Atatürk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı went to Ankara to convey the latest developments related to the Eastern Anatolian Observatory (DAG) project which had a part in Turkey's Vision 2023 project and which was one of the biggest and most important investments in the New Generation University Design and Transformation Project.

Rector Çomaklı, who came together with Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan and Deputy Minister Enver İskurt during his visit to Ankara, was accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ersin Karaman, ATA Teknokent General Manager and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cahit Yeşilyaprak, Astrophysics Research and Application Centre (ATASAM) Director and DAG Coordinator.

Rector Çomaklı, who gave information to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan and Deputy Minister Enver İskurt about the devoted works of Atatürk University, explained the projects realized thanks to Ata Teknokent in University-Industry Cooperation Model.

“We request support from our Ministry of  Transport and Infrastructure for DAG”

Rector Çomaklı, who asked Minister Turhan to support the DAG project on transportation and infrastructure, stated that a protocol was signed with Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality for the transportation to the observatory under construction in Konaklı Karakaya Hills with an altitude of 3170, and he requested support from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure for the works carried out so that scientists and tourists could reach the observatory more comfortably in four seasons.

Rector Çomaklı who stated that DAG, which had Europe and Turkey's largest scale telescope, would be an international observatory that used the latest technology to make infrared observations for the first time pointed out that the observatory under construction in Konaklı Karakaya Hills would have the equipment and potential to serve other national and international organizations working in different fields.

Çomaklı stated that the observatory would be the centre of the R&D studies and that there were countries that wanted to cooperate with them. Çomaklı stated that they planned to get the first light towards the autumn of 2020 if there was no setback.

“Our Works for Domestic and National Technology  Moves are Continuing”

Rector Çomaklı who emphasized that they had made significant scientific and academic breakthroughs mentioned the importance of taking steps in line with domestic and national technology moves and creating the technological infrastructure that would accelerate the entry of foreign capital that would provide high / advanced technology, and said: “In order for our country to take part in global competition, it needs to produce new information and adapt it to technological development, the way to which is the university-industry cooperation model. The structure of university-industry-state cooperation includes the university that produces the information through research, the industry that transfers this information to the application, and the state that provides the necessary support and measures to create an efficient cooperation platform. Techno parks combine this triple collaboration under the same roof. In short, Techno parks support innovation, entrepreneurial and information-based firms and contribute to developing the local and international economy.”

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE -  17.02.2020