On Sunday, August 9, 2020, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited TÜBİTAK's Gebze Campus, attended the mass opening and signing ceremonies, and examined and tested the "Electric, Smart and Zero Emission 7 Ton Class Wheeled Excavator" (HICON 7W) developed by Hidromek with the support of TÜBİTAK.

The program, which was held at TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus, started with President Erdoğan testing the HICON 7W, developed by Hidromek as a smart, economical and environmentally friendly electric city excavator with the support of TÜBİTAK. Thanks to its electric motor, the HICON 7W, which stands out with its quieter, more efficient and environmentally friendly design, will reduce environmental impact with its zero emission and compact dimensions, and can be easily used in many parts of the city.

HICON 7W's low fuel consumption, efficient power consumption engine and low maintenance costs make it economical. HICON 7W, which will provide 8 hours of use on a single charge, can easily be fully charged in 3.5 hours at vehicle charging stations and reach 100 percent fullness in 1 hour and 30 minutes with fast charging.

He attended the ceremony held for the opening of the Bioelectronics Center of Excellence, TÜBİTAK MAM High Temperature Materials Research, Development and Repair Center of Excellence, TÜBİTAK UME Photovoltaic Performance Test Center, TÜBİTAK SAGE Environmental Tests Center and TÜBİTAK SAGE R&D Service Building.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was accompanied by Binali Yıldırım, 28th President of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, former Prime Minister and AK Party Izmir Deputy, Mustafa Varank, Minister of Industry and Technology, Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, President of TÜBİTAK, Fahrettin Altun, Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın, and Tahir Büyükakın, Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality.

Our technological infrastructure and capabilities are getting stronger with the contributions of TÜBİTAK!

In his speech at the signing ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that as Turkey, we continue our fight against the coronavirus epidemic and terrorist organizations on the one hand, and on the other hand, we continue to develop and grow our country.

Noting that we were able to produce the intensive care breathing apparatus needed by the whole world in record time and at world standards, Erdoğan said that we not only reached out to our citizens, but also came to the rescue of friendly and brotherly countries that asked us for help.

Pointing out that the technological infrastructure and capabilities of our country are getting stronger and stronger with the contributions of TÜBİTAK's research centers and institutes, President Erdoğan said that seven different infrastructures in Gebze and Ankara will be added to the technology ecosystem at today's ceremony.

TUBITAK Science High School Announcement from President Erdoğan!

President Erdoğan also gave the good news that the TÜBİTAK Science High School, which will carry Turkey's name higher in science olympiads for talented young people interested in scientific research, will start accepting students from the 2021-2022 academic year.

"We pursue not short-term achievements but centennial goals, we dream of making Turkey one of the leading countries of the 21st century," said President Erdoğan, adding, "We have ideals such as crowning the 100th anniversary of our Republic with our 2023 goals. We have visions like 2053 and 2071 that transcend the age."

Stating that what we witnessed at today's ceremony has once again fueled our will to achieve these goals, Erdoğan continued as follows: "We have just had the opportunity to test a high-tech construction machine developed by Hidromek. With the support of TUBITAK, a team of 120 people worked day and night for two years. Thus, the world's first electric and rubber-wheeled zero-emission 7-ton city excavator was produced in Turkey. This project alone is an indication of what can be achieved when the vision of our entrepreneurs is combined with TÜBİTAK's R&D support."

Vaccine projects have reached the clinical trial phase on humans!

Likewise, President Erdoğan stated that we have made significant progress in our vaccine and drug development projects against COVID-19 with the cooperation of the private sector, universities and the state, and that we ranked third in the World Health Organization's list of countries developing domestic vaccines, following the USA and China.

Stating that the COVID-19 Turkey Platform, which was established under the leadership of TÜBİTAK, is conducting 8 different vaccine and 10 different pharmaceutical projects, and that two of our vaccine candidates have successfully completed animal experiments in our vaccine studies, Erdoğan said, "One of them has even received the approval of the Ethics Committee and has reached the stage of clinical trials on humans. Following the approval of the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency, we will hopefully initiate these studies rapidly. Of course, in addition to the vaccine, our drug development activities continue at full speed. We have synthesized the active ingredient Favi-Piravir, which is used extensively by our physicians, in a way that includes 8 steps from beginning to end; we have turned it into a licensed and commercial product."

We also continue our own original projects in drug development

Noting that our own original projects in the field of drug development are also continuing, Erdoğan said that the necessary support is given to both our scientists who carry out vaccine and drug studies and our institutions that assume responsibility in this process, and for this purpose, an advanced center, including a large experimental animal laboratory, which enables the development of end-to-end vaccines and drugs, has been established at TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus. Erdoğan said that with the commissioning of the laboratory, the culture of working and producing together, which started with the COVI-19 platform, will continue in future projects.

Pointing out that our National Technology Movement will definitely continue with new investments and new projects, President Erdoğan concluded his speech by saying, "I wish that the critical technological infrastructures that we have officially inaugurated will be beneficial to our country and nation. On behalf of myself and my nation, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who works, produces, thinks and works hard for Turkey."

A meaningful gift from Minister of Industry and Technology Varank to President Erdoğan!

Following President Erdoğan's speech, Minister of Industry and Technology Varank presented President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the Single Crystal Cooling Channel Turbine Blade, the most critical domestic and national part of the turboshaft engine of the Gökbey Helicopter. The Turbine Blade with Single Crystal Cooling Channel, a very critical technology, was developed by the TÜBİTAK MAM Materials Institute team. The technology of the engine to be developed for the National Fighter Aircraft (MMU) is the same technology. The single crystal turbine blades of the engine for the MMU will also be made by the TÜBİTAK MAM Materials Institute. Turkey is the fourth country in the world to produce this technology after the UK, the US and Russia, which have engine technology such as Rolls-Royce and GE.

Let young people develop technology, invent and surprise us all!

In his opening speech, Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank stated that we are honored to be holding this historic day under the auspices of our President for the official opening of TÜBİTAK's new infrastructures in Gebze and Ankara, which aim to develop under the leadership of science and technology.

Stating that we are going through an unprecedented period in the global economy and that the world order has started to shake with the pandemic, Minister Varank noted that these days offer historical opportunities for our country's sustainable economic development and social welfare increase, and that our 2023 Industry and Technology Strategy determines our roadmap.

Pointing out that our goal is to make our country one of the world's leading production and technology bases, Varank stated that TÜBİTAK has an important function at this point. Stating that support is provided to industry, academia and scientists through TÜBİTAK, and that science and technology are ensured to serve the society, Varank continued as follows: "In the last 2 years alone, we have provided 1 and a half billion liras to the R&D activities of the private sector and 1.8 billion liras to research and support programs. While integrating our trained manpower into the industry with the Industry-Doctorate Program, we took a historic step in reverse brain drain with the International Leading Researchers program. We want young people to develop technology, invent and surprise us all. To this end, we are implementing projects that have never been done before with great motivation under the leadership of our President. TEKNOFEST is one of them. This event, the world's largest technology festival, has found a tremendous response in the society. With the Deneyap technology workshops, we are guiding the technology stars of the future today and enabling them to discover their potential."

TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus, the R&D and innovation base of our country

Stating that TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus has assumed the task of being the R&D and innovation base of our country, Minister Varank stated that we are not a competitor to the private sector with the innovative works we carry out in the Institutes, on the contrary, we contribute to the private sector, public sector and universities to produce added value.

Noting that thanks to TÜBİTAK, we have achieved some very striking success stories so far, Varank touched upon some of these achievements. Providing information about the turbine blade used in turboshaft engines produced at MAM and showing an example to the participants, Varank said that this blade is the highest value-added part used in the engine of Gökbey, our national utility helicopter. Pointing out that without this part, airplanes or helicopters would not be able to take off, Varank said, "Therefore, no one sells it to you easily. We are one of the five countries in the world with this capability. We have already delivered 160 units to TEİ."

Introducing the laser seeker detector of smart bombs used by UCAVs developed at BİLGEM, Varank said: "This tiny square you see is the laser seeker detector of smart bombs used by UCAVs. Thanks to this seeker, the bombs can make pinpoint shots. This detector is one of the critical components of our defense industry. Even if you want to pay thousands of dollars and buy it from abroad, you cannot. We can produce this detector much better quality and cheaper than its foreign counterparts."

Stating that we developed and patented the Salmonella Rapid Diagnostic Kit for the first time in the world, Varank said, "This bacteria, which is transmitted through contaminated water and food, is extremely harmful for public health. This kit we have developed gives much faster results than the existing diagnostic kits on the market. China has applied to us and wants to buy this product from our country through technology transfer."

Pointing out that all the gains of 18 years will be further enriched with added value and technology production, Varank said, "The infrastructures we will open today will make significant contributions to our production mobilization. With these infrastructures, as you said, we are stronger today than yesterday, and we will be even stronger tomorrow. On this occasion, I wish the centers to be beneficial to our country."

When we work together, when we develop together, there is no limit to what we can achieve!

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, President of TÜBİTAK, stated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited TÜBİTAK both in Ankara and today at the Gebze Campus in the last two years, demonstrating the importance he attaches to science and technology. Prof. Dr. Mandal said, "I would like to express our gratitude to our President for sharing our excitement and honoring us all with his visits."

Prof. Dr. Mandal stated that in its 57th year of establishment, TÜBİTAK, together with its stakeholders in its ecosystem in capturing R&D and innovation-based opportunities, paves the way for our country with science and technology within the framework of our national technology move and aims for new achievements: "In 2019 alone, we supported 4,300 projects of 3,000 companies, including 2,400 SMEs, and 5,427 projects of 166 universities. We provided scholarships to 14 thousand students and shared the project excitement of 460 thousand middle and high school students."

Prof. Dr. Mandal stated that TÜBİTAK's strategic approach encourages the establishment of strategic collaborations based on working together in output and impact-oriented processes in order to ensure that the accumulated knowledge of our ecosystem is utilized at the highest level.

Prof. Dr. Mandal pointed out that when we work and develop together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. Prof. Dr. Mandal said: "From our stakeholders who train qualified human resources in university-industry partnership to our international leading researchers who are integrated with our ecosystem; from our SMEs that demonstrate their strength in products against the pandemic to our young researchers who are involved in solution-oriented processes, we are now succeeding together throughout our ecosystem. Our strategic approach, which we mobilize with qualified knowledge, qualified people, challenges that require solutions and co-development approaches, carries our achievements in international programs to the highest levels."

At the COVID-19 Turkey Platform, our research teams are making history!

Stating that the COVID-19 Turkey Platform represents the transformation taking place in the field of R&D and innovation by focusing on output and impact-oriented processes against the pandemic, Prof. Dr. Mandal noted that the platform is the best example of what we have achieved by working together within the scope of 9 vaccine and 10 drug projects.

Noting that 436 researchers from 49 different institutions and organizations across our country, including our young talents, are developing and achieving together within the platform, Prof. Dr. Mandal said, "With this transformation, our research teams are achieving successes that will go down in history."

Prof. Dr. Mandal stated that the transformation of the active ingredient of the drug Favipirapir, which is the most intensively used drug in the treatment of COVID-19, into a licensed commercial product starting from the raw material with the domestic and national synthesis method developed by our platform member university professor and our company, is one of the examples of this success.

Our working model has set an example for many countries, including the EU!

Prof. Dr. Mandal also mentioned that within the scope of the vaccine development studies of our platform members, the animal experiments of our 2 innovative vaccine candidates have been successfully completed and that the platform continues to work with all its strength to achieve the targeted and expected results in our other drug and vaccine development projects in the near future.

Prof. Dr. Mandal stated that the working model we have developed is an exemplary model not only for our country but also for many countries, including the European Union, and said, "We are leading the way by carrying this model to the Center of Excellence established between our country and Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan at the summit held in Kuala Lumpur under the auspices of our President."

Centers of Excellence opened

TÜBİTAK RUTE Engine Center of Excellence was inaugurated by connecting to the Director of the Institute Abdülkadir Balıkçı via live broadcast. The center will carry out infrastructure studies for the development of dynamometers for vehicle propulsion systems, transmission systems, injector and pump systems, engine body casting technologies, critical material development, exhaust treatment systems and electronic control units, and will ensure the production of modern engine systems with performance and emission values in line with world standards.

Afterwards, TÜBİTAK SAGE Environmental Tests Center and TÜBİTAK SAGE R&D Service Building were inaugurated. TÜBİTAK SAGE R&D Service Building was inaugurated by connecting to the Institute Director Gürcan Okumuş via live broadcast.

Following the inaugurations, a mass opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held for TÜBİTAK MAM Energetic Materials Laboratory; TÜBİTAK MAM Biomaterials, Biomechanics, Bioelectronics Center of Excellence; TÜBİTAK MAM High Temperature Materials Research, Development and Repair Center of Excellence; and TÜBİTAK UME Photovoltaic Performance Test Center.

Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and HAVELSAN signed critical agreements!

Following the opening speeches of Prof. Dr. Mandal and Minister Varank, the ceremonies of the agreements TÜBİTAK will sign with Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Sekapark and HAVELSAN began.

The "Medicinal and Aromatic Herbal Product Development Agreement" between TÜBİTAK MAM and Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Sekapark was signed by TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal and Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Assoc. Dr. Tahir Büyükakın. With the agreement, a pioneering qualified agricultural practice in agricultural development will be realized by effectively using the endemic plant capacity of our country. TÜBİTAK MAM will meet the R&D needs of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality in the field of medicinal aromatic plants. The products to be developed will be transformed into high-tech medicines through future R&D studies.

The "Real Time Operating System Cooperation Agreement" between TÜBİTAK BİLGEM and HAVELSAN was signed by TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal and Havelsan General Manager Dr. Mehmet Akif Nacar. With the agreement, HAVELSAN will be responsible for the promotion, dissemination, marketing, sales, training, development of card support packages, field support, maintenance and sustainment activities of the GİS at home and abroad, and will contribute to the development of new capabilities and features to be added to the middle layer level. TÜBİTAK BİLGEM will continue to develop the GİS in line with new technological trends and the safety-critical system needs of the sectors.

President Erdoğan met with members of the COVID-19 Platform

After the inauguration ceremony of TÜBİTAK Centers of Excellence, President Erdoğan toured TÜBİTAK facilities in Gebze campus and met with researchers involved in the COVID-19 Platform and received detailed information about the latest stages of vaccine and pharmaceutical projects.

Centers of Excellence are a breaking point in foreign dependency!

With the centers of excellence inaugurated by President Erdoğan, Turkey will experience a breaking point in its dependence on foreign technology. With the centers, Turkey aims to become a technology producer, not a technology market.

With the TÜBİTAK MAM National Energetic Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory, it is now possible to develop the production processes required for the production of energetic materials used in military ammunition and procured from foreign sources through procurement, and to carry out studies for compliance with international standards.

The Biomechanics Laboratory at the TÜBİTAK MAM Biomaterials, Biomechanics, Bioelectronics Center of Excellence will test the mechanical properties of the products developed within the scope of R&D for the target tissue and application, and provide biomechanical standard testing services, which is one of the most important shortcomings for implant and biomaterial manufacturers in Turkey. In the bioelectronics laboratory, as a product of the increasing synergy of electronics with medicine and biology, important processes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases will be carried out with applications in these fields, and many diseases will become treatable.

TÜBİTAK MAM High Temperature Materials Research, Development and Repair Center of Excellence is the only competent center for research, product development and prototype manufacturing for use in high temperature applications in the energy, aviation and iron and steel sectors. Single crystal blades for helicopter and aircraft engines are produced at MAM.

At TÜBİTAK UME Photovoltaic Performance Test Center, the traceability of reference systems used in the calibration of optical, electrical, thermal and mechanical test systems will be connected to primary level traceability systems. Thus, the reliability and accuracy of the measurements will be ensured by TÜBİTAK National Metrology Institute.

With TÜBİTAK SAGE Environmental Tests Center, most of the test services required by the standards related to environmental tests, which are of great importance especially for our defense industry, will be carried out.