2004 Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design graduate Hayal Pozanti’s paintings at Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum and the exhibition was reported in New York Times. Our graduate Hayal Pozanti’s “Deep Learning” pits technology against the human mind in the exhibition “Painting in Four Takes”. 

Hayal Pozantı - photo: Logan Bellew

Hayal Pozanti is among our graduates whose works were displayed at the Reunion exhibition in Sakip Sabanci Museum in 2015.

Hayal Pozanti pits technology against the human mind with “Deep Learning”. Pozanti’s paintings and digital animations that she created for Aldrich Museum are composed of characters from the 31-symbol alphabet that she created called the “Instant Paradise”. Like anthropomorphic hieroglyphs, combinations of ciphers frolic across her canvases, spelling out numbers that refer to data on human attributes that Ms. Pozanti unearthed online. For instance, the source material of her “One Hundred Twenty Two” painting is the number of dreams a person has in a month and another painting called “18”, it is the number of different human smile variations.

Hayal Pozanti’s “Sixty Seven” Credit Chad Kleitsch

Initially Hayal Pozanti’s work was mainly digital, she was working on images appropriated from the Internet. Amy Smith-Stewart said “She wanted to make tangible things” about Pozanti, who was propelled to painting by the need to bring tactility into her practice.

Pozanti’s palette combines black and white with patches of color. Smith-Stewart said that “She uses colors you would find on a digital color picker against more natural colors that she hand-mixes”.

On three monitors suspended from the ceiling, Pozanti’s characters stream horizontally and vertically, depicting transcriptions of conversations that she conducted with chat bots in English and then translated into “Instant Paradise.” Accompanying them is Pozanti’s reading of the text in the phonemes of her lexicon. Her voice sounds robotic, except for brief spurts of giggling, “emotive sounds that she added to make it feel more human,” Smith-Stewart said.

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is filled exclusively with paintings. “Painting in Four Takes” presents concurrent solo exhibitions of four contemporary painters: Steve DiBenedetto, Hayal Pozanti, Julia Rommel and Ruth Root. Each artist has a distinctive toolbox of motifs and methods, resulting in works that are wildly different. But considered together, the shows attest to the flourishing of painting in a culture that is saturated by digital images, and to the expressive power of paint applied in all its variations by the human hand.

“In this virtual age, there is a hunger for the physicality of painting,” said Richard Klein, the exhibitions director at the Ridgefield Aldrich Museum and added “These are all works that you can’t completely understand unless you are standing in front of them.”

The main goal of “Painting in Four Takes” is, just like the name implies, to present four separate painting shows together. Richard Klein said “We’re not trying to make some overarching point about the state of contemporary painting” and added “It’s impossible to do that. Instead, visitors can immerse themselves in the individual exhibitions. These are significant singular artists. We’re giving people four opportunities to have a meditative experience seeing their work in depth.”

“Painting in Four Takes” exhibition will take place at Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield until April 3rd. 

Kastamonu Entegre Ağaç Sanayi (KEAS) becomes the new learning partner of Sabancı University Executive Development Unit – EDU. The Kastamonu Integrated Leadership Development Program was launched on Friday, February 19, 2016. The 18-month program will start with 21 executive-level participants.

Sabancı University Executive Development Unit – EDU Director Cüneyt Evirgen began his speech by noting their pleasure to work with companies that are relatively unknown to the general public. Emphasizing the Sabancı University mission "to create and develop together", Evirgen argued that knowledge and learning could be developed in tandem. Evirgen noted that Sabancı University was named the most entrepreneurial and innovative university by the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology. Explaining that the index compiled by the Ministry includes the best universities in Turkey, Evirgen said that one of the criteria was university-industry partnership. Evirgen said that developed countries had excellent levels of cooperation between universities and the industry, and that the issue was a priority for Sabancı University as well. In explaining EDU's objective of transferring the latest knowledge generated within the university to the world of business, Cüneyt Evirgen said, "We view our training customers as learning partners. We learn together with them."

Also speaking in the launch event for the program was Hayat Holding Wood Products Group President and Kastamonu Entegre Ağaç Sanayi CEO Haluk Yıldız. Yıldız said that KEAŞ was a global company and that training was necessary to achieve global standards. Yıldız also stated that KEAŞ was going through a time of rapid growth, where the training program provided by EDU would have additional benefits. Haluk Yıldız gave information about changing company strategies over time, the current activities of the company as well as planned ventures and future strategies. He noted that they entered new markets with value-added products and special projects. Yıldız said, "Our objective is to challenge processes and strategies."

The 26-day program consists of 12 modules. Modules focus on business-critical subjects including strategy, finance, marketing and innovation.

Finalists of the High School Olympics hosted by the Sabancı University International Marketing and Student Recruitment Office in Kazakhstan received scholarships for undergraduate education at Sabancı University.

Twenty-five finalists of the fourth Kazakhstan High School Olympics were awarded varying scholarships for undergraduate education at Sabancı University after interviews by International Marketing and Student Recruitment Office director Ebru Koç. Students will receive their scholarships when they complete their documents and submit online applications.

The first elimination rounds of the High School Olympics took place between December 15, 2015 and January 15, 2016 with 300 students from the leading high schools in Astana, Almaty, Kostanay, Karaganda and Shymkent, including School No. 59, the Kazakh-Turkish School and Nazarbaev Intellectual School. In the second round, 150 students competed in mathematics between January 15 and 25, 2016, and 25 students advanced to the finals. The finals were held on February 5 and 6, 2016. Sabancı University Kazakhstan Representative Karina Drobysheva and International Marketing and Student Recruitment Office director Ebru Koç spoke at the awards ceremony. Participants received their certificates from International Marketing and Student Recruitment Office director Ebru Koç, and winners were entitled to scholarships for undergraduate education at Sabancı University.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of our Founding President, Professor Tosun Terzioğlu, a distinguished member of our community who played a large part in the establishment and development of our university.

We wish Professor Tosun Terzioğlu eternal peace and would like to offer our condolences to his family, friends, the science community in Turkey, and everyone at Sabancı University.

If you wish to honor the outstanding dedication and love Tosun Hoca felt for our university, you can donate to the Sabancı University Scholarship Fund in his name to support the education of successful students in financial need.

We have no doubt that your continued support is what Tosun Hoca would have wanted.

There are two ways you can donate:

1) You can donate throu the SUMED Tosun Terzioğlu Scholarship Fund for redirection to the SU Scholarship Fund.

Wire Transfer/EFT

Akbank
“Sabancı Üniversitesi (713)” Branch
Account Name:Sabancı Üniversitesi Mezunları Derneği
Account Number: 0713 - 0066714 
IBAN:TR87 0004 6007 1388 8000 0667 14

2) You can donate on the Sabancı University Giving webpage, which will be redirected to the SU Scholarship Fund

Wire Transfer/EFT

Akbank
“Sabancı Üniversitesi  (713)” Branch
Account Name: Sabancı Üniversitesi
Account Number: 105767 
IBAN: TR46 0004 6007 1388 8000 1057 67  

On behalf of our university and students, we would like to thank you for your support.

The farewell ceremony for Founding President Tosun Terzioğlu at Sabancı University was attended by Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı, President Nihat Berker, the Sabancı community of faculty members, students, administrative employees and alumni as well as members of the Terzioğlu family and academics from various institutions and universities. 

Sabancı University students and alumni held a vigil at the head of our Founding President's casket throughout the ceremony. Master of ceremonies were Sabancı graduates and faculty members Özge Akbulut and Kaan Kurşungöz. 

Speaking after the minute silence was Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı, who said, "Professor Terzioğlu left us much to be remembered with his profound and nuanced intellect and knowledge. He was a dedicated volunteer of education, a great scientist and administrator. He was a successful individual who was in full recognition of his friendships. We will always remember him."  Sabancı continued, "Tosun Bey was the founding president of our university for 12 years, during which he made unforgettable contributions to shape us into a global university that makes a difference in Turkish higher education, leading us to a better future. He showed us the path every step of the way. He led the adoption of academic freedom principles in our very first Board of Trustees meeting. He was persistent, insistent even, on issues related to a university free of departments, an interdisciplinary university, common university courses, the importance of foundations development, and about 'descending from the ivory tower into the society'." 

Speaking next, President Nihat Berker said, “Tosun Terzioğlu was a brilliant scientist and a great human being who befriended us all and touched the lives of thousands of people and institutions. He was truly a man of the world who spoke the truth in any institution and among any company, emanating an easygoing attitude that permeated everyone around him. As a man who had also occupied very important positions, spoke to influential people and made vital decisions, Tosun Terzioğlu was an embodiment of silent power. He was not bombastic or loud, but he made himself heard. He usually got what he wanted because he wanted the right things." 

Other speakers in the ceremony were Emeritus Professor Üstün Ergüder, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Founding Dean and Emeritus Professor Kemal İnan, faculty members Albert Erkip, Aydın Aytuna, Alev Topuzoğlu, Ali Alpar, and Emeritus Professor Halil Berktay, who shared what Tosun Bey meant for them. Zeynep Bahar Çelik, one of our first graduates and the current President of the Sabancı University Alumni Association spoke about Tosun Bey before leaving the podium to the final speaker of the ceremony, Tosun Terzioğlu's daughter Derin Terzioğlu. 

Derin Terzioğlu began by thanking everyone who stood by her father during his illness, continuing, "As you all know, my father was not a talkative person.  When he did speak, he rarely gave his feelings away. But he held Sabancı University and its students in a special regard. I must admit that I was sometimes offended by this. But I think what defined my father's character were his refusal to adjust to the expectations of others and his commitment to his opinions and attitude. It fills my heart with joy to see that such a unique man had so many friends."

After Derin Terzioğlu’s speech, the ceremony concluded with Founding President Tosun Terzioğlu's casket being carried by members of the Sabancı University family from the packed Sabancı University Performing Arts Center to the hearse that would take him to the Bebek Mosque for the funeral.  

For donations to the SU Scholarship Fund, you may make your transfers to the below stated accounts:

Akbank

“Sabancı Üniversitesi” Branch

Account Name: Sabancı Universitesi

Account Number: 105767

IBAN: TR46 0004 6007 1388 8000 1057 67  

For online donations please click  

Nergis Mavalvala, one of the leading figures in the MIT team that was part of the LIGO project group responsible for the discovery, was a visiting faculty member in Sabancı University during 2014. Mavalvala will be back for a longer period of time for her sabbatical.

A recent scientific breakthrough proved what Einstein theorized 100 years ago: gravitational waves that bend the space-time continuum do exist. Scientists from the California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and LIGO Scientific Collaboration Institution proved the existence of gravitational waves.

Professor of astrophysics Ersin Göğüş said the following about the discovery: "We knew about the existence of these waves for years, and now it has finally been proven by direct observation. The discovery is based on finding and observing the intermediary of gravitational force; in other words, we discovered the carrier of the gravitational force that affects us all. This is important because it was the first time the phenomenon was directly observed and captured.  Previous discoveries occurred in neutron stars that were thousands of light-years away. They were observed on Earth for the first time. That is why it's an immense leap forward in science and technology."

According to scientists, this is one of the greatest discoveries of the last 50 years and a gateway to understanding the entire story of the universe.

What is in it for us?

Although this is unlike the invention of the computer or mobile phone that changed our lives overnight, it is a genuine breakthrough in science. Everything we know about the universe is carried by electromagnetic waves like radio waves, light, X-rays, gamma rays and infrared rays. Since these rays can be interrupted while progressing through the universe, the "story of space" was blotchy until now.

We will find out the story of the universe

With the discovery of gravitational waves, astronomy now has a new and very important tool. It will be no surprise if the entire story of the universe becomes available soon. We can reach information that we never knew about the early stages of the universe and improve our understanding of black holes and neutron stars.

Biological Sciences and Bioengineering 2008 graduate Eylül Harputlugil has been working on the genes and mechanisms through which limiting food intake prior to surgery provides protection to mice for her PhD in James Mitchell's lab at the Harvard University School of Public Health's Genetics and Complex Diseases Department. Eylül says that research on the correlation between limiting calorie/food intake and health has been finally cleared for human experimentation based on clinical testing, and shows positive results.

Eylül was interviewed by T24 on this subject, and although she does not work specifically on human nutrition, she is closely related to the subject as it is the focus of the Department.

Eylül Harputlugil: "I have almost no confidence in the popular science or health news published in Turkey"

The sources referred to by Harputlugil in her T24 interview are at the end of this article. 

– Can you talk about your PhD lab and studies there?

My lab focuses on the phenomenon known was "calorie/nutrient restriction." We are studying how surgery results are affected by various modes of nutrient restriction in mice, and, as expected, nutrient-restricted mice fare better in liver and kidney surgeries compared to the unrestricted control group. The correlation between calorie/nutrient restriction and longevity were proven by experiments conducted on rats in the 1930s. Since then, the model was extrapolated to other organisms (mice, flies and worms), which revealed improvements in other health parameters in addition to longevity. Observed improvements include metabolic health (e.g. sensitivity to insulin), and reductions in propensity towards diabetes and cancer. Gradually, this model was repeated first in simian models, and then finally on humans through clinical studies, yielding positive results.
My initial PhD work focused on understanding which specific macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates or lipids, for instance) cause these effects in mice, and we observed that better results were obtained when the intake of protein was limited. One aspect of our study different from many other labs was that we implemented a restricted nutrient regime not for months or years, but only for the week before surgery. In the rest of my work, I study the genes that play a part in this effect, and the cellular mechanisms that cause these results. As an outcome of these studies, we discovered the role of a gene in mice that had not been shown to be required for this phenomenon beforehand.

– Are there human studies on this subject?

We are not involved in human studies as it is beyond the expertise of our lab. These are conducted by people who are experts in clinical trials on humans. As such, it is too early to extrapolate the results to humans. But I think it will be quite exciting if this study is performed on humans and similar positive results are obtained.

– What are your trusted references in nutrition? 

Among institutions that issue regular nutrition recommendations are the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)1, and the nutrition department of our school (Harvard Nutrition Source)2. I consider these institutions to be more reliable than referencing singular studies since they assess new scientific data on an ongoing basis, and in a way blend the data from all published scientific experiments. That is because, like in many other areas of science, dozens of new publications are made in nutrition every day and some of them have contradicting results, which is perfectly normal. For people with a vocational interest in science, it is not difficult to uncover the reasons for such irregularities and decide on what is correct and what is not. But there is a greater risk for laypeople to learn only a part of this information, which will likely have gone through biased screening to be released to the public, and be misled about the subject. This is why I find it more reliable when all available data is assessed together, and better to take such institutions as reference.

– Can you discuss the actual content of these recommendations?

These are mostly stuff that we know or have heard but would rather not accept or believe, so we go on looking for the "miracle diet." The USDA issued a guidance for 2015 to 2020, where they recommend eating the following foods within calorie limits:

All vegetables from all subgroups (dark green, red, orange as well as grains and legumes)

Fruits (all types of fruit)

Pulse (at least half must be whole-grain)

Skim or semi-skim dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, soy products)

Various proteins (seafood, lean meat or chicken, eggs, grains, soy products, nuts and seeds)

Fats (saturated fats and trans fats must be limited)

The rest of the document is available here: http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

– Are there differences of opinion between the institutions you named?

There are slight variations and disagreements, but the fundamentals are consistent overall. I should also point out that none of these are absolute truths. Just like in every other field of science, nutrition has no shortage of new findings and discoveries which lead researchers to revise their results based on lengthy discussions. The USDA recommendations I mentioned did raise a considerable debate, but as I said, this comes as little surprise. Another issue is that nutritional needs may vary for people who already have a disease (such as diabetes), and this requires personalized recommendations by a physician.

– Is it possible to limit calorie intake without adverse effects on lean mass and bone minerals?

The calorie/nutrient restriction regime we talked about is based on animal models and is still being tested on humans, so I think it would be irresponsible to recommend this for the time being. There may be adverse effects that are yet to be discovered. However, if an individual consumes more calories than recommended, we can suggest that they limit their intake to the recommended levels, which is another form of restriction.

– Have you met anybody who didn't recommend a diet?

I can't say for sure. We are inundated with writings about some diet or another that people have tried or have had their friends or relatives try. One such diet is the one where you are supposed not to consume any carbohydrates, including whole grains and fruit.

– A recent article claimed correlation between gluten and osteoporosis. Are there any facts to support this?  What should we make of such news?

When I see an article like this, I first check the original source, and then the scientific research that it cites (if any). I could have checked if there was a link to that article you spoke of. All too often, these are cases where someone says something stupid and everyone else jumps on the bandwagon. It's likely that the article was copied and pasted from another website, that much of the important details were lost in translation, and that the original source had a biased or exaggerated view of the scientific study in the first place. In some instances, it is a self-proclaimed "expert" that makes assertions without any scientific background. What I mean is this: popular science or health articles are written or translated so poorly that I have almost no confidence in them. Since this is my own field, I can easily check the original source. But I would never accept as truth any science news outside my field, especially in Turkish-language sources. I recommend regarding such news from this angle.

– What do you think about alkali diets?

I saw some popular media claims that an alkali diet is effective against cancer. The basic premise is that since some cancer cells were shown to reproduce more quickly in an acidic environment, eating alkali (basic) foods can prevent their growth. The point missed here is so essential that it is taught in high schools. First, pH levels vary from one body part to another, and these levels are regulated very strictly. For example, the stomach fluid is highly acidic while blood is slightly basic (between pH 7.35 and 7.45). The foods we eat go to the stomach first, where they are digested by the acid and join the bloodstream through the gastrointestinal system. Since the pH level of blood is strictly regulated, the pH levels of the foods we eat do not alter the acidity of blood; it remains within the same range. Which means that a phenomenon observed in a test tube cannot be extrapolated to the body just like that.

– Would you say that vitamins and supplements improve the overall health of a person?

It is difficult to speak of a singular "overall health." Health is a vast concept that includes many different parameters. About vitamin pills, I can say that if a person cannot take enough vitamins by nutrition alone, supplements may be used to cover the deficit. For example, vitamin D supplements are common in northern countries because the body cannot synthesize enough vitamin D with the amount of sunlight they get.

– I think scientists agree with you about Omega-3 and B12, but there is an argument that most other vitamins and supplements just pass through the stomach to the intestines and then excreted without doing much good for the body. What would you say?

Vitamins, supplements in particular, are a huge category and we can't make generalizations.  They all have different physical properties and ways of being processed in the body. For instance, it is true that water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body and the excess is excreted. But fat-soluble vitamins can be stored, and excess quantities may be harmful (such as vitamin A). This is a common illusion: whereas people may not be certain that "natural" or "homeopathic" remedies will do them any good, they don't consider the possibility that they may be harmful.

– Let's say someone doesn't like broccoli.  Can they make up for their loss in nutrients by taking supplements?

Vitamins or vegetables shouldn't be considered for their singular nutrient values.  We need a more holistic approach. No diet recommendation mandates that you must eat that fruit or this vegetable. If a person doesn't like broccoli, this is not a huge problem on its own; there are many other vegetables that they could eat. But not eating any vegetables and trying to get the nutrients from supplements is not right.

– It is estimated that 23,000 people are taken to emergency wards as a result of so-called "natural" vitamins or supplements every year in the US alone. What would you say about this quest for a miracle cure?

First, let me give some background information on why supplements are so popular and dangerous. The products categorized as “dietary supplements” in the US are subject to regulations that are much more different and lax compared to "drugs." Drugs intended to cure or prevent a specific disease have to go through years of strict and comprehensive “clinical trials” where their efficacy and safety are consistently proven, and then receive authorization from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). However, “dietary supplements” are not subject to such stringent controls3. Any company can manufacture and market a supplement containing ingredients that have been shown to be safe previously, and no clinical trials or FDA approval are required.

I think many people fail to understand the difference and buy these products with the conviction that "it must work if it's sold in a pharmacy." Labeling conventions are loose for supplements as well, which means manufacturers can play with words to circumvent what few rules there are. Another factor is that people find it difficult to stick with the conventional diets prescribed by physicians and they seek a miracle cure.

– We recently saw this supplement (http://www.superiorhealthsupplement.com), do you know anything about it?

I hadn't heard of this before, so I checked the link you gave me and saw the following under frequently asked questions:

“Is there any scientific evidence proving the benefits of Laminine?

The extract from a fertilized avian egg has been the subject of scientific studies and experiments for numerous decades. It all started in 1929 when a Canadian doctor decided to figure out whether the extract could be used as a natural remedy for cancer. Extensive research continued in the 1980s and intensified even further after 2000. Numerous clinical trials have taken place to determine what the nutrients found in fertilized avian eggs are and how these nutrients can affect human health. New clinical studies are being executed all the time, revealing more and more information about the incredible qualities of Laminine.”

It must be noted that there is no citation of or reference to the results of the clinical studies they claim, which is highly suspicious.

Going back to your question about supplements, some US authorities issue recommendations to warn people about these. FDA's recommendations can be summarized in a few points:

* Supplements are not an alternative to a healthy diet; these should be used to supplement a healthy diet only.

* It is a good idea to consult a physician before taking supplements (these may go into reactions with any medicine you may be using or be harmful if you have any special conditions).

* Some things to consider about supplement websites that you may come across5: Who owns the site, is it a reliable company? What is the purpose of the site: marketing or information? Are there any scientific citations? (We can't say this for Laminine.)

– There is a different group who believes that colloidal silver is good for health. Is this a safe or effective ingredient?

This was news to me as well, so I checked the US National Institute for Health's (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website, where I found a page on colloidal silver.

Here is an excerpt:

The Bottom Line

How much do we know about colloidal silver?

There are no high quality studies on the health effects of taking colloidal silver, but we do have good evidence of its dangers.

What do we know about the effectiveness of colloidal silver?

Claims made about the health benefits of taking colloidal silver aren’t backed up by studies.

What do we know about the safety of colloidal silver?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that colloidal silver isn’t safe or effective for treating any disease or condition.”

– Final question:  What effects do probiotics have on our health?

There are millions of microorganisms that cohabitate our intestinal flora, and the type, distribution and health of these microorganisms are critical for our health. There is increasingly more research on gut microbiota and its effects on human health recently. Probiotics are products which contain microorganisms that resemble the healthy microorganisms in our intestines. The purpose of these ingredients is to regulate intestinal flora back to normal levels when some conditions or diseases alter the microbiota, which may possibly assist treatment. The study of the effects of probiotics on various diseases is a relatively new subject. Which means that although there is considerable scientific data pointing to positive results, there is much to learn and discover. I can recommend the same website for practical recommendations7.

“What's the Bottom Line

How much do we know about probiotics?

Although a great deal of research has been done on probiotics, much remains to be learned.

What do we know about the usefulness of probiotics?

Some probiotics may help to prevent diarrhea that is caused by infections or antibiotics. They may also help with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. However, benefits have not been conclusively demonstrated, and not all probiotics have the same effects.

What do we know about the safety of probiotics?

In healthy people, probiotics usually have only minor side effects, if any. However, in people with underlying health problems (for example, weakened immune systems), serious complications such as infections have occasionally been reported,”

The third point in particular is why I would recommend anyone planning to use probiotics to consult a physician beforehand.

About Eylül Harputlugil

Eylül completed her bachelor's degree in the Biological Sciences and Bioengineering Program of Sabancı University in 2008. As a student, she took part in bioinformatics and computational biology research in Uğur Sezerman's lab. During her master's degree, she worked in Mehmet Öztürk's lab in the Bilkent University Molecular Biology and Genetics Department where she studied epigenetic changes in liver cancer cells. She joined James Mitchell's lab at the Harvard University School of Public Health's Genetics and Complex Diseases Department for her PhD. During her five and a half years there, she worked on the genes and mechanisms through which limiting food intake prior to surgery provides protection to mice. She completed and presented her dissertation last month and is about to graduate.

References:

(All websites current as of January 10, 2016)

1 US Department of Agriculture website: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DietaryGuidelines

2 Harvard University Nutrition Department website: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

3 Some resources on the FDA website:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/UsingDietarySupplements/ucm11...

http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/QADietarySupplements/default....

http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/UsingDietarySupplements/ucm11...

http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/u...

4 http://www.superiorhealthsupplement.com/laminine-frequently-asked-questi...

5 http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/UsingDietarySupplements/ucm11...

6 https://nccih.nih.gov/health/silver

7 https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm

Source: T24

Business representatives in Turkey met at the Competitiveness Congress organized by TÜRKONFED, SEDEFED and TÜSİAD-Sabancı University Competitiveness Forum.

The 10th Competitiveness Congress was held under the theme of "Competitive Strength, Input Import Policies and Smart Regulations."

The keynote speaker of the event was Member of the World Economic Forum Managing Board and former German Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Dr. Philipp Rösler.

The Competitiveness Congress held by Federation of Industrial Associations (SEDEFED), a member of the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED), since 2005 brought together entrepreneurs and businesspeople for the 10th event. The 10th Competitiveness Congress organized by TÜRKONFED, SEDEFED and TÜSİAD-Sabancı University Competitiveness Forum took place on January 28, 2016 at the Exporters Assembly of Turkey's Foreign Trade Hall under the theme of "Competitive Strength, Input Import Policies and Smart Regulations."

The keynote speaker of the event was Member of the World Economic Forum Managing Board and former German Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Philipp Rösler. Introductory remarks were delivered by Sabancı University President & REF Directors Board Cochair Professor Nihat Berker, TÜRKONFED Board of Directors Chair Tarkan Kadooğlu, SEDEFED Board of Directors Chair Sefa Targıt, TÜSİAD Board of Directors Vice-Chair Şükrü Ünlütürk and TİM Board of Directors Member Murat Akyüz.

Sabancı University President Nihat Berker said, "Life is competition; a good life is meaningful competition.  Competition is the way to measure oneself, it is how one stays young and alert.  Meaningful competition requires knowledge, transparency, integrity and fair-play.  You win through hard work; you win if you can keep going when your competition is slowing down.  If none of these are present, competition is nothing more than bells and whistles, a house of cards that will topple any minute.  One must say 'I shall compete' and win.  Every child is in competition with its surroundings from the moment of birth.  Then, you begin to compete with yourself, to gain distance from the competition."

In his introductory remarks, TÜRKONFED Chair Tarkan Kadooğlu said that one of the keys to economic success was the ability of countries to manifest their competitive strength on a global level. Kadooğlu continued, “It is also crucial that the competitiveness is measurable. Two criteria to assess competitiveness are to compare Turkey with other countries, and to measure quality rather than size. At TÜRKONFED, we work to improve the global competitive strength of our conferedation as a whole and our members individually."

Discussions in the congress focused on how to support high value-added production in the foreign trade of input semiproducts, and the impact of input semiproduct supply policies on the competition between domestic and international companies in various industries. Other key issues were import policies for input semiproducts, innovation, adapting to standards, and the level of support for high value-added production. In its 10th year, the Congress is even more influential in encouraging businesses, the public sector, academics and NGOs to take tangible steps towards better competitiveness, and in determining policy instruments on the level of much-needed smart regulations.

"The fast fish eats the slow one"

Keynote speaker of the 10th Competitiveness Congress, Member of the World Economic Forum Managing Board and former German Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Dr. Philipp Rösler summarized the situation in the developing world: "We are no longer playing by the rules where the big fish eats the small fish. Today, the fast one eats the slow one. Turkey and EU are good partners already, but with the visa negotiations ending on a positive note, Europe should demonstrate that it is not only a good partner, but a good friend as well. If you want to boost your efficiency, you need to increase your speed. You are at the right place if you want to improve your efficiency and speed."

Also speaking in the event, ACT Econ Competitiveness and Regulatory Partner Dr. M. Fevzi Toksoy delivered a paper that included the opinions of industry association representatives regarding issues discussed in two workshops held before the Congress. A panel discussion moderated by Turkish Chemicals Manufacturers Association Chair Timur Erk received high-level representation from companies in the industry.

Applications are now open for the Hakan Orbay Research Awards 2016, given by the Sabancı University School of Management in honor of faculty member Hakan Orbay who passed away in 2011. The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2016. Winners will be announced on September 15, 2016.

This year's awards entail a “Young Researcher Award” of 5000 TL and a “Doctorate Student Award" of 3000 TL for one winner each.

The jury panel this year will consist of Benan Zeki Orbay from Istanbul Bilgi University and Sabancı University faculty Aziz Şimşir, Eren İnci, İzak Atiyas, Koray Deniz Şimşek, Melsa Ararat, Nakiye Boyacıgiller and Yiğit Atılgan.

The Hakan Orbay Research Awards seek to support original studies by young researchers in finance and microeconomics. Interested applicants can submit their studies and a one-page resume to orbayaward@sabanciuniv.edu.

Last year's first prize went to Naveen Jindal School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas faculty Ümit Gürkan Gürün with his paper “Resident Networks and Firm Trade.” Mehmet İhsan Canayaz from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford came second with “Is the revolving door of Washington a back door to excess corporate returns?” and Koç University faculty Cem Demiroğlu came third with “Indicators of Collateral Misreporting.”

About Hakan Orbay:
 
Hakan Orbay finished the Ankara High School of Science in 1979 and received a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Physics from Boğaziçi University between 1979 and 1983.  He completed a master's in Electrical Engineering at the University of Calgary in 1986, after which he returned to Turkey and worked in information technologies in the banking sector from 1988 to 1991. Having never lost his interest in academic studies, Orbay went back to the US in 1991 for a PhD in Economics in the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, which he completed in 1995. Orbay was a member of Koç University faculty from 1996 to 1999, when he joined Sabancı University as one of the founding faculty members.  He continued his endeavors in the School of Management until his passing in 2011.

We share our messages and memories in remembrance of our late Founding President, Tosun Terzioğlu.

Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı's Message after Professor Tosun Terzioğlu 

Tosun Bey was the founding president of our university for 12 years, during which he made unforgettable contributions to shape us into a global university that makes a difference in Turkish higher education, leading us to a better future. 

He saw science, learning and teaching above everything else in life. His academic achievements were underscored by his humble personality, making him a truly dedicated volunteer of education.  We are deeply shaken by his loss and dismayed at the passing of such a precious personality.

It was a pleasure to work alongside a person with unwavering love and dedication to our university.  I wish Tosun Terzioğlu eternal peace, and I would like to offer my condolences to his family, friends and the Sabancı community.