"9th National Polar Sciences Symposium and 5th Polar Festival" organized under the coordination of TÜBİTAK Polar Research Institute (KARE) started in Izmir Ege University.
Organized under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and under the coordination of TÜBİTAK Polar Research Institute (KARE), the 9th National Polar Sciences Symposium and the 5th Polar Festival started in Izmir with an intense participation hosted by Ege University (EÜ).
Opening speeches of the program bringing scientists and students together,
Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy, President of TÜBİTAK MAM and Director of the Polar Research Institute, and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ersan, Vice Rector of Ege University.
Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy, Türkiye’nin uluslararası kutup çalışmalarındaki yerinin giderek güçlendiğini vurguladı. Kutup bölgelerinin önemine dikkat çekerek, “Antarktika gezegenin kara kutusu. Yaptığımız her çalışma bizi milyonlarca yıl önceki döneme götürdüğü gibi geleceğe projeksiyon tutuyor.” dedi. Özsoy, son 40 yılda Arktik Bölgesi’ndeki buzulların %40 azaldığını belirterek, iklim değişikliğinin en büyük sorun olarak karşılarına çıktığını ifade etti.
Ege University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ersan described the polar regions as "natural laboratories where the most tangible effects of climate change are observed, shaping the future of the world". Ersan stated that research in these regions has become a strategic branch of science that is at the center of not only environmental but also energy, economy, security and sustainability policies.
The symposium also introduced the National Polar Data Center created by TÜBİTAK Polar Research Institute (KARE) to collect, store and share data on Turkey's polar research. The platform, which is accessible via www.polardata.tubitak.gov.tr, will present the data of scientific studies conducted in the polar regions to researchers and the public. The center will increase Turkey's capacity in the field of polar sciences by strengthening scientific cooperation by observing international standards in data sharing.
A total of 83 scientific papers (59 oral and 24 poster presentations) from different disciplines will be shared with the academic community within the scope of the two-day event, which offers a national platform where scientists share their latest studies, project outputs and expedition experiences.
In addition to scientific studies, the 5th Polar Festival is being organized simultaneously with the symposium in order to raise polar awareness in society.
Within the scope of the festival, virtual reality (VR) experiences, polar life simulations, workshops and gamified science activities endear science to young minds. In addition, high school students who ranked first in TÜBİTAK's 2204-C Polar Research and 2204-D Climate Change competitions have the opportunity to exhibit their projects, while young researchers who have participated in polar expeditions share their experiences.
