Professor Selim Çetiner
Sabancı University

Chairman of the Higher Education Council, Yusuf Ziya Özcan, claims “The United States and Israel can destroy a nation within two decades with their genetically engineered produce.”  According to the press, Mr. Chairman says, “A large portion of the seeds of the tomatoes and wheat grown in Turkey is imported from the USA and Israel because we do not have domestic seeds.  As a Turkish intellectual, I sometimes feel utterly small.  Can’t we cultivate our own tomato seeds that we need?  Our forefathers used to cultivate their own seeds and grew produce for generations.  Why don’t we do the same?  Why don’t we have a research institute on seeds, led by some of our universities?  We can’t know where this is headed.  There is something called genetic programming; they could very well take a seed and implant some genetic mechanism in it.  We could catch diseases that we know nothing about.  With this, it is possible to destroy a generation in time.  They could implant such things that will kill people who have eaten it within 20 years.  Such dangers exist.”

We agree that Turkey is not yet where it is supposed to be in terms of seed cultivation.  However, the claim that our forefathers used to cultivate their own seeds and grow their own produce for generations is one of the sweet yet inaccurate tales spread by the “cult of amateur growers” that has gained ground lately.  Genetically programming a tomato to kill off a nation is one of the slogans used by the luddites as a scare tactic against people unknowledgeable in the matter, keeping the debate away from scientific grounds.

With the deregulation of the seed industry in Turkey in 1986, the latest varieties and hybrid seeds were introduced to Turkey, enabling the country to feed its rapidly-rising population.  Obtained by the latest in breeding technologies, these varieties increased yield per unit area, helping to increase the income of our farmers.  It is true that seed cultivation in Turkey did not develop adequately during this process.  The most important reason is the lack of support for policies and R&D efforts in this field.  It should not be overlooked that the private sector took important steps in seed breeding, and that some hybrid varieties are now being exported.

It is widely accepted that in order to secure agricultural production and related economic and political stability, governments must make extremely stable policies.

It is mandatory for Turkey to ensure a healthy and adequate diet for its population, research all technologies, including modern biotechnology, that will increase its agricultural production, adopt European and global norms as its objective standards, and develop the appropriate ones to perfection.  The first step to this task is the expedient amendment of the Biosafety Law adopted on September 26th, 2010 – a law that makes biotechnological research crucial to converting our coveted genetic resources to economic benefit impossible, and is in open contradiction of the Acquis Communautaire and global norms.  This is what we need to gain independence in seed cultivation.  A forbidding approach that halts science and ignores the common views of the institutional authorities in global science is irrational, and is what will make Turkey dependant on imported produce.

In summary, Mr. Chairman should not heed the fringe groups plagued with a propensity towards conspiracy theories, and lead the way to the correction of the Biosafety Law that cripples the efforts of universities and institutes that will conduct research in the light of scientific data.  Public discussions based on science are an absolute requirement for the advancement of this cause.


 

Known as the largest photography exhibition and coveted by millions, the Photokina has been providing an opportunity to various photography schools for exhibiting the works of their students at the “Academy Meets Photokina” event.
Selection of schools is done on an application basis, and photography schools from Poland, Portgual, United Kingdom, Austria, Finland, Czech Republic, Germany and Turkey were chosen this year.  The selected works from Turkey were the photographs of students in Murat Germen’s VACD classes coded VA328 and VA329.  Murat Germen and his assistant, VACD MA graduate Murat Durusoy were in Köln for the exhibition opening and delivering presentations on their courses.

Murat Germen said the following about the exhibition: “The exhibition includes works by 25 students, 5 of whom are exchange students.  We are the only participants of the Photokina, and were selected to be a part of this event.  Our booth was designed and erected with perhaps one-fifth or one-tenth of the budget of other booths, but was a center of attraction.  We were the most democratic when it came to including the works of our students.  The presentation on courses and the program was great.  We spoke with Simon Schwinge, the curator of the Academy Meets Photokina event, who said our presentation was a success because while they were accustomed to beginning with a large audience and having them walk out during the presentation, ours began with a small number of viewers and others joined as time went on.  He also noted that the in-depth explanation of class methodology and the training process were very beneficial to all in attendance.”

Orientation 2010, the event to introduce new students to Sabancı University, took place at the Sabancı University Performing Arts Center on Friday, September 24th.  Approximately 500 parents and students attended what could have been called a festival.

Following the presentations at the Performing Arts Center, students and parents had the opportunity to collect information from the lakeside booths that were erected by student clubs and various departments.  The program began with the welcoming speech by the Sabancı University Student Association, and continued with a presentation by Sabancı University Secretary-General Haluk Bal and an introduction to the “facilitating” departments on campus.  The first interaction of new students with their alma mater concluded with an outdoor concert in the garden of the Center.

Here are what a few parents and students had to say about the Orientation:

“Sabancı University is different in all respects”
Mürsel – Emel Kaya (parents)

Our son Ege Kaya has been admitted to the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences.  He wants to be an industrial engineer.  As we were just saying, we’ve been to other private universities, but Sabancı University is different in all respects.  From the presentations in there to the events set up outside, everything is great.  Nothing was missed.

Sabancı University was among the students’ top choices

“I love it, and I hope I will go on loving it for 4 more years.”
İnanç Pastırmacı

I enrolled in the Faculty of Management, but I’m not yet matriculated to any program because it’s my first year.  Sabancı University was among my top choices, and I made it.  I love it, and I hope I will go on loving it for 4 more years.  Orientation was great, but I wish they had given the laptops today.  I want my account as soon as possible.

“I want to start right away”
Gözde Görde

I enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences.  I want to be an industrial engineer.  Sabancı University was my 3rd choice.  I'm happy to be here.  The setting is just lovely.  I want to start right away.  I already signed up with the Sailing Club.

“Sabancı University has a great campus and impressive laboratory facilities”
Semih Boynu

I enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences.  I want to be an electronic engineer, but that may change.  I had taken a tour of Sabancı University before; it has a great campus and impressive laboratory facilities.  Orientation presentations were good, but taking up the whole day was a bit of an inconvenience.  It’s a nice event nevertheless.

“I’m glad I’m here”
Orhan Genç

I enrolled in the Faculty of Management.  I plan to continue with Economics, but it may change; I don’t know.  I had toured Sabancı University before and it was among my top choices.  I’m glad I’m here.

“I love the place; everything is fabulous”
İrem Önay

I haven’t chosen a program yet.  I’m glad to be here.  Sabancı University was my 3rd choice.  I love the place; everything is fabulous.

Interviews by: Mariam Öcal

Dear Members of the Sabancı University Family, there is one computer that no others can hope to approach in terms of power: It is our brain, and the secret to its power is the direct connection between each and every signal-bearing cell with 10,000 other cells and the continous structural renewal of the brain based on the signals carried by these many connections. This illustrates the importance of inner communication and renewal. The renewed gazeteSU will certainly strengthen our communications.

“Creating and developing together” has been one of our main philosophies since the inception of our University.  Having better knowledge of what others around us are doing, keeping abreast of the developments at the University, and participating and synergizing are vital to sustain and promote this philosophy. This is what the renewed gazeteSU will help us do.

I invite you all to read gazeteSU and contribute to it with stories and articles.

    With my warmest regards,

    Nihat Berker

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Faculty Member Ayşe Kadıoğlu has been appointed as a member of the Council of Europe’s Group of Eminent Persons.

In light of the reference that the Council of Europe -as the guardian of the European Convention on Human Rights-  has the responsibility to defend the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the Group will meet between October 2010 and May 2011 in order to prepare a report.

This report will assess the serious risks posed to the values of Council of Europe by rising intolerance and define a new concept of “living together” that could be proposed to the citizens of European societies.The Group comprises 9 eminent individuals who have expertise and particular interest in the subject. The report of the Group will be the basis of possible European Council action.

As part of the “Preservation of Historical Heritage and Harnessing the Active Participation of the Youth” initiative led by the Sabancı University Civic Involvement Projects, grade school children learned how to conserve the toys of their grandfathers from internationally renowned scientists at the Conservation and the Eastern Mediterranean congress.

Sabancı University students partnered with grade school students to hold a conservation workshop on September 20th and 21st at the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) Congress 2010: Conservation and the Eastern Mediterranean held for the first time in Istanbul with the support of the Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum and the Sabancı Holding.

The event took place at the Sabancı Center with the participation of internationally renowned scientists in the field of conservation.  Ten 4th grade students of Erol Türker Primary School worked with accurate reproductions of 15 Ottoman-era toys built of wood, leather and ceramic.  The students performed expressive drama and games to break the toys first, and then rebuilt them.  As the 4th grade students conserved the toys of their grandfathers, they acted as liaisons between the game cultures of two generations.  Congress members and some 300 visitors watched the event and witnessed the emergence of an attentive and protective attitude in grade school children towards preserving cultural heritage.

The Preservation of Historical Heritage and Harnessing the Active Participation of the Youth initiative was started a year ago with the cooperation of the Sabancı University Civic Involvement Projects and the Ministry of Culture’s Restoration and Conservation Laboratory.  The initiative calls for Sabancı University students to coach grade school students on preserving cultural heritage.  Pilot work of the project was carried out in Mardin, Sinop, Antakya, Ardahan and Istanbul, and involved 75 Sabancı University students, 10 primary schools and 2000 pupils.

Project supervisor and Sabancı University student Muhterem Balcı says: “The best part of the workshop was how experts teamed up with individual children to conserve an article that corresponded to their field of expertise.  It was inspiring how experts of ceramic or paper or wood conservation stepped in to lend a hand to the children working on the specific item.  The fact that the experts coached the children instead of taking the conservation effort in their own hands was even more moving.  One participant said they had never worked so effectively with children before, and inquired about our technique.”

Speaker: Kemal Derviş
Date: October 8th 2010
Place: SSM (SU Sakıp Sabancı Museum) , the Seed, Emirgan
Time: 17.00-18.30 hours

* "IBO",  " SU International Board of Overseers  "

Contact: Ayşe Turhan sumed2@sabanciuniv.edu

Sabancı University Alumni Assosication (SUMED)
invites all our faculty members, students ,administrative staff  and alumni are invited to participate in the conference.

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