fair, during which
prospective students will be able to ask questions using a chat tool
between 10 am and 8 pm. Interested students will also be able to video
chat with faculty members. Students will also have the opportunity to take
a virtual campus tour as well as take part in activities such as “Ask the
Advisor to the President”.

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METU NCC Launches 2 New Undergraduate Programs

Two new undergraduate programs have been launched at the METU Northern Cyprus Campus.

The new programs that will begin admitting students this coming fall are
Industrial Engineering, a highly popular field globally, and Software
Engineering, which is consistently cited as the engineering field of the
future. Students will be able to join these programs at the METU Northern
Cyprus Campus for the 2021-2022 Academic year.

These new programs will admit students with scholarships covering 100% and %50 of the tuition, as well as offer students scholarships outside the set quotas. For further details,
please visit the official websites of the programs of Industrial Engineering, and
Software Engineering .

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METU NCC Offers Tuition Waiver for Alumni Family Members

The world needs more METU alums. The METU NCC is offering alumni a %20
tuition waiver for family members because there can never be too many METU
alums in a family! Please click on the below link for further details
about the fee waiver and our Northern Cyprus campus.

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Virtual Reality Glasses Developed at METU TEKNOKENT.

Researchers at METU TEKNOKENT have developed VR glasses that can diagnose
eye diseases. The glasses can be used to test a patient’s eyes within
minutes during a check-up and diagnose any issues with the eyes. Please
click on the link below for details.

> watch

5th METU Speed Networking Event

The 5th in the METU Speed Networking Event series featured the Faculty of Architecture City and Regional Planning Department and the Industrial Design Department in
cooperation with the METU Alumni Office. The event took place on the “Gather Town” application, bringing together our alumni and students online.

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Call for Ideas: Falling Walls Lab Ankara

The 2021 international lab season has officially begun!

Students, researchers, and early-career professionals of all disciplines
are invited to pitch their innovative project proposals in 3 minutes,
showcasing a breakthrough idea that aims to have a positive impact on
science and society.

Applications for the Falling Walls Lab-Ankara competition will be accepted
until July 25th. For more details, click on the link below.

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2021 METU Alumni Day

Dear Alumni,

As we informed you in May, the “2021 METU Alumni Day” festivities were
postponed to September and would take place online because of continuing
concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. We plan to gather a list of our
alumni who have not received their Commemorative Medals due to the
cancelation of face-to-face activities. The medals will be presented to
their owners at the first possible face-to-face event. We hope to
celebrate our traditional Alumni Day as soon as the opportunity presents
itself.

Since we could not hold our face-to-face Alumni Day event due to the
pandemic, we hope to see you at our virtual event on September 25th, 2021.
Our virtual “METU Alumni far and near, always together!” event details and
the program will be announced at the beginning of September. For related updates, you can visit the Alumni Office webpage , follow official METU social media accounts, sign up for the email list on the contact page of our website or apply to become a member of the ODTÜM group on LinkedIn.

We thank you for your patience and support during these challenging times.

Hoping to see you in healthy times,

METU Alumni Office

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METU Virtual Tour

METU Office of Institutional Relations and the Head of our Departments
collaborated to create a virtual tour of the entire campus, including the
departments, student spaces, dorms, and Lake Eymir. Using the link below,
you can take the tour (compatible with VR glasses) and find information
about the departments and view their introduction videos.

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METU Alum Doğa Çağdaş Demirkan Gets Award for Research on AI in Mining

Doğa Çağdaş Demirkan, a METU alum currently in a US Ph.D. program, has won
an annual student poster competition with his poster entitled,
“Real-Time/Near-Real-Time Methane Prediction in Longwall Coal Mine Using
Artificial Intelligence”. The competition was held in conjunction with the
Rocky Mountain Advanced Computing Consortium’s (RMACC) High-Performance
Computing Symposium.

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High School Students Led by Prof. Tolga Can Win International Informatics Olympiad Medals

Team Turkey, led by Prof. Tolga Can from the Department of Computer
Engineering, won one silver and two bronze medals at the 33rd
International Informatics Olympiad.

Cengiz Eray Aslan, Ege Kabasakaloğlu, Olcay Oransoy, and Yusuf Onur Üşümez
were selected to represent Turkey in the regional and international
Science Olympiad in informatics within the scope of TÜBİTAK 2022 Science
Olympics. They participated in the online competition hosted by Singapore
on June 19-25, 2021, to great success. Ege Kabasakaloğlu won a silver
medal, Olcay Oransoy and Yusuf Onur Üşümez won two bronze medals in this
year’s Olympiad, in which 351 high school students from 88 countries
participated.

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Another of Eren Bali’s Ventures is a Unicorn: Carbon Health

Double-major Mathematics and Computer Engineering alum Eren Bali has
created his second business deemed a unicorn. Bali, who previously founded
Udemy in 2010 and managed to make it a unicorn, zoomed in on the health
sector this time via his new venture Carbon Health. Inspired by carbon,
the most commonly found element in organic life, Bali wanted to create a
patient-facing platform where everyone could easily access healthcare
services, including medical records, clinician workflows, revenue cycle
management, and thus named the company Carbon Health.

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METU Ranks First in European Research Projects

As the Horizon 2020 program comes to a close, Middle East Technical
University has ranked first among Turkish universities regarding the
number of projects that received funding. METU shares first place with Koç
University in terms of the number of projects while ranking second in
terms of the total budget. The budget our university spent on 51 Horizon
2020 projects conducted between the years 2014-2020 was €17.3 million.
Completing the Seventh Framework Program by ranking in the first place,
METU has received €42 million worth of funding for 183 projects in total
since the Fifth Framework Program.

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AdımODTÜ

The kind donations made by alumni, staff, and friends of METU have enabled
1,044 students who had requested assistance from AdımODTÜ due to the
pandemic to receive internet Access support funding of 100.- TL.

In addition to the internet support, 120 students in Adana, Aksaray,
Ankara, Aydın, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Edirne, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, İstanbul,
İzmir, Kayseri, Kırıkkale, Kocaeli, Konya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin,
Nevşehir, Şanlıurfa, Siirt, Sivas, Trabzon, Van and Zonguldak have been
sent desktop or laptop computers.

We thank our esteemed alumni and friends of METU once again for their support.

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2021 METU Alumni Day

Dear Alumni,

It’s the final countdown for our online, “ODTÜLÜ’ler Her Yerde Hep Birlikte” meeting.

All our preparation is almost complete for our event, which will be broadcast live on Friday, September 25, 2021 at 6pm on the METU YouTube channel. We are excited to meet with you after a long break, even though we have had to go online.

As was the case for many of our past Alumni Day events, our student and alumni clubs will be performing for us this year. In addition to our line-up of outstanding speakers and guests, the two-hour event will feature music and dance recitals by the METU President’s Office Choir and the Classical Turkish Music Club Alumni as well as Jazzberry Tunes, not to mention competitions and the various surprises we have in store for you. We are making sure that everyone will have a very good time.

You will receive updates about the programs details and the YouTube viewing link for the event very soon. For more information about our announcements and activities,
please visit the Alumni Office webpage , follow the official METU social media accounts, sign up for the mailing list in the contact or apply to become a member of the ODTÜM group on LinkedIn .

Wishing you good health,

METU Alumni Office

Undergrads learn about design thinking with METU Design Factory!

The METU Design Factory was established for students to learn to develop products, collaborate with business,industry or NGOs on interdisciplinary work and gain in-depth knowledge about design thinking. Founded with the support of the Ministry of Development, METU DF is ideal for students studying in the fields of design,engineering, informatics, education, social and administrative sciences.

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METU takes on Local Coordination of International Climate Change, Disaster, Cultural Heritage Project

METU is the local coordinator of a project called “CRAFT: Developing a Novel Climate Change Risk Assessment Framework for Cultural Heritage in Turkey”, funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

The project initiated in December 2020 to run for one year aims to evaluate the impact of landslides and flash floods on selected cultural heritage sites in Istanbul under future climate
scenarios by developing susceptibility/vulnerability maps via Geographic Information Systems.

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Three ATOM Video Games Top US Apple App Store Downloads

Games created by three video game development studios within METU TEKNOKENT’s Animation Technologies and Game Development Center (ATOM) were among the most downloaded games in the US in July. It was especially striking that the three games developed by ATOM-based studios ranked in the top three simultaneously in Apple’s App Store in the United States.

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METU Collects More Than 78 Tons of Waste in 6 Months

METU’s Zero Waste Unit has managed to collect 78,250 kilograms of waste within the first six months of 2021. A Zero Waste Management System was established at METU in July 2020
with waste collection boxes placed throughout the campus in addition to the recycling booths. From July 2020 until the end of the year, a total of 77,870 kilograms of waste was collected.
Adding to this the waste collected in the first six months of 2021, the total has now reached 158,960 kilograms.

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ODTÜDEN Ships Abroad

METU Logo products and course books are now shipped to 178 countries! As of 15 March 2021, purchases made on odtuden.com.tr are delivered around the world.
For detailed information, visit: ODTÜDEN.

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2021 METU Online Alumni Event

Dear Alumni,

On Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, we held our special “ODTÜLÜ’ler Her Yerde,
Hep Birlikte!” live online alumni event presented by the renowned METU
alumni writer and actor Mehmet Auf on our METU YouTube channel. The nearly
two-hour show featured dance and music recitals by our student clubs, a
concert by the President’s Office Choir, an interactive trivia contest
with the theme “How well do you know METU?”, an interview with our 60th
anniversary alumni, the esteemed Professor Tanvir Wasti and video clips
shared by our alumni from around the world.

The event, which can be viewed on the official METU YouTube Chanel also included a presentation about METU’s first-ever Alumni Card. This card,
which will replace the current “Mini Diploma”, will be used to enter
campus using the electronic card readers at the gates, to receive alumni
e-mail accounts (@alumni.metu.edu.tr), and to use special discounts from
several retailers and companies.

Another new development is the “Let this meal be on you, Hocam!” meal
fundraise project we initiated to support students eating at the school
cafeteria in cooperation with AdımODTÜ on the occasion of the introduction
of the card. Students have already begun having meals free of charge at
the cafeteria using the application thanks to your support for this
project.

Once again, we extend our deepest gratitude to all friends and alumni of
METU for their support in the organization of the event.

“ODTÜLÜ’ler Her Yerde, Hep Birlikte!”

METU Alumni Office

METU Alumni Card

The Alumni Office and METU Computer Center have collaborated to create an
electronic “METU Alumni Card” and renew our “Alumni Information System.”
Using the METU Alumni Card replacing the currently used “Mini Diploma”,
alumni will be able to enter campus using the electronic card readers at
the gates to receive alumni e-mail accounts(@alumni.metu.edu.tr) and to
use special discounts from several retailers and companies.

For detailed information and to apply for one, click on the link below:

> more

New AdımODTÜ fundraising project: “Let this meal be on you, Hocam!”

METU students are back on campus on October 18, 2021, after a long break
due to the pandemic lockdown. On the occasion of their return to campus,
the AdımODTÜ team has launched a new fundraising project called “Let this
meal be on you, Hocam!”

The project involves offering students free meals at the METU Cafeteria.
By supporting the project, you can buy lunch and/or dinner for METU
students at the METU Cafeteria. Thanks to the smart card application used
in the Cafeteria, your support will be transferred to our students’ smart
ID card accounts for them to have a free lunch or dinner there.

A donation of 10 TL covers a meal for 3 students, and a 100 TL donation
covers a meal for 33 students at our Cafeteria. You can also send a
message and relay your good wishes to our students for the new academic
year. The AdımODTÜ team will deliver your messages to our students during
the first week of classes.

For more information on the project and to offer your support, click on the link below:

> more

Students Back on Campus!

Many of our students, who had been away from METU for a long time due to
the COVID-19 Pandemic that affected the entire world, returned to our
campus as of October 18. For our students to adapt to the life on campus
quickly during the current pandemic period, a website titled “Back to
Campus” has been prepared where our students can find the necessary
information regarding the use of HES Codes and details of on-campus
transportation in addition to the new rules and regulations at the
Registrar’s Office, Medical and Counseling Center, Library, Cafeterias,
Dormitories, and Sports Facilities.

You can visit the website here:

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The ME Class of 1991 Renewed a Classroom at Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is continuing to renew its
classrooms with the support of its alumni. The Class of 2007 and the Class
of 1986 have been followed by the Mechanical Engineering Class of 1991 in
renewing a class. The opening ceremony postponed by the pandemic was held
on Saturday, October 9, 2021. Our alumni installed the plaque denoting
their support and reunited with their former professors.

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Advantages of METU Alumni Card

Tepe Home, one of the companies we cooperate with for the advantages of METU Alumni Card, has launched a 50% discount campaign that will continue until the end of October, exclusively for our alumni who are able to benefit from special offers and discounts in many places with their Alumni Card. We would like to sincerely thank Tepe Home for this discount campaign and their cooperation.

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The Bilgeİş Platform

The Bilgeİş Platform, founded and developed to share our university’s educational opportunities with the general public and offer certification programs to all who wish to learn, has reached 350 thousand members.

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TEKNOFEST 2021

Our university took part in Teknofest 2021 in various competition
categories with 54 teams and 145 students on 21-26 September at the
İstanbul Atatürk Airport.

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2021 Webometrics

METU ranked first among Turkish universities and 497th among world
universities in the 2021 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities,
announced in July. METU has become the only university from Turkey to be
listed in the top 500 in the world ranking that consists of approximately
12000 universities, while ranking 207th in the ranking of European
universities.

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METU Alumni Card

Dear Alumni,

It is our great pleasure and pride to inform you that your METU Alumni
Cards are on their way. The new Alumni Card introduced during the “METU
Alumni Far and Near, Always Together” event has reached its first owners.
We would like to thank you all once again for your interest, and support.
It was certainly, one of the most exciting and essential projects
initiated at the METU Alumni Office.

If you, as a member of the METU family, would like to have a METU Alumni Card and have not applied for one yet, you can do so by logging into the Alumni Information System on our website. This card will replace the
current “Mini Diploma” and can be used to access the campus area using the
electronic card readers at the gates, to receive “metu” domain
(@alumni.metu.edu.tr) email account, and also enjoy exclusive discounts
offered by many retailers and companies. If you want to learn more about these exclusive deals, you can visit the “Special Offers for METU Alumni Card Owners” page by clicking the link:

Once again, we extend our deepest gratitude to all friends and alumni of METU for their support in the organization of the event “METU Alumni Far and Near, Always Together,” which can be viewed on the official METU YouTube channel.

METU Alumni Office

Atatürk Remembrance Day

Our Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was commemorated with a ceremony
held in front of the Atatürk Monument on November 10, 2021, the 83rd
anniversary of his passing. The ceremony was attended by METU faculty
members, staff, and students and featured a moment of silence in front of
the Atatürk Monument at 09.05, followed by a commemorative event at Kemal
Kurdaş Hall at the Culture and Convention Center.

32 METU Scientists Named among 300,000 Most Influential Researchers in the World by Stanford

The 2021 issue of Stanford University’s “ranking of researchers with the
greatest scientific impact in the world” has been published by Elsevier
B.V. The World’s Most Influential Scientists list features two categories:
career-long and single-year impact (based on studies conducted in 2020).
Scientists in the top 2% in 22 different scientific fields and 176
sub-fields are included in the list.

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Two Winners from METU in the 2021 “For Women in Science” Program

L’Oréal Türkiye, in an effort to support the contributions of women to
science and to highlight gender equality in science, has collaborated with
the UNESCO Turkey National Commission on the “For Women in Science”
project. The 2021 winners also include our professors; Dr. Eda Aydoğan
Güngör from the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering and Dr.
Öğretim Üyesi Nihal Terzi Çizmecioğlu from the Department of Biological
Sciences.

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METU Graduate School of Informatics celebrates its 25th Anniversary

The Graduate School of Informatics celebrated its 25th Anniversary with an
online event broadcast live on YouTube on October 22, 2021.

During the opening remarks, Institute Director Prof. Deniz Zeyrek-Bozşahin
stated that the Graduate School of Informatics, established in 1996, is a
thematic institute that promotes innovative and interdisciplinary academic
research. This special event continued with the talks by experts from the
world’s leading universities such as MIT and Stanford.

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METU Career Fair

The traditional METU Career Fair organized by the Career Planning Application and Research Center (KPM) was held both online and face-to-face this year.

The Career Fair, which set off online sessions on November 10-11-12, continued face-to-face at the METU Culture and Convention Center on November 18-19. During the face-to-face days of the fair, live broadcasts were held with representatives from the participating companies via the METU KPM Instagram account.

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Republic Marathon Held

The Republic Marathon, a METU tradition, took place with thousands of people taking part.

This year, as part of the COVID-19 measures, online registration was
required to participate in the event. The registered participants were
allowed to access the event area after their HES Codes were scanned. The
Republic Run started on October 29, at 11.00, and was ultimately a
cheerful and energetic celebration of Republic Day for everyone that
participated.

Happy New Year!

Dear Alumni,

We hope that this message finds each of you safe and healthy.

It is hard to believe that yet another year has gone by overshadowed by the pandemic. 2021 was also full of challenges and uncertainties for us all as we tried to adapt to the new circumstances.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted every facet of our lives, and we did our best to support you, our esteemed alumni and to work for you. The “Speed Networking” events and the “ODTÜ’lüler Her Yerde, Hep Birlikte!” alumni meet-up were both part of our efforts to stay in touch with our alumni, even if we could only do so online.

We also tried to keep you updated and feeling closer to campus with our monthly “METU Alumni Newsletter”, no matter how far our alumni are, by way of the current news pieces we collated.

Last but not least, we had the great pleasure of keeping in close contact with you through our final project of 2021, our METU Alumni Card, which offers you new privileges.

We hope to get together in 2022 with you, dear alumni, as soon as conditions allow.

Wishing you a year filled with happiness, success, love, friendship, prosperity and excitement.
Happy New Year!

METU Alumni Office

With Love from our Campus

Red, orange and yellow leaves fall, a cool breeze, Vivaldi and fall in METU. We continue with the second installment of our Four Seasons at METU – Vivaldi series, as we bring the Fall season to a close, and extend our heartfelt thanks to our talented artists for joining us on campus.

Click below to view the video clip created to accompany Vivaldi’s Four Seasons –Fall sonnet. Enjoy!

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METU Mugs Reach their Owners

The Career Fair, which took off with online sessions on November 10-11-12, continued in person at the METU Culture and Convention Center on November 18-19. During the face-to-face days of the fair, we were able to deliver the METU mugs that our alumni won on behalf of our students to their owners. We thank you on behalf of our students.

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Prof. Elif Uysal Promoted to IEEE Fellow

Our distinguished faculty member at the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Prof. Elif Uysal, has been promoted to IEEE Fellow by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Board of Directors for her “pioneering contributions to energy-efficient and low-latency communications”. The rank of Fellow is a recognition of Dr. Uysal’s hard work as a prominent researcher who has advanced the field of communications and made a lasting impact.

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Dr. Ahmet Acar from the Department of Biological Sciences Receives TÜSEB Aziz Sancar Incentive Award

Asst. Prof. Ahmet Acar from the Department of Biological Sciences at METU has received the Incentive Award in 2021 Aziz Sancar Science, Service and Incentive Awards, organized by the Health Institutes of Turkey (TÜSEB).

The TÜSEB Incentive Award is given to scientists under the age of 40 who have demonstrated that they have the qualifications to make significant contributions to health science and technologies at an international level in the future.

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METU Team Wins 1st Prize in International Space Mission Idea Contest

The METU team’s asteroid exploration mission idea “PARS: Precursor Asteroid Remote Survey” won first prize in the International Mission Idea Contest (MIC 7), where contestants proposed a mission idea utilizing a micro-satellite under 100 kg for deep space science and exploration.

The final for the 7th Mission Idea Contest co-organized by UNISEC Global, the University of Tokyo – Institute of Open Innovation and Collaborative Research Organization for Space Science and Technology (CROiSSant), in collaboration with the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), was held in Tokyo, Japan on 13th November 2021 in hybrid format.

Details of the Mission Idea Contest can be found at: http://www.spacemic.net/

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EU Green Deal Project ARSINOE Started in Partnership with METU Institute of Marine Sciences

A new Horizon 2020 project entitled “Climate-Resilient Regions Through Systemic Solutions and Innovations – ARSINOE,” which will include the METU Institute of Marine Sciences and last four years, commenced in October. The project, in which Prof. Barış Salihoğlu and Assoc. Prof. Mustafa Yücel are the leading researchers, brings together 41 partners from 15 different countries across Europe under the coordination of the University of Thessaly. Financed by the European Commission with a total budget of 15 million Euros, the project aims to take innovative steps for adaptation to climate change by delivering regional innovation packages to build an ecosystem and develop new approaches to solving problems.

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New Issue of ODTÜLÜ Published

The 69th issue of the ODTÜLÜ Magazine has been published. The issue features diverse scientific perspectives on the concept of “Migration” and recent news from METU.
Click here to view the issue.

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2020 METU Alumni Day

The traditional METU Alumni Day has been celebrated annually with the participation of METU alumni, faculty members, students, members, and their families since 1991.

In the morning of this special day, the alumni get together at METU Culture and Convention Center (METU CCC), and in the afternoon, they meet up again at their departments for various activities.

In the traditional medal ceremonies, the alumni, who celebrate their 10th, 20th , 30th, 40th, 45th, 50th and 55th graduation anniversary, are presented their medals.

In this regard, the alumni of the 10th, 20th, 30th, and 40th years are kindly asked to submit a Medal Application Form, which is usually announced in late January so that their names can be engraved on the medals.

We believe that our alumni are the best ambassador of METU to the outside world. The success and achievements of our alumni encourage our students. In that sense, we are always proud to see our alumni interacting with our current students and faculty.

The alumni who come together once a year on the Alumni Day stay together with our recent alumni network, “ODTÜM”, at anytime and anywhere!For further details please visit our web page.

We are looking forward to seeing you for the upcoming METU Alumni Day on June 27, 2020, Saturday.

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Next Generation Wing Design

Professor Yavuz Yaman and his team from METU Aerospace Engineering Department has developed Turkey’s first task compatible aircraft wings that can change their shapes. The airplane using a deformable wing system was successfully flown within the frame work of a TUBITAK project in partnership with the Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI). The new wing design will result in fuel efficiency, environmental friendless and economical flights.

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Professor Gökalp at METU

Professor İskender Gökalp, who is between the researchers returned to Turkey by TÜBİTAK 2232 Scholarship Program to Leader Researchers, continues his research at METU.

Professor Gökalp has been performed his studies in France after graduating from ITU Aeronautical Engineering Department. Professor Gökalp and his team continue to support Turkey’s efforts to manufacture domestic engine at METU.

The Third METU Speed Networking Meeting Held

The third “METU Speed Networking” meeting was held in cooperation with the Department of Statistics, METU Career Planning Center and METU Alumni Office on Saturday, December 07, 2019, at Yüksel Proje Building. More than 150 alumni, faculty members, junior, and senior students attended to this special event.

We would like to thank the Statistics Department instructors and the students of the Statistics Club for their contribution.

We will continue to perform speed networking activities with the participation of our respected alumni and students.

> watch

Burhan Alkar Exhibition

The exhibition of Burhan Alkar, who is the sculptor of “Space and Youth Monument”, has been opened on December 20, 2019. The monument which became one of the most important icon of our campus is also known as “C Aldım” sculpture. You can visit the exhibition to see the valuable works of Burhan Alkar in the METU CCC Exhibition Hall until January 15, 2020.

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AdımODTÜ Free Dinner for Students at Cafeteria!

AdımODTÜ has offered a surprise “New Year’s Dinner” to all METU students in the Cafeteria on December 27, 2019. METU faculty members and staff joined to this special event and had their dinner together with our students. 6000 students have been attended to AdımODTÜ dinner.We would like to thank our donors for making this special event possible.

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Recycling is fun with New Recycling Machines!

Recycle machines were installed on our campus within the framework of a joint project of AdımODTÜ and ODTÜDEN. Students can contribute the recycling by disposing of plastic, metal, and glass wastes in the campus. In return, they can collect points and get various gift from ODTÜDEN.

> watch

OpenMETU

METU Open Science Platform, OpenMETU, was built in order to compile the scientific and intellectual outputs produced at our university and to create an open-access to institutional academic archives in accordance with the international standards in order to ensure long-term preservation and continuity of access. In this context, METU Open Science Conference and the opening of OpenMETU (https://open.metu.edu.tr/) was held on December 20, 2019 at METU CCC Hall.

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METU Science and Technology Collection Exhibition Area Renovated

METU Science and Technology Collection Exhibition Area has been recently renovated and the website of the center has been renewed.

The Exhibition Area opens its doors again on February 19, 2020.

The following workshops have been recently added in the Exhibition Area.

(i) LEGO Makerspace (within the science center thanks to donations from LEGO Education),

(ii) Coding and 3D printer workshops (within the Science Workshops building),

(iii) Audio Guide for Classic Car Exhibition [through Audio-Visual Systems Research and Production Center (GİSAM) support],

You can listen to a sample at the following link: http://bit.ly/2NOIu1s

(iv) Göbekli Tepe workshop (within the Science and Technology History Exhibition building),

(v) Recycling workshop within the scope of environmental activities.

The highly motivated and experienced academic staff at the Science and Society Center serve an annual average of 28,000 K-12 students free of charge.

Registrations for the workshops that will be held throughout the spring semester will start on February 10, 2020.

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METU’s Recycling Application Makes Recycling Fun

The new recycling program on campus makes recycling at Middle East Technical University both attractive and fun. With the goal of recycling plastic, metal, and glass waste, the program aims to increase the number of recycling booths, the first of which have been placed in front of the Department of Basic English, the ODTÜDEN Store, and the dormitory area.

For more information please visit the website.

> watch

TÜBA-GEBİP Award to Asst. Prof. Batur Ercan

Assistant Professor Batur Ercan from the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering has been selected as one of 28 people to receive the award, which was is within the framework of the Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientists Award Program.

Asst. Prof. Batur Ercan received the TÜBA-GEBİP Award for his research on biomaterials and tissue engineering. His research aims to control cellular functions by changing the surface properties of implants, i.e., surface chemistry, morphology, roughness, etc., placed into the body to interact with tissues. For further information you can visit our website.

> watch

Bio-mechanical Research Team Applies for Patent

Assoc. Prof. Ulaş Yaman and his team, who developed solutions to eliminate the need to use special support structures used in the production of complex parts of 3D printers, has applied for a patent.

> watch

“Science is Life” on TRT Radio 1

METU Science Communication Team prepared a science program in cooperation with Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) to be broadcasted on Radio 1. The program, airing with the name “Science is Life”, was created by METU faculty and students using the GİSAM studio. The radio program aims to present the joyful and playful nature of science to impact the multitude of parts of society by providing examples from daily life. You can listen to the program every Monday on TRT Radio 1 (93.3).

You can also listen to the podcast of the show using the following link:

https://basinda.metu.edu.tr/icerik/podcast.

Science at Home

The METU Science Communication Team (METU-SCT) and Pergamon Production have recently produced a science and technology television show with engaging content. The show was filmed on the METU campus and was hosted by Cengiz Eşiyok and METU students, who are the winners of the competition organized by METU-SCT. You can access all episodes of the first season from the following site:

https://www.trt.tv/belgesel/bilimin-ev-hali (in Turkish)

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ODTÜDEN for Kids

The ODTÜDEN store expanded its product range for newborns and children. There are many new pieces for little METU fans that you will love in the ODTÜDEN store. Please do not hesitate to visit their campus store or their website for online shopping.

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ODTÜLÜ

Today, games play an increasingly important role both in adult education and child development. But what role will it have with humanity at the point where it has come today, as we move on to the next step of civilization?

In this 67th issue, ODTÜLÜ focuses on such humans and brings together articles that will support our understanding of the game concept and our changing, transforming world.

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2020 Memorial Medal Request Applications Started

METU Alumni Day will be celebrated on Saturday, June 27, 2020 from 10.00 am to 5.30 pm with various activities in METU.

The 2020 Memorial Medal Application Form is now available on our website mezun.metu.edu.tr .

Alumni celebrating their 10th, 20th, 30th, and 40th graduation anniversaries are invited to fill out the form to apply for Memorial Medals.

The medals for those alumni celebrating their 45th, 50th, 55th, and 60th graduation anniversaries will be automatically prepared without their request. However, we recommend that all alumni confirm that their names are on the list of Memorial Medal Application Form and, in case of any problem, please contact us via mezun@metu.edu.tr .

The program details of the Day and Memorial Medal Ceremony will be announced on our website soon.

We will be pleased to welcome you at METU on Alumni Day.

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Project Grant of 13 Million Euros for METU

The Ministry of Industry and Technology’s Competitive Sectors Program, now in its second phase, has funded two projects at METU. This funding is within the scope of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), which is co-funded by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey.

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Magnificent Cold: Antarctic and Arctic Expeditions

Assist.Prof. Korhan Özkan was the guest of the Science Café interviews on 19 February 2020. Korhan Özkan participated in three expeditions to the North Pole and two to Antarctica, both for the purpose of conducting ecological research. In Turkey, he continues these studies in high altitude lake ecosystems that have features similar to polar ecosystems.

You can get more detailed information on the link below to watch his talk about “Magnificent Cold: Antarctica and North Pole Expeditions.”

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Horizon 2020 eNOTICE Project “Serious Game” from METU Team

The METU Team of Horizon 2020 eNOTICE Project has designed a “serious game” for places such as hospitals and disaster areas, aiming to educate both officials and the wider public in cases of any biological weapons use, epidemics or disasters.

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Laser Assisted Small Pyramid Production

The “Laser Assisted Surface Texturing for Silicon-Based Solar Cells” method, developed by Assist. Prof. Selçuk Yerci and his team, decreases the cost – while increasing the efficiency – of silicon solar cells.

The new method allows for damages during the wire cutting process to be eliminated without the need for chemical etching. In order to eliminate the cutting damage area, laser beam scanning is performed on the washers instead of a standard abrasion. Vertical pyramids of controlled dimensions are produced with the surface etching process following the same laser scanning process.

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METU Alumni Europe Gathering

“METU Alumni Europe Gathering” will be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on May 1st and 2nd 2020!

The program will kick off with a historic city walking tour on Friday May 1st afternoon, and will continue on Saturday May 2nd with a boat tour through the Amsterdam canals, followed by dinner.

If you’re interested, please check out below link and register before 31st March 2020!

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Alumni Discount at METU Cyprus

To produce METU graduates who are equipped to help the world, METU Northern Cyprus Campus offers a 20% discount on tuition fees for children of METU alumni.

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METU Career Fair

METU Career Fair was held at the METU Culture and Congress Center (CCC) on February 27-28, 2020 with 70 important participants from the private sector, public and foundations. The AR-GE, BEST, GGT, IEEE and VT communities also contributed to the fair organized by the METU Career Planning Application and Research Center (CPARC).

Nearly 3000 students and alumni had the opportunity to have one-on-one meetings, learn about job and internship positions and share their resumes through stand visits.

Private interview rooms designed and developed by the METU CPARC at the fair were used by our students for the first time in the “Career Booth” CCC exhibition hall. These Career Booths enabled participating companies to carry out more productive interviews with our students.

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Science and Technology Week

METU Science and Technology Collection Exhibition Area awaits its visitors with its renewed face. Various events were organized within the scope of the Science and Technology Week. For detailed information, please visit their webpage .

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AdımODTÜ Free Movie Screening Night

AdımODTÜ held the eighth free movie screening event on the evening of February 18, 2020 in the U3 Lecture Hall in the Physics Department. Nearly 400 METU students attended the free movie event where the Joker movie was shown.

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AdımODTÜ Undergraduate Research Projects

AdımODTÜ created a fund to support the research efforts of undergraduate students through donations. This year, nearly 100 applications were made to our project proposal call and 57 undergraduate research projects were found worthy of support by the jury. The undergraduate research projects to be supported by AdımODTÜ this year can be accessed at https://adimodtu.org.tr/pdf/SupportedProjects-2020.pdf.

To support the undergraduate research projects, you can visit the link below.

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Online Distance Education at METU

The precautionary measures regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) implemented at our university have been taken and are being updated in accordance with the recommendations and guidance provided by the Council of Higher Education and the Ministry of Health, and through constant interaction with these institutions.

Initially, the online distance education process began with various projects and programs conducted without compromising the quality of education, especially during this crucial early period.

This distance education process, which started on March 23, 2020 in the Spring Semester of Pre-School, Associate, Undergraduate and Graduate courses in the 2019-2020 Academic Year, continues via both asynchronous and synchronous instruction.

In the asynchronous course option, lecture notes, PPT presentations, reading files, assignments and other resources are presented weekly through the ODTÜClass system, and asynchronous interactive discussions can be held with students through the ODTÜClass forum service. In the synchronous course option; the Blackboard Collaborate, Zoom and BigBlueButton applications are supported, which can log up to 100 people at the same time.

Academic staff members and students will be able to get assistance about online education at the following website https://its.metu.edu.tr/uzaktanegitim/en/. On this website, there are tools for faculty members to render their courses appropriate for online education, resources and answers to frequently-asked questions.

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AdımODTÜ Internet Scholarship

METU switched to online distance education during coronavirus closure.Connected to this, we would like to provide an internet scholarship, for 3 months at 75 TL per month, to 1,200 METU students who are in need of support and who will continue their spring term via online education. Support will primarily be provided to students who receive a meal and a dormitory scholarship. If donations increase, our other students will also be supported.

You can support the project via https://adimodtu.org.tr/proje/odtu-internet- and send your messages to our students if you wish.

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Precautions Taken at METU

The precautionary measures regarding the Coronavirus have been, and are continuing to be implemented very carefully at our University since the very beginning of the pandemic.

All the regulations at our University regarding the Coronovirus are being renewed according to the unfolding circumstances here, with the specific purpose of minimizing physical interaction among individuals. Every regulation that related to the activities of our shared areas of use in this particular situation is made by taking into consideration the number of staff who are still working at this period.

In this context, primarily the Dormitories, Triple Amphitheater, Yüksel Project Amphitheater, Culture and Convention Center, Cafeteria, Social Building, Garages, Main Cafeteria, Library, Sports Halls, Society and Science Center Buildings, and all Buses have been disinfected.In addition, sanitizer devices are being installed in all buildings within the campus, and information regarding the necessity of cleaning the common areas and classes is already being regularly sent to all our units.

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Informational Note about COVID-19

METU Science Communication Team has posted a youtube video with Assist. Prof. Müslüm İlgü, from the Department of Biological Sciences of METU,about the Coronavirus.

Dr. İlgü briefly gives the answers of the main questions such as: where are the viruses found, how do they spread into our bodies, what distinguishes Coronavirus from the others, and who are most affected by the Coronavirus,among others.

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“Donut Language”

You can start talking English any time with “Donut Language”, developed by instructor Jason Steinberg, METU Department of Modern Languages, and Orçun Çevrim,
a student in the METU Computer Engineering Department. The founders of the software say that “Donut is a native speaking teacher in your pocket.” All you have to do is download
the application from the GooglePlay Store
or visit the webpage.

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METU Press on “Teacher Library”

Children’s books published by METU Press (Publishing) can be accessed from the “Teacher Library”, in cooperation with METU and Ministry of National Education. All teachers can immediately download the application from their Android or iOS phones and start reading.

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METU Design Factory against COVID19

METU Design Factory, like all the constituents of our university, is rapidly working towards solutions that could help the global community, especially healthcare professionals, in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Towards this purpose, the METU Design Factory Team has developed solutions that can be easily manufactured and customized if necessary. Our current plan is to deliver this protective equipment to healthcare personnel as fast as possible. All designs and manufacturing details for these solutions are accessible at the link below. Rapid prototyping or simple hand tools can be used to manufacture these models.

You are more than welcome to contact us if you need more information or to offer help.

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Dear Members, Alumni and Friends,

I deeply hope that you, your families and your loved ones are safe and well.

METU faces serious challenges from the global pandemic. All precautionary measures regarding the Coronavirus implemented at our university are being taken and updated in accordance with the recommendations and guidance provided by the Council of Higher Education and the Ministry of Health, and through constant interaction with these institutions.

In line with the Council of Higher Education’s guidance about Coronavirus and in common with other Turkish universities, METU has suspended all face to face teaching. Instruction in the Basic English Department and all associate degree, undergraduate and graduate courses has been carried out via distance education since 23 March 2020.

METU is undertaking a collective effort to respond to COVID-19 in many different ways. We have combined all of our science, technology, and research capabilities and experiences to address the direct and indirect aspects of Coronavirus. You can follow our scientific efforts against the pandemic
through the “News from METU” website.

As the president of METU, please allow me to thank our faculty members and staff doing their best to encourage our students to continue learning and moving forward. And finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our alumni for keeping the METU spirit alive and maintaining our solidarity in these difficult times.

Dear METU Family,

Please stay safe and healthy. We look forward to the day when we all return to our beautiful campus.

Hope to see you soon at METU.

Best Regards,

Prof. Mustafa Verşan Kök

President

METU Ranked in Top 10 in THE Impact Rankings

According to the Impact Rankings 2020 results announced by the world universities ranking institution Times Higher Education (THE), METU has become the university with the best results among the Turkish universities, taking place in the top 10 in the title of “clean water and sanitation”.

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Prof. Haluk Külah and his Team Awarded “ERC-2020-PoC”Grant

The project called “New Generation Hearing Implants”, directed by Prof. Haluk Külah from the METU Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and his team, was awarded as the only grant from Turkey within the scope of the “ERC-2020-PoC” call.

The aim of the Project is to eliminate the downsides to creating the first fully implantable, low-power, energy-harvesting next generation cochlear implant that mimics the natural hearing mechanism of the ear.

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Chloroquine against Covid-19

METU scientists synthesized chloroquine, previously used for the malaria
cure. Assoc. Prof. Akın Akdağ from the Department of Chemistry said, “We
started preparations for publishing our work in international journals. We
are very happy to have achieved success in working with our students. ”

METU scientists also announced that they would be able to produce larger
quantities if they can find support for their project.

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Vaccination Studies against Covid-19

You can reach the information given by Prof. Mayda Gürsel from the
Department of Biological Sciences about the vaccine intended to be
developed against the new coronavirus through the below link.

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METU GÜNAM Granted for “Turkish Photovoltaic Technologies Platform” Project

The “Turkish Photovoltaic Technologies Platform” Project submitted by METU GÜNAM (Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications), together with 8 other national partners to the “Call for High Technology Platforms,” opened within the scope of the TÜBİTAK Center of Excellence Support Program (1004 Program), has been accepted and passed to the next stage.

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2020 METU Alumni Day Postponed

METU Alumni Day, which we announced to be held on June 27, 2020, has been postponed to a later date by our University within the “Measures Taken with the New Coronavirus (COVID-19)”. In line with the unfolding developments over the coming months, the new date to be determined for 2020 METU Alumni Day will be shared with you on our website, social media accounts and mail list.

Thank you once again for your understanding and support for the measures taken during the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

We hope to meet face to face with all our graduates on Alumni Day.

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Online Live University Promotion for High School Students

Middle East Technical University started delivering live online
presentations for high school students and their families – the first
university in Turkey to do so. High school students preparing for the
university entrance exam can follow METU’s social media accounts and
website for further information about online live presentations.

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METU Zero Waste Unit Placed 2013 Waste Collection Boxes

Zero Waste Unit, established in 2019 within the METU Directorate of Administrative and Financial Affairs, has started to work on the establishment of the Zero Waste Management System and placed waste collection bins at various points throughout the campus.

The aim of the initiative is to reach the highest level of benefits at the lowest cost in the various processes of waste reduction, separation at the source, temporary storage, collection, transportation and processing by using the Zero Waste Management System. METU aims to obtain the Basic Zero Waste Certificate by completing the installation of the Zero Waste Management System by 31 December 2020.

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AdımODTÜ Internet Scholarship Project

Within the scope of “AdımODTÜ Internet Scholarship Project”, we have started providing scholarships to our students who need internet. We would like to express our gratitude to all METU graduates and friends who have supported the initiative.

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Happy METU Day!

This year we are celebrating the 64th anniversary of the establishment of METU.

Middle East Technical University was founded under the name “Orta Doğu Yüksek Teknoloji Enstitüsü” (Middle East High Technology Institute) on November 15th, 1956 to contribute to the development of Turkey and Middle Eastern countries, with the specific goal of training people so as to create a skilled workforce in the fields of natural and social sciences. “Arrangements and Procedures as for the Foundation of METU, Law No 6887” was enacted on January 29th, 1957. Finally, the “Foundation Act No 7307”, which sets forth the particular standing of METU and describes the conditions rendering METU as a juridical entity, was enacted on May 27th, 1959.

Therefore, we celebrate the 27th of May as METU Day and hold a special ceremony in its honor. In the first section of our METU Day celebrations, we present METU Outstanding Service and Appreciation Awards in the KKM Kemal Kurdaş Hall. In the second part of the ceremony, Turan Baskan Service and Incentive Awards are given to the administrative staff of our university. The Service Plaques are presented to our retired academic and administrative staff who have given service to our university for 20 years, and Service Documents are given to our members who have completed 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20 service years at METU.

2020 METU Day celebrations are planned to be held on the Opening Day of the 2020-2021 Academic Year because of the continuing COVID-19 precautions.

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AdımODTÜ Internet Scholarship

We initiated the “AdımODTÜ Internet Scholarship Project” to provide scholarships to METU students experiencing internet access problems.Thanks to the donations of METU graduates and friends, we have supported more than 650 students so far. We wish all our students good luck in the finals!

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Undergraduate Program Webcasts

We continue to promote our undergraduate programs online through our official Youtube account (Youtube.com/middleastechuniv) as part of the distance learning process we began on March 23, 2020, undertaken with valuable support from our departments.

You can find the presentations made so far below. We kindly ask for your valuable support in delivering this information to students preparing for the university entrance exam and to their families around you.

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METU Science Communication Team

A webinar on “Designing Games that Resonate with Learners and Learning” was held on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at 9.30 pm (US time at 2.30 pm), with the organization of METU GİSAM President Prof. Dr. Kürşat Çağıltay and Researcher Dr. Çiğdem Uz Bilgin from MIT Eğitim Arcade/Yıldız Technical University, in cooperation with METU Science Communication Group. Prof. Eric Kopfler, Head of Comparative Media Studies and Writing, and Director of Scheller Teacher Education Program and The Education Arcade of MIT, attended the webinar as the speaker.

The webinar was broadcasted in English and in Turkish.

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METU at First Glance

How many students are studying at METU? What is the capacity of our dormitories? How many laboratories, lecture halls, and classrooms are there? You can discover METU at first glance prepared by the METU Institutional Development and Planning Office, (IDPO) to find answers to all such questions you may have. Please click the link below for more information.

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Three Awards to the METU Team from the 23rd IBECC

The student team of Prof. Semra Aşcıgil, the faculty member of the Department of Business Administration at METU, won first and first runner up prizes in the prize category “graduate division” of the 23rd International Business Ethics Case Competition (IBECC), which was initially planned to be held in Boston between April 22-24, 2020 but was untimately held as a virtual competition due to the epidemic.

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My METU Short Film/Video Competition

The deadline for applications to the My METU Short Film/Video Competition 2020 has been extended until 1 September 2020. A new theme, We Missed METU, has also been added to our competition to account for the COVID-19 epidemic. From the eyes of alumni, employees, and students of METU, we want to leave films as an inheritance to the future in such categories as comedy, thriller, memory, documentary, and promotion, etc. reflecting the METU culture/spirit.

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ODTÜDEN

ODTÜDEN web site is now ready for shopping online with its renewed interface. You can find brand new and restocked products and make donations for scholarships via AdımODTÜ & ODTÜDEN’s collaboration.

For further information please visit ODTÜDEN.

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Online Promotion from TanıtımODTÜ

TanıtımODTÜ (Promotion Office) is busy promoting METU to prospective students online due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

We began in May by explaining the variety of opportunities that our university offers via live broadcasts from our METU YouTube account. Then, we brought together academicians, graduates, and even students from several departments with prospective METU students for virtual get togethers. These live broadcasts are ongoing and you can access new as well as past promotions from the METU YouTube account.

TanıtımODTÜ will hold its first Virtual Fair on 27-28-29 July 2020. The fair includes participation from all departments, with whom our prospective students will have a chance to participate in video meetings between 10:00 – 20:00. These students will also have an opportunity to participate in video interviews once a day with the departments. Additionally, the fair will showcase activities such as a campus tour with a drone and “Ask the Rector Advisor” sessions

From the 4th of August until the end of the Preference Period, our prospective students and their families will be able to reach TanıtımODTÜ and departments through the channels we will announce on the adayogrenci.metu.edu.tr webpage.

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Webinar by Prof. Jeppesen and Prof. Beklioğlu

METU Biological Sciences faculty member Prof. Meryem Beklioğlu and Prof. Erik Jeppesen organized an online seminar with the support of the METU Science Communication Team. The online seminar was webcasted live in both English and Turkish on July 8th. Dr. Jeppesen, who is a panel member of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner IPCC2007, is currently continuing his studies at our university within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 2322 International Fellowship for Outstanding Researchers Program. Details regarding the content of the seminar are given below.

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KPM Online

Our postgraduate programs are promoted through the live webcasts put on by the METU Career Planning Application and Research Center (CPC), incorporating valuable contributions from the graduate school principals, alumni, and graduate students.

Our students can participate in the sessions live on “Zoom” by filling out the registration form on the CPC webpage or the one sent them by e-mail. The presentations are also webcasted on the CPC YouTube channel.

We kindly ask you to share the CPC presentations with the students who might be interested in it. You can find both coming and previous webcast programs below.

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EBA TV

The METU Science Communication Team prepared a fun science-themed program series to be broadcasted on the digital education platform EBA TV, with the support of our students, staff, and faculty members, and with cooperation from the Ministry of National Education and TRT. It will be streaming in the summer school program of primary and secondary school students in between courses.

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Root Cell Treatment with Ascidiacea

METU Institute of Marine Sciences is developing an anti-aging and treatment model using the ascidiacea within the scope of the ‘Marine Stem Cell Project”.

Assoc. Arzu Karahan from METU Institute of Marine Science told that “Ascidiace, commonly known as the ascidians or sea squirts, can totally repair themselves”.

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METU IVMER Joins CERN Openlab as a Research Member

Middle East Technical University Application and Research Center for Space and Accelerating Technologies (IVMER) has joined CERN openlab, a public-private partnership run by CERN (the European Laboratory for Particle Physics) that works to drive innovation in computing technologies. The agreement was signed on April 1, 2020.

METU IVMER will carry out joint operations with gluoNNet within this CERN openlab collaboration. Together, the project members will develop particle-tracking algorithms for quantum computers and will investigate the possibility of using these within industry, such as for data analysis related to aviation or logistics.

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Study in Turkey

Study in Turkey YÖK Virtual Fair 2020 is taking place on July 20-22, 2020. We will be welcoming our prospective students at our virtual booth. The prospective students can meet our university representatives and get valuable information about METU student’s life, scholarship opportunities, and accommodation facilities. You can visit the virtual fair using the link below.

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Alumni Discount at METU Cyprus

To produce METU graduates who are equipped to help the world, METU Northern Cyprus Campus offers a 20% discount on tuition fees for children of METU alumni.

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ODTÜDEN

On ODTÜDEN’s newly updated website, you can find brand new and restocked products and make donations supporting the book and stationary needs of our students via AdımODTÜ & ODTÜDEN’s collaboration. We look forward to the valuable support of all METU friends.

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Dear METU Alumni,

On August 14, 2020, I was reassigned as the President of METU, a position which I have held for four years with great honor and pride. During these four years, our university has gained many achievements in national and international areas.

We have been selected as “The Most Successful University” in the TÜBİTAK 2018 Entrepreneurial and Innovative University Index. In 2018, we have also become “The Most Successful University” in education and training according to the results of YÖK Universities Annual Monitoring and Evaluation. We have been chosen as “The Most Successful Research University” according to the results of Research Universities Performance Evaluation in both 2017 and 2018. In the “Corporate Award” category of the YÖK Outstanding Achievement Awards, we received the “International Cooperation Award” in 2017 and the “University-Industry Cooperation Award” in 2019. METU received 23 European Union projects and 29 international projects. METU’s 2nd and 3rd ERC projects were awarded between January 2017 – December 2019, with a total budget of 4 million Euros. METU is the only Turkish state university to receive an ERC project. Our “Solar Energy Research and Application Center (GÜNAM)” has received the first-ever twinning project among Turkish universities. Our Teknokent revenues have exceeded 1.4 billion dollars.

In our first term, we opened our new Technopolis building, CoZone area, İvmer centers, KALTEV, and our new classroom building, and renovated our cafeteria. We organized science cafe events, environmental activities, speed networking events, and fundraising campaigns for our students. We initiated the METU Alumni Newsletter, reaching more than 60,000 alumni monthly, and implemented the ODTÜM Network Project.

In the footsteps of our Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, our university will continue to honor his principles and revolutions, secularism, gender equality, fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, and the truths of reason and science.

Prof. Mustafa Verşan Kök

President

Dilhan Eryurt Became a Doodle on Google!

On the 20th of July, Turkish astrophysicist Dr. Dilhan Eryurt, a star in the field of astronomy, became a doodle on Google. On this day in 1969, Dr. Eryurt was honored with NASA’s prestigious “Apollo Achievement Award” for her contribution to the moon landing that year.

In 1961, Dr. Eryurt began to work as the only woman at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in New York. She was the first Turkish woman to work as a scientist at NASA, and her research on the evolution of stars led to an unexpected discovery about the history of the solar system.

After Dr. Eryurt returned to the METU Physics Department as a staff member in 1973, she established the Astrophysics Department there. In 1988, she first served as the Head of the Department of Physics at METU’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and then retired in 1993 after serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for five years. In addition, she was also honored with Turkey’s TÜBİTAK Science Award in 1977.

Lithium Attack in Electricity Storage Technology

METU Energy Materials and Storage Devices Research Center (ENDAM) President Professor Tayfur Öztürk emphasized the importance of battery technologies in the automotive and renewable energy sector and explained the importance of lithium in the storage of electricity.

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METU Memorial Frame

Our newest premium quality METU Memorial Frames are on sale at ODTÜDEN. You can purchase these special frames, which are carefully prepared to display your most precious memories in METU with pride.

You can also donate to our students’ book and stationery needs while shopping online at ODTÜDEN.

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Meet the METU Science and Communication Group

Science communication which aims to inform and raise awareness of
science-related topics in society has lately become an important topic all
around the world. In this respect, METU Science and Communication Group
perform several science-oriented activities to bridge the gap between
science and the public. You can click on the link below to access the
science communication activities they have performed so far as well as the
new ones.

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EBA TV on Broadcast

Our science program, which is prepared in partnership with the Ministry of
Education to contribute to popularize science and promote university life
among primary and secondary school students, is now being broadcast on EBA
TV.

We would like to express our gratitude to the METU Science Communication
Group, Society and Science Application and Research Center, and GİSAM,
which supported the preparation of the program. Furthermore, we would also
like to thank our students, staff, and faculty members.

You can get the information and watch the generics of the program from the
link below.

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AdımODTÜ

AdımODTÜ continues to support our students in many different projects with
your valuable contributions. You can continue to support their numerous
projects, which are oriented towards our student needs, scientific
researches, and social services. You can show your support by sharing
their announcements and also by voluntarily participating in AdımODTÜ
projects. Please check their website for further information.

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Opening of the Academic Year 2020-2021

The opening of our University 2020-2021 Academic Year was held on October 12, 2020, with the University Administration’s visit to the Supreme Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Anıtkabir. The official ceremony in the Culture and Convention Center was not held due to the Pandemic. Our Rector, Prof. Mustafa Verşan Kök delivered a message for the Academic Year Opening. Referring to the establishment purpose and achievements of METU in his message, Prof. Kök made a statement regarding significant goals in the new period. Prof. Kök stated that “Since the day it was founded, METU has been an international university that symbolizes an understanding of education which cares about universal values and development, strives to develop an awareness of social responsibility, and fulfills a leading and pioneering role in the shaping of individuals who have the potential to create and sustain scientific, technological, cultural and environmental changes and follow the principle of lifelong learning.” Prof. Kök also welcomed the new METU students and stated that “I congratulate all of you for your determination and devoted work that brought you to METU as a result of long years of effort. METU is a university where only the best students meet with the most successful academics in their fields in Turkey and globally. This meeting is also supported by many science, culture, art, and sports activities that will accelerate your personal development. We expect you to participate in various social and intellectual activities such as seminars, concerts, theaters, movies, and talks held every day at many points of the campus after the pandemic period. We believe that you will continue your education life with this perspective of our university, where education and research activities are carried out in harmony and with the strong tradition of learning from each other at the forefront, and you will always keep these features alive inside and outside METU.”

You can reach the full message using the link below.

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METU Orientation 2020

The newest members of METU family were welcomed by ourtraditional “Orientation Event”on Friday, October 9, 2020. This program was performed live and online because of the Pandemic.

Within the orientation program’s scope, our new students got information about the academic and administrative units, cultural and sports activities, and distance education in METU. Our students had the chance to learn about METU with a fun contest presented by Mehmet Auf, the script consultant and actor of the TV series”Çocuklar Duymasın” and “En Son Babalar Duyar”.A live campus tour with drone footage, and departmental presentations were performed in the afternoon session.

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Asst. Prof. Dicle Dövencioğlu Awarded by The L’Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science”

Assistant Prof. Dicle Dövencioğlu, from the METU Psychology Department, was awarded within the scope of the “For Women in Science” program, in cooperation with
L’Oréal-UNESCO by her “Multidimensionality of softness perception in viscoelastic materials” project. This award is granted to support women’s contribution to science
and to contribute to setting role models by drawing attention to gender equality in science, to support female researchers in the field of science, to reward excellence,
and to ensure the recognition of young and talented scientists by L’Oréal Türkiye, which has been in cooperation with the UNESCO Turkey National Commission for 18 years.

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Two Awards to METU in the 2ndNational Universities Patent Competition

METU received two awards, including first prize, in “Patenting Turkey – 2nd National Universities Patent Competition” organized by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) at the ceremony on October 16, 2020. The competition was organized to increase university students’ awareness of patents as one of the most critical technological development tools and enable students to gain knowledge and experience in patent research and patent applications.

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“Best Scientists” special award in European Rover Challenge 2020 to METU Machinery and Innovation Society

The METU ROVER project was received the “Best Scientists” special award at the European Rover Challenge 2020, the most prestigious space and robotics competition in Europe, supported by the European Space Agency (ESA). METU ROVER took 4th place in the overall ranking in the competition held in Poland, where 33 international teams took part in the final. The METU ROVER project continues its activities within the METU Machinery and Innovation Society (METU MECH), involving 29 students from different departments.

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METU and TÜBİTAK host H2020 Black Sea CONNECT project, Black Sea Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda online workshop

The Black Sea Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) Stakeholder Consultation Workshop, coordinated by the METU Institute of Marine Sciences and organized within the scope of the EU H2020 Black Sea CONNECT Project, which is the first multi-partner Horizon2020 consortium coordinated by METU, was held on September 16, 2020. The workshop was held online with more than 150 representatives from universities, public institutions, the private sector, and civil society.

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3D Modeling Competition

The METU Society and Science Centre (TBM) is organizing an award-winning competition, “3D Model for Barrier-Free Life!”, to improve high school students’ three-dimensional modeling skills and increase their awareness of the 3D printing process. Participants will be requested to present a solution to the problem they have determined in the context of an event / a phenomenon / a subject from our daily life by designing a three-dimensional model that can help disabilities.

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Department of Economics alum honored to be the first Turkish student shortlisted as “Highly Commended Entrants”
in “The Global Undergraduate Awards”

Altuğ Aydemir, 2020Department of Economics graduate, was honored to be one of the 12 economists shortlisted as “Highly Commended Entrants” in “The Global Undergraduate Awards.” METU is a member of this prestigious international academic award program within the scope of the AdımODTÜ Undergraduate Research Project. Entrants with research papers ranked in the top 10% of submissions in their category are shortlisted as “Highly Commended Entrants”.

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ENERJİM SENSİN Acceleration Program

In cooperation with ODTÜ TEKNOKENT and ELDER, and under the coordination of EMRA, the “ENERJİM SENSİN Acceleration Program” will be organized to bring together in-house initiatives, and projects with a minimum TRL-4 level.

Companies that are accepted to participate in the program will be provided with access to the press and stakeholders, cooperation opportunities, and meeting opportunities with investors and potential customers. Also, a total of 300,000 TL will be awarded to the selected projects.

Applications will be accepted until Sunday, 20 December 2020.

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Show your METU Spirit

AdımODTÜ continues to support our students with your valuable contributions. You can continue to support their projects, which are oriented towards scientific research and social services. You can show yourMETU spirit and support our students, not only financially supporting their projects but also helping in the dissemination of the projects or even voluntarily participating in them.You can check their website for further information.

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ODTÜDEN Book Sales

2020-2021 Academic Year Fall Semester textbooks are on sale onwww.odtuden.com.tr with a 10% discount.

ODTÜDEN web site is now ready for shopping online with its renewed interface. You can find brand new and restocked products and make donations for scholarships to METU students.

For further information please visit ODTÜDEN.

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ODTÜM Network is now on LinkedIn

Dear METU Alumni,

Our two-year old ODTÜM Network has reached over 21.500 members, thanks to your participation and support.
However, ODTÜM Network user statistics over time show that very few users with an activated account from all categories (alumni, faculty,
students) actually returned to the platform after their initial login,
problem commonly encountered on other platforms. In that sense, we decided
to open “ODTÜM”, the official METU alumni network group, connected to the METU
Alumni Office LinkedIn account for you.

Among the popular social media platforms, LinkedIn consistently comes up
as morecommonly used and conducive to network-building and communication
than more specialized platforms like ODTÜM Network.

ODTÜM is a closed group that our alumni, faculty and senior students can join
through their existing LinkedIn accounts. Alumni joining this group can
contact their former classmates and professors, support METU through
various projects, share job announcements and stay informed about career
opportunities.

We hope to remain in touch with you, our esteemed ODTÜM Network users,
on the LinkedIn ODTÜM group.

Best Regards,

METU Alumni Office

A New Co-working Space for METU Students

METU students will soon have a new, easily accessible, and comfortable co-working environment on campus. Designed to offer alternative spaces students can use to study, collaborate and take part in activities, the new Co-working Space will be located by the A4 campus entrance, on the site of the former gendarmerie buildings. The construction is currently underway, and the space will be available for student use in September 2021.

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ODTÜLÜ Magazine Special Issue on COVID-19

The new issue of ODTÜLÜ magazine focuses on the source of the greatestglobal shock of our time, the COVID-19 pandemic, and features projects METU has supported as part of the collective human effort against it since the pandemic began.

As a token of our gratitude, we have dedicated this special issue to healthcare workers as well as all other essential workers on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19.

Please click the link below for the ODTÜLÜ COVID-19 Special Issue (in Turkish).

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Celebrating the “60th Anniversary” of METU’s First Alumni: The Class of 1960

Although the pandemic precluded us from convening for METU Alumni Day in June 2020, we wanted to honor the 60th anniversary of the First Graduating Class of METU, the Class of 1960. To express our gratitude to them for setting us on the path towards our current position as a leading university, we have sent each member of the Class of1960 their own “60th Anniversary Memory Medal”.

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METU ROMER Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Center on the Way

METU is preparing to launch ROMER, the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Technologies Research and Application Center. Leading the project is Assoc. Prof. Erol Şahin, the Founding Director of the METU KOVAN Research Laboratory. Dr. Şahin says ROMER will take robotics and artificial intelligence research in Turkey to a whole new level, creating critical technologies, particularly for the defense and manufacturing industries.

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“PONDERFUL”: A ‘Wonderful’ Horizon 2020 Project on ‘Ponds’:

METU is now part of an 11-country consortium collaborating on a large-scale environmental project, thanks to the efforts of Prof. Meryem Beklioğlu from the Biological Sciences Department and her team, including Prof. Zuhal Akyürek from the Civil Engineering Department and Asst. Prof. Antoine Dolcerocca from the Sociology Department. As the only Turkish partners in this Horizon 2020 project entitled, ‘PONDERFUL’, Professor Beklioğlu and her colleagues will be working over the next 4 years to explore the use of ponds and pondscapes as a nature-based method contributing to mitigating the effects of climate change and conserving biodiversity, among other important goals.

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Publication by Assoc. Prof. Ulaş Yaman and Prof. Melik Dölen Receives Acclaim

The IISE Transactions Journal has chosen the paper entitled, “Generation of Patterned Indentations for Additive Manufacturing Technologies” by Department of Mechanical Engineering faculty members Assoc. Prof. Ulaş Yaman and Prof. Melik Dölen as “Best Design and Manufacturing Application Paper”. IISE Transactions is one of the main journals of the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers, which has been formally recognizing the accomplishments of prominent researchers with awards since 1993.

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EEE Graduate and RA Berkay Özbek Wins TÜBİTAK 1512 Grant

Berkay Özbek, a graduate research assistant at the METU Electrical-Electronics Engineering Department, supervised by Prof. Haluk Külah, has won a TÜBİTAK grant through the 1512 Techno-Entrepreneurship Capital Support Program. Mr. Özbek, who also did his undergraduate studies at METU EEE, aims to design a system for pacemakers that will fully eliminate the need for batteries.

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METU Part of Turkey’s First Joint Research Center: NÖROM

METU is joined by Gazi and Ankara Universities in establishing Turkey’s first joint research center through a YÖK (Council of Higher Education) initiative. The Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Research Center (NÖROM) is the first outcome of a YÖK effort to propel large-scale R&D in prioritized fields by enabling collaboration among Turkish universities with unique strengths in strategic fields and to ensure the efficient use of public funding.

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International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated with 3D Modeling Competition

METU students took part in the first of a new annual competition called “3D Modeling for a Barrier-Free Life!”. The winners were announced during a well-attended online ceremony led by President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Verşan KÖK on the 3rd of December, which is known globally as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The creators of the winning projects, selected from among the many competition entries, were informed about their prizes during the ceremony.

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