The fourth Science Cafe event, which is organized to have talks with scientists in public places about public issues in cooperation with Middle East Technical University and METU Alumni Associations, will be held in Adana at “Leman Kültür” on Thursday, April 27, 2017, at 7:30 pm.

Assoc.  Prof. Y. Eren Kalay, Advisor to the President; Assoc. Prof. Adil Oran from METU Department of Business Administration; and Assoc. Prof. Aslı Bugay from Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling of METU Northern Cyprus Campus; and Onur Ünal, Head of METU Adana Alumni Association, will hold a press conference after the event where entrepreneurship will be discussed.

In the fourth Science Cafe event to be held in Adana, which was organized firstly on “drought” in Mersin, secondly on “Palm Oil” in Eskişehir, thirdly on “Radiation” in Antalya, Assoc. Prof. Adil Oran from METU Business Administration will talk about “entrepreneurship”. 

Dear Colleagues, Students and Alumni,

Our university has, for the past 60 years, pioneered and represented an educational understanding that has led to the making of individuals who attach importance to individual, societal and universal values and development, who are qualified in creating and sustaining scientific, technological, cultural and environmental changes, and have internalized the principle of life-long learning, in addition to producing knowledge in a scientific sense and disseminating and using this knowledge in serving the public.

The work carried out in the areas of education, research and community services and the national/international awards received by the members of our university during the past year are significant indicators of the contribution we have made to science and to society. I also believe that these endeavors are meaningful and invaluable signs of the power we hold as scientists in our respective fields to transform the pessimism created by the recently intensifying terror events into hope by channeling our efforts towards producing for a better world. With such an understanding, with the same responsibility and enthusiasm, I believe that we will continue to contribute with our work in education and research in a vigorous, competent and decisive manner in the year 2017.

While wishing all METU members healthy, happy and successful days with their loved ones in the New Year, I hope 2017 will be a year of social unity and solidarity full of peace, love and hope both for our both country and the world.

With affection and respect,

Prof. Mustafa Verşan Kök
President

An Eymir Symposium has been organized by the President’s Office of ODTÜ on 15-16 December, 2016 in order to bring together and present to the public ODTÜ’s forestation practices, its academic and scientific work as well as its know-how in research. The value, history and future of both Lake Eymir and its Basin will be discussed at the symposium, which will be held at our University’s Culture and Convention Center. After the symposium, which aims at having experts in a variety of fields gather to focus on the issue and create a program for the future while informing the public on the generation of scientific information and the management of the environment, a Lake Eymir trip will take place under the guidance of faculty members on Saturday, December 17^th 2016.

Starting from its foundation, Middle East Technical University has developed Lake Eymir and its environs as a significant nature park, which has today transformed into a natural landscape of Ankara that must be preserved and which bears special importance in terms of areas of ecological balance. Although this important area of nature has faced numerous external pressures and threats over time, the preservation of the natural habitat and its ecological balances have been perceived and evaluated as a task by our University.

Beyond its recreational function, Lake Eymir and its environs have been regarded as an area of education and scientific study. Our university has a great deal of expertise in this respect. Since the allocation of the area to our University, the task of evaluating and using the region with its scientific, cultural, historical and ecological characteristics in addition to its function of recreation and sports has been fulfilled for 60 years.

Lake Eymir with its environs is an area of nature restored and developed by human hand, and along with the ODTÜ Forest, is an exemplary experience of environmental protection. Lake Eymir and its environs offer a non-alienating recreational culture as a different option to the society.

Following the opening speeches and documentary presentations in the symposium, 27 scientific papers will be presented under the following session titles:

• ODTÜ's History of Lake Eymir
• Academic and Scientific Studies on Lake Eymir and Its Environs
• Lakes Mogan and Eymir, the Geology, Morphology, Hydrogeology and Hydrology of İmrahor Valley,
• Water Quality
• The Ecological Conditions, Restoration Studies and Biodiversity of Lakes Mogan and Eymir
• Natural and Cultural Landscape Value and Planning of Lake Eymir and Its Environs
• Lake Eymir and Its Environs within the Context of the Environmental Law

On the last day of the symposium there will be a panel entitled "Presidents of ODTÜ Discussing the Future of Eymir" with the participation of ODTÜ’s former presidents. Following the panel, a forum entitled "The Future of Eymir" will be organized with the participation of concerned public institutions and organizations, professional chambers, voluntary organizations, concerned units of the University, student societies and representatives of sports branches.