On May 27, the Acting President of ANAS, ademician Arif Hashimov, who is on a visit to our country within the framework of the Aviation, Space and Technology festival “Teknofest Azerbaijan", met with the Vice-President of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), director of the Marmara Research Center at the Council, prof. Dr. Ahmet Yozgatligil.

During the meeting, also deputy director of Marmara Research Center, Dr. Osman Okur and vice-presidents of ANAS, academicians Ibrahim Guliyev, Irada Huseynova, head of the Scientific-Organizational Departmen of the Presidium of ANAS, PhD in Physics, associate professor Rustam Rustamov, head of the Department of International Scientific Cooperation, PhD in biology, associate professor Esmira Alirzayeva, head of the Information Department, PhD in philology Aghahuseyn Shukurov, directors and scientists of a number of scientific institutions attended the event.

Opening the event, academician Arif Hashimov said that “Teknofest” festival was held in our country for the first time outside Turkey and the technological achievements of the fraternal state in recent years were welcomed by our people. He noted that the first practical application of the latest scientific and technological innovations of the XXI century of fraternal Turkey unmanned aerial vehicles took place in the 44-day Patriotic War and made an invaluable contribution to our victory. Academician Arif Hashimov said that for the first time in the history of World War, such a war was conducted using high technologies and the whole world witnessed the results.

The head of ANAS noted the importance of expanding cooperation with TUBITAK of the National Academy of Sciences in the scientific and technological sphere and stressed the importance of preparing a joint action program.

Then the vice-president of TUBITAK, professor Dr. Ahmet Yozgatligil said that he visited Shusha within the framework of his visit to our country and expressed his gratitude for the courage shown by the Azerbaijani army during the liberation of our ancient city with difficult relief from enemy occupation. Noting that the development of modern technologies is one of the important factors of the independence of the states, TUBITAK official said that Turkey has created its own new technologies within the framework of the National Technology attack after the embargo on this direction. He noted that, first of all, the achievements gained in science, research in physics, chemistry, mathematics and other fields are at the root of the successes achieved.

Ahmet Yozgatligil, who gave information about Marmara Research Center, said that the center was founded in 1972 and mainly researches are carried out in life sciences, climate change and sustainability, energy technologies, as well as materials science. The Institute of Environmental and clean production, the Institute of Energy, the Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, the Institute of Food, the Institute of Chemical Technology, The Institute of Polar Research, the Institute of Materials Science, as well as the Institute of Earth and Marine Sciences and a total of 81 laboratories operate within the organization. In addition, Marmara Research Center is a center of Excellence in many areas, research is carried out jointly with Turkish Higher Education Institutions and industrial facilities, as a result of which 144 patents have been obtained.

TUBITAK vice-president said they are ready to cooperate with the National Academy of Sciences on the creation of new technologies, cultivation of wheat varieties in drought-resistant food, life sciences and invited the leadership of ANAS to Turkey on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Marmara Research Center.

Vice-president of ANAS, academician Irada Huseynova said that cooperation with TUBITAK began in 2016 and that the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, the director of which is the winner of the project competition announced by ANAS and TUBITAK in the same year. Also, the Division of Biological and Medical Sciences (DBMS) institutions led by her carried out important research in the field of drought-resistant food wheat varieties, ensuring food safety of the Republic, human health, viral diseases and other fields. In particular, the head of the laboratory of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, corresponding member of ANAS Tarlan Mammadov took an active part in the preparation of vaccines against coronavirus in Turkey and the vaccine prepared by him was included in the WHO list. Academician Irada Huseynova said that they are ready to cooperate with Marmara Research Center in the fields of food technology, neurobiology, biological activity, preparation of vaccines, life sciences and etc.

Then, deputy chairman of the Scientific Council of the Division of Earth Sciences of ANAS, academician Fakhraddin Gadirov noted that earth sciences developed strongly in our country and scientists of the division took an active part in geological exploration of oil in the last century in Azerbaijan, known as an oil country. He also noted that the division has a high level of seismic research and the Republican Seismic Survey Center cooperates with many leading organizations of the world. In addition, he stressed the cooperation with Istanbul University in the field of GPS measurements. F.Gadirov said they were ready to cooperate in landslides, study of geodynamic phenomena along the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline and other fields.

At the meeting, head of the Department of International Scientific Cooperation of the Presidium of ANAS, PhD in biology, associate professor Esmira Alirzayeva said that cooperation between ANAS and TUBITAK has started since 2013 and 3 joint competitions have been announced and the number of projects submitted to TUBITAK competitions has increased from year to year. She noted that currently 3 projects implemented jointly with TUBITAK are completed, 3 projects are continuing and 3 projects are newly selected. In addition, the experts base of TUBITAK (PYS) was opened to the use of ANAS and preliminary trainings were held on the use of PYS, she said. She noted that by registering in the database, our scientists will be able to act as experts in the evaluation of many international projects. She also noted the active participation of Turkish scientists in numerous projects of the European Union's “Horizon” programs and the possibility of preparing joint project applications for this program by Azerbaijani and Turkish scientists.

At the event, employees of the Institute of Physics Tarana Nurubeyli, Shafag Ahadzade, Ulker Samedova, employees of the Institute of Polymer Materials Doctor of Chemical Sciences Kazim Guliyev and professor Najaf Gahramanov spoke about their research and made proposals.

In conclusion, academician Arif Hashimov noted the importance of holding such meetings with TUBITAK officials frequently and presented to the guest his portrait reflecting Baku's past and present.