Days of “Project Arasta 2025” Held at Gaziantep University
Days of “Project Arasta 2025”, organized by the Faculty of Engineering at Gaziantep University (GAÜN), took place at the GAÜN Atatürk Cultural Center. The event, featuring various panels and inspiring talks, attracted significant interest as a platform where engineering students presented their graduation projects under the guidance of academic advisors and where interdisciplinary project development processes were discussed.
Success Story of Turkey’s First Aerospace Engineer with Cerebral Palsy: Turgay Karakaş
In the first session, Turgay Karakaş, Turkey’s first aerospace engineer with cerebral palsy, shared his experiences with students. Despite his condition, Karakaş explained how he overcame challenges to achieve success in aerospace engineering. He emphasized perseverance and spoke about his work at TÜBİTAK-SAGE, contributing to projects in astronomy and astrophysics.
Gaziantep’s Industrial and Technological Vision: Panel on Innovation and Projects
The second part of the program featured a panel focusing on Gaziantep’s industrial and export vision. Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım (Chairman of Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce), Adnan Ünverdi (Chairman of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry), Fikret Kileci (Chairman of the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters’ Associations), and Abdulkadir Konukoğlu (Honorary Chairman of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry) answered questions on innovation and projects, sharing insights into Gaziantep’s industrial and technological development.
Later, Erhan Özmen, Founding President of TÜGİK and Honorary President of GUSAD, delivered a speech on the challenges of success and key steps in transforming projects into reality, offering guidance to young engineers.
Innovation and the City: Contributions of Local Stakeholders
In the final panel titled “Innovation and the City”, Gaziantep Governor Kemal Çeber, GAÜN Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Mesut Doğan, and Şahinbey Mayor Mehmet Tahmazoğlu evaluated the city’s progress in engineering and technology.
Governor Çeber emphasized the importance of infrastructure and incentives supporting Gaziantep’s industrial and technological growth. He expressed confidence that the city’s innovation-driven development strategy would be further strengthened through cooperation among all stakeholders.
Rector Doğan highlighted GAÜN’s efforts to integrate academic research with industry, stating that university–industry collaboration offers major opportunities for innovation.
Mayor Tahmazoğlu underlined municipal projects supporting young entrepreneurs and reaffirmed commitment to strengthening Gaziantep’s innovation ecosystem.
Following the panels, the closing speech was delivered by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bayram. At the end of the event, awards were presented to students who ranked first, second, and third in the “Project Arastası 2025” competition.