The "SpacEarthOmics 2026" Symposium Begins with the Participation of Our First Turkish Astronaut, Tuğgeneral Alper Gezeravcı
Hosted by our university, in collaboration with the University of Potsdam and with the contributions of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the international symposium titled “SpacEarthOmics 2026 - Terrestrial Problems, Intra- and Extra-Terrestrial Solutions: New Perspectives for Biotechnology and Life Sciences” commenced on September 24, 2026, in the C Block Auditorium with the participation of our first Turkish astronaut, Tuğgeneral Alper Gezeravcı, our Rector Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız, our General Coordinator Prof. Dr. Ferit Küçükay, our Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Leyla Coşan and Prof. Dr. Yunus Ziya Arslan, our academic and administrative staff, and our students. The program began with a solo flute performance by Roswitha Meyer, themed "Space and Earth."
Our Rector: “Understanding Space is Actually Understanding Earth Better.”
In his opening speech, our Rector, Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız, stated that space research not only offers new areas of discovery but also provides unique opportunities for understanding life on Earth, emphasizing that understanding space contributes to a better understanding of Earth. He noted that the knowledge and technologies gained from space research can make significant contributions to solving global problems such as climate change, food security, sustainability, and human health, and highlighted that the combination of omics technologies, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology, which are central to SpacEarthOmics, opens new horizons in life sciences.
Our Rector stated that the new steps Türkiye is taking in space studies are important and expressed his pleasure that Türkiye's first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, is at our University. Our Rector expressed his gratitude to Potsdam University for its cooperation and support, and to the academics and all stakeholders involved in the organization, including DAAD. He advised young researchers in particular to stay curious, ask questions, and build new connections across different disciplines.
Our General Coordinator: “The Magic of Space Lies in Humanity’s Desire to Discover the Origins of the Universe.”
Our General Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Ferit Küçükay, stated in his opening remarks that the vastness and mysterious nature of space continue to fuel humanity’s desire for exploration. Expressing his pleasure at hosting Türkiye’s first astronaut, Tuğgeneral Alper Gezeravcı, at our University, Küçükay drew attention to the importance of space travel, microgravity, the daily lives of astronauts, and scientific studies conducted in space. Emphasizing the international nature of the workshop, Küçükay thanked the scientific and organizing committees, the speakers, and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for their contributions to the organization.
Our First Turkish Astronaut, Tuğgeneral Alper Gezeravcı: "Türkiye's Future in Space Does Not Belong to a Single Astronaut."
Speaking at the symposium, Tuğgeneral Alper Gezeravcı, our first Turkish astronaut, stated that space studies today are not limited to rockets, satellites, and astronauts; they constitute a broad ecosystem encompassing many areas from science and technology to economics, law, diplomacy, security, international cooperation, and entrepreneurship. Noting that a new era has begun in the space age, Gezeravcı emphasized that one of the most important results of Türkiye's first manned space mission is that children and young people in Türkiye no longer see space as a distant realm, but rather as a part of this story.
Gezeravcı stated that Türkiye's space activities are based on decades of experience and that the National Space Program addresses these efforts within a comprehensive strategic framework. He added that the program aims to produce scientific knowledge, develop technological capabilities, strengthen human resources, and increase space awareness. Highlighting that the 13 scientific experiments conducted on the International Space Station brought together different disciplines, Gezeravcı stated that the future of space economy will encompass not only engineers but also economists, lawyers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, artificial intelligence experts, data scientists, and communicators. In his speech, Gezeravcı also drew attention to Turkish-German University's structure that brings together different disciplines, advising students not to limit their dreams with today's conditions, not to isolate themselves within a single discipline, and to prepare themselves as global citizens. Stating that Türkiye's future in space does not belong to a single astronaut, Gezeravcı emphasized that it is the shared future of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, economists, diplomats, and young people.
The program also included an opening speech by the Symposium President and our Institute of Science Director, Prof. Dr. Hasan Birol Çotuk, who gave an informative presentation on SpacEarthOmics.
IAC 2026 Presentation Awards Presented
At the symposium, the awards for the IAC (International Astronautical Congress) 2026 Presentation Awards were presented to the winning academics and students by our Rector Prof. Dr. Cemal Yıldız, our first Turkish astronaut Tuğgeneral Alper Gezeravcı, and Prof. Dr. Hasan Birol Çotuk.
The symposium, which continued on September 25, 2026, brought together researchers working in the fields of biotechnology, space life sciences, space biology, omics technologies, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, systems biology, and environmental sciences.
