12th Secondary School Students Research Projects Final Competition Award Ceremony Organized

TUBITAK Science Fellowship and Grant Programs Department (BIDEB) has organised “Secondary School Students Research Projects Final Competition Award Ceremony” in Kadir Has Congress and Arts Center in order to encourage secondary school students to study in basic, social and applied sciences, to direct their studies and contribute to their scientific development.

In the competition which celebrated its 12th anniversary, a total of 8 projects had the opportunity to win the First Prize, while 16 projects won the Second Prize and 24 projects achieved the Third Prize. Also 24 projects have been awarded “the Incentive Prize”. Giving the opening speech of the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Hasan MANDAL, President of TUBITAK, expressed that there had been 11,352 project applications throughout Turkey which meant a 44 percent increase in applications compared to the previous year. Prof. MANDAL also underlined that 8,224 of the applications were submitted by female students while 6,747 of them were submitted by male students.

Prof. Dr. Mandal: “There are no winners or losers in the competition. What is important is to become a part of it.”

During the award ceremony that took place in Kadir Has Congress and Arts Center, Prof. Dr. Hasan MANDAL stated that there were neither winners nor losers in the competition. What was important was becoming a part of the process. Mentioning the importance of generating knowledge, Prof. MANDAL expressed that there had been an increase in the number of applications. Also underlining the importance of generating qualified knowledge, Prof. Dr. Hasan MANDAL’s statement is as follows: “It is a great achievement to have come all the way to the finals. All these projects are very important for the future of our country. You are as strong as the amount of knowledge you generate. The main objective of our country is becoming one of the biggest countries of the world in the year 2023. For the near future, for 2023 and beyond, you are all candidates of what we call “scientists”. We see our future when we look at you. Throughout Turkey, 11,352 project applications were made. This means a 44 percent increase compared to the previous year. 8,224 out of all applications were submitted by female students while 6,747 applications were made by male students, which means our female students are ahead with 55 percent of the applications.

“We can gain as much power as we multiply our knowledge through interaction, communication and cooperation.”

Prof. Dr. MANDAL stated that the key to generate knowledge in the 60’s was “production” while it became “production with less expenditures” in the 70’s. In the 80’s the term: “quality” stepped in and in the 90’s “speed” took its place among them. Emphasizing the rise of the term: “competition” in the 2000’s, Prof. MANDAL expressed that in the 2010’s “cooperation” became a must to make a difference in generating knowledge. Referring to the changes in the methods of generating knowledge around the world, Prof MANDAL expressed that each student participated in “Secondary School Students Research Project Competition” contributed to the generation of knowledge. Prof. Dr. MANDAL; “The race among countries, their efforts to exist and their perspectives of the future is based on owning the knowledge. In the 2010’s, the years that you live in, the type of knowledge is changing. We can gain as much power as we are able to multiply our knowledge through interaction, communication and cooperation.”

“We see the future when we look at you”

Emphasizing the famous words of Albert Einstein, “I have no special talents, I am only passionate and curious”, Prof. Dr. Hasan MANDAL underlined that what is important in producing science is loving your work. Stating that both TUBITAK and students have big responsibilities for the continuity of Secondary Schools Project Competition Finals; Prof. Dr. MANDAL expressed: “TUBITAK endeavors to touch your lives, the important processes of your lives. TUBITAK sees it among its main tasks. You are the most important key to its success. Without you there will be no TUBITAK either. Looking at you means looking at the future.”

Giving examples from his own life Prof. Dr. MANDAL indicated that he himself earned his PhD with a scholarship from TUBITAK. Also expressing his best wishes to the students and teachers who had an accident on the road from Amasya to participate in the Finals, Prof. MANDAL stated that they had a phone call and the students expressed their sadness not due to the accident but because their projects were harmed during it. Expressing that the eagerness of students in the project group delighted him as well, Prof. Dr. MANDAL gave his word to the victims of the accident to have them as guests in Ankara.

After the speech of TUBITAK President Prof. Dr. MANDAL, Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa ÇELİK took the stage for his speech. Emphasizing the ongoing economic wars around the globe, Mayor ÇELİK underlined that the only way to survive is generating knowledge and youth has great responsibilities to achieve it.

Following the speeches, students with winning projects in the fields of biology, value education, physics, Turkish language, chemistry, mathematics, coding and history were given their awards.

Governor of Kayseri Süleyman KAMÇI, Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa ÇELİK and invitees participated in the Award Ceremony.