Akıngüç Award'23 and BİLSAP Awards were given to their owners at ceremonies held at Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center. The ceremonies were held on the same day for the presentation of two awards, one of which was a competition and a comparative scientific research support program prepared by Istanbul Kültür University (İKÜ), turned into a scientific festival. Also at the ceremony, Kültür College student Can Saraç, who won the Michelangeli Award at the international Piano Academy Eppan piano competition during the international months, presented a recital.
Akıngüç Awards that has been organized by our university since 2018 was opened this year for applications for scientific research carried out with the theme of "Environment and Human" in the branches of medicine, biology, medical biology, molecular biology, chemistry and biochemistry .
Chaired by Prof. Dr. Çimen Atak, one of our faculty members from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MOBİGEN), and together with our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr Nazif Ekin Akalan, Prof. Dr. Nihal Sarıer, one of our faculty members from the Department of Civil Engineering, Prof. Dr. Seyhan Altun, our Head of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gazi University. As a result of the evaluations of the Selection Committee, of which Prof. Dr. Belma Aslim is a member, Assoc. Prof. Gülşah Çongur won first place with her work titled “Monitoring OG Glyphosate-DNA Interaction and Synergistic Genotoxic Effect of Glyphosate and 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Using an Electrochemical Biosensor” among the candidates who applied for the Akıngüç Award and Assist. Prof. Merve Erginer was deemed worthy of an honorable mention with her work titled "Investigation of the Potential of Halomonas Levan and Its Derivatives as Active Ingredients in Cosmeceutical and Skin Renewing Formulations".
The awards were given at the ceremonies held at the Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in the Ataköy building of the Bakırköy campus on Friday, December 22, 2023. Within the scope of the event following the presentation of the Akıngüç Awards, awards were given to our academics who were deemed worthy of awards within the scope of the Scientific and Artistic Activities Support Program (BILSAP) for their studies in the 2022-2023 Academic Year.
The ceremony started with young pianist Can Saraç playing his repertoire specially prepared for the day for the participants. After Can Saraç's highly acclaimed performance, first our Rector Prof. Dr. Fadime Üney Yüksektepe and then our Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver made the opening speeches.
Our rector started the speech with the words ; "Education, research and social responsibility are universal missions that are valid for every university. What did we do that made this mission unique to us? What have we done to produce value and share what we produce with dedication, determination, professional awareness? How did we do it? Where are we in terms of quality as well as quantity? And most importantly, what can we do for more in the future?” continued the speech with “Working in a climate that supports and encourages the freedom of research, development and the entrepreneurial spirit is an opportunity that is becoming more valuable day by day. It is very valuable to be able to think, question and criticize freely, without compromising ethical and humanist principles. It is our responsibility to protect, sustain and strengthen our university culture, which opens the way to questioning with braveness through the wisdom and science established by our Honorary President and Founder Const. Load. Eng. Fahamettin Akıngüç." Then conclued ths speech with "For this reason, studies that make a difference by transforming an idea into an output, product or service will continue to be supported in the coming years with studies such as the Akıngüç Award and BİLSAP Award, which are very rich in the context of the values they represent.”
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver said, “Our awards have been held in the last week of each year for approximately seven years. "As we are leaving behind a busy year, it is very valuable to talk about science, research and production, and to start the new year by putting these values on the agenda." She started her speech by saying, "Our theme this year was Environment and Human" for the Akıngüç Award. Very valuable works with the theme of 'The impact of the environment on human health' applied for our award. It is very valuable to get to know the scientists of our country who are dedicated to finding solutions to a global problem. I congratulate two scientists, Ms. Gülşah Çongur, who received the Akıngüç Award, and Ms. Merve Enginer, who received the Honorable Mention award, with their studies on environment and human health, and I wish them continued success. In this year's theme of our Akıngüç Award, our chairperson of the selection committee is our esteemed professor from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics of our University. Prof. Dr. Mr. Çimen Atak. I would also like to thank the Akıngüç Award 2023 Selection Committee, chaired by him.” she said. For the BILSAP Award, she said, “I would like to congratulate our colleagues and students who will receive their awards within the scope of BILSAP today. The effort given to a scientific or artistic work is priceless; at this point, everything done is a modest support. However, the main motivation in scientific and artistic work is passion and curiosity. On behalf of Istanbul Kültür University and our Founding Foundation, I would like to thank all our members who work to make the world a better place and to understand life with their mind, science and emotions, and I wish you continued success. She concluded her words by saying. I hope that 2024, which we will welcome in a week, will bring health, success and happiness to all of us.”
After the opening speeches, Akıngüç Award Selection Committee Chairperson Prof. Dr. Çimen Atak made the award presentation. Then, our Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver, our Rector Prof. Dr. Fadime Üney Yüksektepe and Prof. Dr. Çimen Atak together gave awards to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülşah Çongur, who was deemed worthy of the first prize and Assist. Prof. Merve Enginer, who was deemed worthy of the mention prize. After the award presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülşah Çongur presented her work, which won the first prize, to the participants.
In the second part of the ceremony, BİLSAP awards were presented. Our Vice Rector and BAP Commission Chairperson Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız gave her speech. Following Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız's presentation, the awards were presented by our Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dr. Bahar Akıngüç Günver, our Rector Prof. Dr. Fadime Üney Yüksektepe, our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Gülce Öğrüç Ildız, İKÜ 2008-2012 Term Rector Prof. Dr. Dursun Koçer and Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Burcu Yavuz Tiftikçigil.
