Turkish scientists started a new journey to discover the black box of the Earth. 7 scientists who participated in the 19th National Antarctic Science Expedition set off from Istanbul. Under the auspices of the Presidency, under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the expedition will be carried out under the coordination of TÜBİTAK MAM Polar Research Institute (KARE), and new scientific researches that will decipher the codes of the White Continent will be carried out.
For the first time, 3 high school students participated in the expedition this year. High school students from Antalya, who won the "High School Students Pole Research Projects Competition" organized by TÜBİTAK Scientist Support Program Presidency (BİDEB) within the scope of TEKNOFEST, will work on bioplastics in the world's largest ice desert.
The expedition was coordinated by TÜBİTAK KARE Institute Director Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy's delegation will include 19 Turks as well as 2 Ecuadorian and 1 Colombian scientists. Scientists who will go to the coldest, windiest and driest continent of the world will work on 18 different projects.
Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank stated that Antarctica is a natural laboratory and said that they aim to establish a permanent base on the White Continent. Emphasizing that their intention is to build a Turkey that develops with science and technology, Minister Varank said, "The way to do this is to invest in young people." said.
The 7th national science expedition to Antarctica has begun. The first statement about the expedition came from Minister Varank. Varank participated in the Clean Energy, Climate Change and Sustainability Research Institute Promotion Program in Konya. Making a speech here, Varank said:
NATURAL LABORATORY
We started to deal with Antarctica thanks to the vision of our President. More than 50 countries currently have research centers in Antarctica. But Turkey has never been interested in this place until our government. When you look at it, if you are going to do scientific research about the past and the future of the Earth, where is its natural laboratory? Antarctica. None of us took care of them. Until our President said, 'As Turkey, we cannot stay behind while there is such an important situation here.' until he said and started science expeditions there.
MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES THERE
We currently have a temporary science base in Antarctica. What is our intention? To establish a permanent science base there. Look, more than 50 countries have bases there. Not a single Muslim country has a science base there. Who will do this? By God's grace we will do it. It is important to present this vision.
DEVELOPMENT WITH SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
There are 3 high school students among the scientists who went on a science expedition. Who are these students? Students who came first in the TUBITAK Polar Research Contest. We're sending top-ranking high school students to Antarctica. They will try their own projects there. That's how wide our horizon and vision is. 20 years ago 'We will send the winners of the competition to Antarctica.' If I said that, you probably wouldn't believe me. Our real intention is to build a Turkey that develops with science and technology. The way to do this is to invest in young people.
FINAL STOP HORSESHOE ISLAND
After Minister Varank's statement, the scientists who will join the expedition came together at the Istanbul Airport (IGA) VIP Terminal. After the passport procedures, the team joined the science expedition and started the journey to reach Horseshoe Island, where the temporary Turkish Science Base is located in Antarctica.
THEY WILL BE FIRST
TÜBİTAK President of Scientist Support Programs (BİDEB), who bid farewell to the delegation, Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Ursavaş stated that as the chairmanship, they support young people's projects in many fields such as the environment, climate, mathematics, physics and chemistry, and said, “Our 3 students will be the first in Turkey and will guide students who take steps to conduct research in the future. They will carry out their projects there and we will see the results together.” said.
THE NUMBER OF WOMEN INCREASED
Expedition coordinator TÜBİTAK KARE Institute Director Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy, in her statement before the flight, stated that, unlike previous years, 3 high school students were with them and said, “We are very happy, but there is another plus side. We are happy that the number of women scientists in this year's expedition is higher than in other expeditions.” said. Pointing out that the female students involved in the expedition will have a different program than the delegation, Prof. Özsoy said, “They will have the opportunity to visit the bases of other countries, meet international scientists and work in science laboratories in other countries.” said.
PREPARATION IN THE BLACK SEA
prof. Noting that atmospheric sciences came to the fore in this expedition, but that they would conduct a wide range of scientific studies such as geology, microplastics, volcanic structures, and ecosystem studies, Özsoy said, “From the day our expedition team became clear, preparation for Antarctic conditions has always been at the forefront for us. Life safety is the most important to us. We will do very valuable work there. But safety first. In this sense, we both hold coordination meetings and convey information to our team every year, and we also have field studies that we have carried out in the Black Sea region this year, such as field studies, walking in the snow, and first aid.” he said.
GREAT PRIDE
Zeynep İpek Yanmaz, a high school student in the delegation that went to Antarctica, said, “As a team, we are actually very excited. We started this project with a poster presentation at Gebze Technical University. We presented it to our teacher there. After long processes, we got this opportunity at the end of TEKNOFEST Black Sea and it is a great honor for us to test our project in Antarctica.” said.
QUICK DISSOLVING PLASTIC
Explaining that they produced starch and cellulose-based bioplastic films by using the long bark and fruit part of the oak tree with their project, Yanmaz said, “While traditional plastics dissolve in 450 years, our plastic dissolves in as little as 45 days. In fact, it dissolves faster in alkaline environments, which is partially alkaline in ocean environments, so it will dissolve in Antarctica in an even shorter time and has a structure that is 20 times more durable than the grocery bags we use.” he said.
SNOW EDUCATION AT AYDER
Yanmaz said that they received snow training in Ayder with the team that will participate in the expedition and said, “We learned how even the clothing should be there. In fact, it's the same psychologically. In fact, we are leaving completely ready. When it comes to Antarctica, we all dream of penguins. Of course we will see them. What we will do is to examine the dissolution process of a plastic we produce. In other words, we will see if the data we have obtained is valid in the region as well.” said.
WHO IS IN THE DELEGATION?
Scientists participating in the 7th National Antarctic Science Expedition will be transferred to the temporary science base in Antarctica via the Istanbul-Sao Paulo-Santiago-Gutierrez-King George route. In addition to 19 Turks, 3 foreign scientists will join the expedition from their own countries. The delegation, which includes scientists from the General Directorate of Maps, the General Directorate of Meteorology, the Department of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography, will also include a photojournalist from the Anadolu Agency. Santiago Ambassador Gülcan Akoğuz will also take part in the delegation.
INTERCONTINENTAL SOLIDARITY
The Antarctic team will maintain an automated meteorological observation station belonging to Chile and located on the expedition route. During the return, he will take 2 Chilean researchers to their countries. It will also share logistical opportunities for the Czech Antarctic Expedition to reach the continent. In addition, the British museum named “Base Y” will control the station. These studies of Turkish scientists will not affect the expedition program.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE SHARING
When one of the Turkish researchers in the delegation reaches the White Continent, he will join the scientists in the Czech Antarctic Expedition. A Turkish scientist in the delegation will also participate in their work at Escudero Station in Chile in March. A Turkish researcher is currently on the White Continent with the Spanish Antarctic Expedition.
HIGH SUCCESS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Last year, in the 2204-C High School Students Polar Research Projects Competition organized by TÜBİTAK BİDEB, 3 female students took the lead with the Project “Indigenous and National Bioplastic Material Production to Prevent Bioplastic Pollution in the Arctic Oceans”. High school students synthesized bioplastic film using acorns. With these projects, he obtained a material that can dissolve in nature in 45 days and is 20 times more durable than plastics. With the instruction and guidance of Minister Varank, the champion girls got the right to participate in the science expedition.
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