Tag: Tubitak

  • Analysis: Politics enters science in Erdogan’s Turkey

    Analysis: Politics enters science in Erdogan’s Turkey

    By Simon Cameron-Moore

    ISTANBUL | Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:51am EST

    erd

    (Reuters) – There was a time when candidates to the Turkish Academy of Sciences needed above all the respect and acceptance of their peers, but these days the government can largely choose who gets in.

    The change, according to some academics, is symptomatic of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s move toward an increasingly centralized form of government as he settles into a third term in office after the AK Party’s easy election victory in June.

    “What we are observing is the AK Party is becoming a lot more centralized,” Fuat Keyman, the Director of Istanbul Policy Center told Reuters, as he mulled the state of Turkey’s democracy while stuck in one of the city’s tortuous traffic jams. “What is happening in the Turkish Academy of Sciences is one of side of it.”

    This month, scientists who did not want to belong to an academic institution whose members were mostly selected by government functionaries set up their own independent academy.

    Astro physicist Ali Alpar was among them.

    “My personal opinion is that a feature of a genuine democracy is that public institutions funded by the state should have freedom to take decisions in their area of expertise,” Professor Alpar, told Reuters, at a cafe after a day of classes at Istanbul’s Sabanci University.

    “Who is the bureaucrat or the politician who is going to read a physicist’s or philosopher’s papers and make judgment?” he asked, sipping tea from a traditional tulip-shaped glass.

    The government’s decision, made through a decree that appeared in the Official Gazette when most Turks were enjoying the Muslim Eid al Fitr holiday in late August and reinforced by a second decree in November, caused uproar in academic circles.

    Half of the 138 members of the prestigious academy, known by its acronym TUBA, have quit in protest.

    Foreign academies wrote to Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul voicing grave misgivings over the state’s intrusion into the world of academic science.

    Lars Walloe, President of the London-based Academia Europaea, wrote to Erdogan on October 14, urging a rethink with the warning:

    “Unfortunately, the recent legal changes especially those allowing the introduction of new members and the appointment of the president of the Academy by the government will affect the reputation of TUBA … and will inevitably mean that it is no longer recognized by the international community as Turkey’s national academy of science and letters.”

    FAST AND EFFICIENT

    The government’s aim in taking control of the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) is to invigorate an organization that was not seen doing enough to promote science and technology for a booming economy that needs to move to a new level to sustain high levels of growth.

    The argument for efficient, effective government resonates with people who are enjoying more prosperity that they have had before.

    The academy had its faults. Even members admit it was not active enough, and was slow admitting new members.

    The rejection of some candidates fed perceptions that a conservative secular clique played a deciding role, blocking the entry of scientists whose religious faith was viewed positively within the AK Party.

    Alpar says the idea that anything other than scientific merit had played a role in the selection of TUBA members is invalid.

    Instead, he saw a greater danger of TUBA being filled with scientists seeking favor with political masters for professional advancement.

    “The people this or any government will appoint to an academy would be associated or particularly recommended to the government and that can be on political, ideological, religious or whatever grounds,” Alpar said.

    “But to be there in a real sense, being a member of a respectable academy, means the person has to be evaluated on their scientific merit. And this is what they are glossing over, they are trying to make appointments.”

    TUBA now falls firmly within the ambit of the newly-formed Ministry of Science, Technology and Industry.

    Reuters e-mailed questions to Minister Nihat Ergin, and telephoned the ministry several times, but the minister sent regrets that he was too busy to respond, while officials declined to comment.

    But Faruk Logoglu, a senior lawmaker in the main secularist opposition People’s republican Party CHP, did not mince words about the party formed in 2002 and drawing support from religious conservatives as well as center-right elements and nationalists.

    “This was a continuation of a systematic attack on the posts of our secular society by the AK Party,” Logolu said. “Knowledge is one of the most powerful ingredients of a secular society. Even communist societies don’t do this.”

    More Turks worry about diminishing plurality in Turkey than the specter of a threat to the secular state.

    WATCHDOGS TOO

    Turks applauded as Erdogan tamed the military, and changed judges and prosecutors to protect the country from a recurrence of the coups that punctuated the second half of the 20th Century.

    But there is a worry, particularly with the judiciary’s perceived loss of independence, that checks and balances are being eroded.

    TUBA’s fate is part of a bigger picture.

    Prior to the election, legislation was announced that enabled the government to issue decrees for six months that bypassed parliament, bridging a summer recess and the transition from the outgoing assembly to the new one.

    Using this window, government ministries assumed greater influence over several economic regulatory agencies, including ones covering banking, capital markets, energy, broadcasting, and tobacco and alcohol.

    Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, the minister overseeing the economy, said during the election campaign that the government intended to have more influence over such bodies.

    In an address to a business forum last May, Erdogan gave telling insight into his thinking.

    “Do you know the logic of independent bodies? If they succeed it is theirs, if not, it is the politicians’ fault. They are all the same from A to Z. Why do we have to pay the price for this?” he said.

    “Does the electorate care if independent bodies are beneficial or not … The price of fuel is determined on the market, but do the people know that? No matter how hard you try to explain to them, they say ‘The government hiked prices’.”

    Given, the government’s success in economic management over the past decade, these moves passed without causing any great stir.

    Keyman, a leading Turkish political scientist, saw all the changes as manifestations of the AK government’s switch to greater centralization, and evidence of a “democratic recession” in Turkey.

    “There is a disconnect between democracy and centralization in Turkey,” he concluded gloomily, still stuck in traffic.

    (Editing by Ralph Boulton)

  • Turkey, Britain to cooperate in technological consulting

    Turkey, Britain to cooperate in technological consulting

    Turkey’s Science, Industry & Technology Minister Nihat Ergun met Prof. Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, the chairman of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) in Istanbul.

    nihat ergun

    Turkey and Britain decided on Saturday to cooperate in technological consulting.

    Turkey’s Science, Industry & Technology Minister Nihat Ergun met Prof. Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, the chairman of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) in Istanbul.

    Ergun and Bhattacharyya decided to set up a renovation and technology center.

    “The center, to be established between the Scientific and Technological Research Center of Turkey (TUBITAK) and WMG, will be opened and activated as soon as possible,” Ergun said.

    Ergun said the center would not only provide vocational programs but also develop R&D programs in aviation, health, defense industry, railway systems, automotive and online security.

    WMG is an academic department at the University of Warwick. It was established by Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya in 1980 in order to reinvigorate UK manufacturing, through the application of cutting edge research and effective knowledge transfer.

    Lord Bhattacharyya is not only a member of the House of Lords but also an industrial adviser to the British prime minister.

    Professor Bhattacharyya is the Chairman and founder of WMG. He has published extensively in the field of manufacturing and is advisor to many companies and organisations around the world. With many honours to his name, he was awarded a knighthood in 2003 for services to higher education and industry and was elevated to the Lords in 2004.

    AA

  • China to launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite in December

    China to launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite in December

    The Göktürk satellite will also be used for monitoring civilian activities such as control of forestland, tracking illegal construction.

    gokturk

    China will launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite, Göktürk-2, for $20 million since Turkey lacks the required technology to launch the satellite. Göktürk-2, which will be capable of detecting the movements of objects smaller than even one square meter, will help capture terrorists infiltrating Turkish borders.

    The optical camera for the satellite has been bought from South Korea, while all the other parts have been produced and manufactured in Turkey. Göktürk is expected to be launched in December or in early 2012.

    The Göktürk satellite will also be used for monitoring civilian activities such as control of forestland, tracking illegal construction, rapid assessment of damage after natural disasters, determination of agricultural boundaries and geographical data gathering. The project also aims to furnish national industries with the capability to design and integrate satellite systems and run tests on them here in Turkey.

    Turkish defense industry companies and research centers Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), Aselsan, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and Turksat will participate in all phases of the project. The project consists of the construction of an electro-optic satellite system that will be put into orbit, a fixed land station and a mobile land station.

    However, it is said that Israel is trying to block the launch of Göktürk-2, fearing that Turkey will be able to monitor Israel’s territory.

    Cihan news agency

    via China to launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite in December | General | World Bulletin.

  • China to launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite in December

    China to launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite in December

    China will launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite, Göktürk-2, for $20 million since Turkey lacks the required technology to launch the satellite. Göktürk-2, which will be capable of detecting the movements of objects smaller than even one square meter, will help capture terrorists infiltrating Turkish borders.

    51608002511220120090

    The optical camera for the satellite has been bought from South Korea, while all the other parts have been produced and manufactured in Turkey. Göktürk is expected to be launched in December or in early 2012.

    The Göktürk satellite will also be used for monitoring civilian activities such as control of forestland, tracking illegal construction, rapid assessment of damage after natural disasters, determination of agricultural boundaries and geographical data gathering. The project also aims to furnish national industries with the capability to design and integrate satellite systems and run tests on them here in Turkey.

    Turkish defense industry companies and research centers Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), Aselsan, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and Turksat will participate in all phases of the project. The project consists of the construction of an electro-optic satellite system that will be put into orbit, a fixed land station and a mobile land station.

    However, it is said that Israel is trying to block the launch of Göktürk-2, fearing that Turkey will be able to monitor Israel’s territory.

    Cihan news agency

     

  • Turkey Looks to Increase R&D into Renewable Energy

    Turkey Looks to Increase R&D into Renewable Energy

    Turkey’s dependency on fossil fuel imports is no secret but a big problem, one which the government is keen on helping to solve. In recent years Turkey has become known as one of the fore thinkers in the creation of renewable energy, and investment in the sector is growing massively as it becomes recognized as a sector with massive growth potential — the government’s support adds a layer of safety to investments.

    The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) feels that interdisciplinary R&D and innovation studies will help Turkey to realise its renewable energy potential, and will also help with Turkey’s vision of becoming an energy corridor.

    At the moment Turkey imports 75% of its energy which is equivalent to 99,000,000 tonnes of oil. It is expected to need 218,000,000 tonnes of oil by 2020.

    Data released by the Organisation for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) found that, while the Turkish population makes up 6% of the OECD total, the country contributes just 2% of its energy. The average OECD energy used per capita is equivalent to 0.18 tonnes of oil whereas in Turkey it is equivalent to 0.28 tonnes of oil. The average energy self-sufficiency rate is only 27.5% in Turkey compared to an average of 70% in OECD countries.

    All the above data points towards the urgent need for speeding up research and development into energy in Turkey, which has a lot of catching up to do with more developed countries. To do so Turkey must focus on developing the necessary sources to create technological advancements, skills and support institutions.

    Turkey has to lower its levels of greenhouse gas emissions by next year in order to meet conditions set by the Kyoto protocol. TUBITAK is hoping to encourage the private sector in Turkey to develop green technologies and still aims to keep its 2023 goal of having Turkey produce 30% of its energy through renewable sources.

    It’s likely that this will involve a variety of energy types in order to produce power from solar, wind and hydroelectric sources. Another important energy source is likely to come from hydrogen burning technologies while energy storage and power system capacities are also likely to benefit from R & D. TUBITAK still sees nuclear energy as being important in reducing greenhouse emissions.

    The need for renewable energy will only become more important when Turkey enters the EU as it is currently considering an energy tax based on carbon emissions. The new tax is aiming to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and promote renewable energy sources that emit less CO2. However, it is only a proposal at this stage, and Germany has already voiced its opposition to the new rules, because it fears it would affects its automobile industry.

    Novrealty is an overseas property agent with a difference; a company focussed on making buying property abroad as easy as it should be.

    ibtimes

  • TÜBİTAK: Significant R&D and innovation progress in Turkey

    TÜBİTAK: Significant R&D and innovation progress in Turkey

    Turkey has recently experienced significant progress in the science, technology and innovation fields thanks to the strategic approach that was adopted in recent years by the government, according to the “Turkish Science, Technology and Innovation System and Performance Indicators” document released by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).

     

    Research and development (R&D) and innovation indicators confirm such progress. According to the TÜBİTAK document, R&D spending, which was at TL 2 billion in 1998, went up to TL 8.5 billion in 2009. This corresponds to a tripling in R&D spending between those years. Also, such an increase in the rate of R&D spending in Turkey is four times higher than the average R&D spending of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and European Union (EU) for the said years.

    The ratio of R&D spending to Gross National Product (GNP) went up to 0.85 percent in 2009 from 0.37 in 1998 representing a more than two-fold increase. According to TÜBİTAK, such increase is an indicator that meeting the 2 percent target for said ratio by 2013 is achievable.

    Another important finding for R&D funding in Turkey for the given period is that the private sector for the first time topped the public sector and in 2009 the private sector’s share of funding reached 41 percent. In 2009, the number of full-time equivalent R&D personnel reached 74,000 and for researchers it was 58,000. The “full-time equivalent” term refers to the total time dedicated by workers for R&D activities. Such numbers represent a three-fold increase in the number of people hired in the sector compared to 1998. The report notes that since the target number of full-time equivalent researchers to be hired in the field was exceeded in 2006, the 2013 target was revised to 150,000. The number of full-time equivalent R&D personnel for the private sector in 2009 was six times higher than it was 1998.

    When it comes to scientific publications, which is another indicator of the level of science and technology for a country, the number of publications in 2009 was four times higher than in 1998, with over 25,000. The TÜBİTAK report states that with the increase in the number of such publications in 2004, Turkey located itself as the most dynamic country after South Korea among those trying to catch up with the US, EU, Japan and China.

    The document also highlights the fact that the main goal of science, technology and innovation policies now is to encourage private sector innovation and private innovative entrepreneurship in Turkey. For this purpose, the current 40 percent share of the private sector’s R&D spending is expected to go up to 60 percent by 2013. In order to facilitate the technological innovation capacity, the competitiveness of firms and the innovation culture in the private sector, a variety of institutions in Turkey, including TÜBİTAK, have financial support programs, the document reads.

    Zaman