After the 10th National Antarctic Science Expedition delegation was sent off with a ceremony held at Istanbul Airport, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır made evaluations on the subject and pointed out the importance of polar expeditions:

“Since 2017, Turkish scientists have been conducting polar science expeditions under the auspices of our President. To date, we have organized 9 Antarctic and 5 Arctic expeditions; more than 200 Turkish scientists have participated in these expeditions and have been involved in more than 150 scientific research projects. We have hosted more than 30 foreign researchers on these expeditions. Undoubtedly, these expeditions enable the Turkish scientific community to carry out very qualified scientific research projects in the polar regions with exceptional earth conditions. We, within the Ministry of Industry and Technology and TÜBİTAK Polar Research Institute, strive to realize these expeditions under the most favorable conditions.’

Noting that 17 scientists, including one of our guests from abroad, and the members of the delegation accompanying them will carry out qualified research in Antarctica during the expedition, especially on climate change, Minister Kacır said: “At the same time, they will carry out some studies as a continuation of the research we started in previous years. Our goal is to gain ‘Consultant Country’ status within the Antarctic Treaty System and to establish a permanent Turkish Science Research Base in Antarctica. The work to be carried out at the Turkish Science Research Camp in Antarctica will make valuable contributions towards these goals. To date, we have collaborated with 35 different international organizations. In this sense, polar research expeditions also make valuable contributions to Turkey's stronger presence on the global science scene.”.

“Emphasizing that ”The South and North Poles are now at the top of every country's and international agenda,“ Minister Kacır said, ”We need to further improve our scientific capabilities in all these studies. The researches to be carried out by Turkish scientists through these science expeditions will make valuable contributions to Turkey's industrial and technological vision, the goals we set out in the 2030 Industrial and Technology Strategy and our vision of the Turkish Century.".

Minister Kacir He noted that our Turkish scientists were accompanied by officers from our Naval Forces Command on these expeditions. Kacır said, “Last year, we mapped the seabed of Horseshoe Island, where we aim to establish a science base, and presented this map to our President at the TÜBA-TÜBİTAK Science Awards Ceremony. This year's expedition will carry out studies as a continuation of the map. In addition, meteorological data will continue to be updated and received from the measurement station we established in Antarctica in recent years. All these studies will actually provide very important gains to the contributions of the Turkish scientific world to the issue of climate change on a global scale at the scientific level.”.

Noting that our scientists were accompanied this year by three high school students from Aydın and Ankara, who won the TEKNOFEST Polar Research Project Competition, Minister Kacır said: “I would like to congratulate our high school students, their teachers and their families. Indeed, participating in such an expedition at high school age is one of the most important indicators of the vision Turkey offers to our youth for the future. Here is the Turkish youth, here is the TEKNOFEST generation! They will be the bright future of Turkey with the excitement of scientific research reaching to the poles.”.

Which Studies will the 10th National Antarctic Science Expedition Delegation Conduct?

Within the scope of the expedition, a team of 17 people, including 16 Turkish and 1 Bulgarian researcher, will carry out field studies for TÜBİTAK Polar 1001 projects. During the expedition, the annual data of the low frequency (VLF) measurement station established jointly with the USA will be collected, maintenance/maintenance works of the Turkish Scientific Research Camp on Horseshoe Island will be carried out, long-term monitoring studies will be carried out, maintenance of our GNSS stations will be carried out, and nautical mapping studies of Horseshoe Island and its surroundings will continue.