Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Education Campus Officially Opened

Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Education Campus Opens National Education Minister Mahmut Özer and Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank opened the Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Education Campus with the participation of Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, who the campus is named after. Prof. Dr. Sancar stated, "Mahmut Özer did not name this campus after me because I am his cousin's son or a parliamentarian's son. He named it after me for the services I have rendered to Turkey and the Turkish world. In this respect, this campus is a badge of merit given to me." Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank and National Education Minister Mahmut Özer attended the opening ceremony of the Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Education Campus. The Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Education Campus houses a Science and Arts Center with 14 classrooms and workshops in biochemistry and mechatronics, as well as workshops in geography, biology, philosophy, painting and music. The campus includes a Kindergarten with 4 classrooms and a dining hall, and a Science High School featuring 12 classrooms, physics, chemistry and biology laboratories, information technologies classroom, music workshop, a library with 4,000 books, multipurpose hall, and fully equipped health clinic. Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, who the Education Campus is named after, attended the opening ceremony along with AK Party parliamentarians and deputy ministers from the Industry and Technology Ministry and the National Education Ministry. Minister Varank stated in his remarks that even massive companies with 100-150 year histories can throw in the towel in a short time under competitive conditions, and noted that the most important reason for this is the superior entrepreneurship capability of the new generation. Varank emphasized that these young people are much better equipped than the previous generation, attributing this to the fact that they engage with technology and new trends at a much younger age than in the past.

Aziz Sancar Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Minister Varank reminded that thanks to the Aziz Sancar Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, young researchers would be able to continue their postdoctoral work under Aziz Sancar's academic supervision and in his research laboratory, saying "Applications for the fellowship continue until 3 March, but we are very satisfied with the interest shown in the program so far. As of today, the number of applications has reached 217, and this was actually a figure we did not anticipate. Apparently, Prof. Sancar's name was enough to attract the interest of young researchers." Minister Varank, comparing scientific work to a never-ending long journey, also stated that as the Industry and Technology Ministry, they are taking steps within this framework.

President Erdoğan Sent a Message

Following the remarks of Minister Varank and Minister Özer, a message sent by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding the opening of the campus was read. President Erdoğan noted the following in his message: "I wish that the Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Education Campus, whose opening we are conducting, brings good fortune to our country, our nation, and all of our students. I especially thank our Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, who is a source of pride for our country in the field of science, for attending the program. As a government, we have entered a period in which we will begin to harvest the fruits of our investments in education over the past 20 years. As our country advances with confident steps in line with our 2023 goals, we are also building the necessary infrastructure for the development of personnel who will blaze trails in science, culture, arts, sports, and many other fields. This modern campus whose opening we are conducting today, while demonstrating the importance we attach to the education of our children, is also an expression of our gratitude to our Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar. The children who will receive education under this roof for decades to come will, just like our Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, represent our nation in the best way possible on the stage of history with the Nobel Prizes they will receive. With these wishes, I sincerely congratulate those who have contributed to bringing this education campus, which I believe will raise the future Aziz Sancars, to our country. I greet you once again with affection."

Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Expressed His Feelings and Thoughts

In his remarks, Aziz Sancar recalled that he had accomplished scientific work through hard work and said: "I have trained many Turkish and non-Turkish scientists. But the most important lesson I have learned is that I must never lose my love for Turkey and my love and passion for the Turkish nation. Turkey has always been in my heart. Turkey has had a role in everything I have done. I gave a speech at TEKNOFEST and there I presented my own thoughts on Turkey's development in science and technology. The most important of these was 'Merit'. Here today I learned that there is merit in Turkey. I did not know Minister Mahmut Özer. I had not even heard his name. I received a phone call from Turkey. They said we are building a campus in your name. Will you come to the opening? Minister Mahmut Özer did not do this because I am his cousin's son or a parliamentarian's son. He did it for the services I have rendered to Turkey and the Turkish world, and in this respect, this campus is a badge of merit given to me. I thank you again." Following the speeches, the ceremony concluded with the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon for the opening of the Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Education Campus. Subsequently, numerous students who attended the program attempted to take selfies with Aziz Sancar. Minister Özer and Sancar toured the newly opened campus.