Exhibitors

Humankind has always searched for ways to utilise natural resources, and by increasing knowledge base has produced conscious solutions that draw on scientific and rational methods to make better use of both underground and aboveground resources. In particular, the development of geosciences at İstanbul University has worked to ensure that natural resources are available presented for the benefit of humanity with minimal damage to nature and the environment. In our country, the development of geosciences began very late in the Ottoman period, and progress has been slow; the beginning of geological education at Istanbul University dates back to 1900s, when Halil Ethem Bey ran Mineralogy and Geology courses within the Natural Sciences Department of Istanbul Darulfünunu . After the establishment of the Geological Institute in 1915 under the leadership of Dr Walter Penck and Hamit. N. Pamir, geological education continued at the Abdulkerim Mansion in Vefa until a fire destroyed the building in 1918, and at the Zeynep Hanım Mansion from 1923 onwards. One of the primary goals of the great national leader Atatürk, was to protect the natural resources and assets of TÜRKİYE. As part of his reform of the universities, he abolished the Istanbul Darülfünun and initiated geological education, teaching and research activities at Istanbul University, which he had established in 1933. In 1942, a fire damaged the Zeynep Hanım Mansion, and after a period of time geological education was resumed at the Faculty of Science in Vezneciler. Within Istanbul University, undergraduate education in geology began in 1946, followed by Higher Geology in 1963, Higher Geological Engineering in 1971 and Geological Engineering in 1977. Education and training activities continued in the Faculty of Science building until 1990, and then took place within the Faculty of Engineering at Avcılar Campus. Our department began the first geological education in our country. Valuable late scientists such as A. Malik Sayar, Ernest Chaput, Hamit N. Pamir, İ. H. Akyol, M.A. Binal, E. Parejas, İ.A. Can Okay, Samime Artüz, Fuat Baykal, İ. Enver Altinli, Suat Erk, Ihsan Ketin, Atife Dizer and Mehmet Akartuna laid the foundation of geology in our country with their scientific studies undertaken in difficult field conditions throughout TÜRKİYE. At the same time, the students they trained have proven to be valuable colleagues in the geological engineering departments of other universities and public institutions such as TPAO, MTA, DSI and Etibank. The Istanbul University Geological Engineering Department has produced thousands of undergraduates, hundreds of graduates and dozens of doctoral students since its establishment. It has been one of the departments that have produced the highest number of publications annually within the Faculty of Engineering, with 700 articles published in domestic and international journals and around 45 published books. Currently, the Department of Geological