ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER – September 2011
17TH NATIONAL MECHANICS CONGRESS
Mechanics, in its simplest definition, is the science that studies the equilibrium and motion of bodies. Therefore, it is closely related to almost every branch of engineering, mathematics, and physics. Our country is quite strong in this field as it has produced many excellent scientists.
The Mechanics Congress, which started 34 years ago, is held every two years. The 17th edition of this congress was hosted by Fırat University between September 5-9, 2011. It must be quite significant and difficult to run a project for many years. However, the "Turkish National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics," which was established in 1976 and has continued its mission without interruption to this day, has made and continues to make significant contributions to Turkish science history.
At the end of each congress, universities that wish to host the next congress compete with each other, and I would like to express my gratitude to the Organizing Committee for choosing our university.
Conferences and symposiums are very important for universities and cities, as they are one of the best methods for promotion. However, we must acknowledge that such events require experienced teams and involve significant expenses. We owe our sincere thanks to the Rector of our University, Prof. Dr. A. Feyzi BİNGÖL, as well as to all the university staff who provided all kinds of support for organizing the congress.
I would also like to thank the local congress committee, which carried the financial and moral load of the event: Nazif BİLGİNOĞLU, Ramazan GÜRGÖZE, Süleyman ŞEKER, Ali ULUCAN, Semih IŞIKVER, Yılmaz TETİK, Mustafa TETİK, Selami YAŞA, Suat YAŞA, Muzaffer KARABURU, Mehmet ATALAR, Mustafa SUSALAN, and ARSLANLI A.Ş., on behalf of our university and Elazığ.
The congress, which began on Monday, September 5th, was attended by nearly 200 researchers and scientists from many different universities. Young researchers had the chance to meet with prominent figures in the field. The tours organized around Elazığ greatly pleased most of our guests, many of whom were visiting our city for the first time. The smooth running of the congress was largely due to the diligent work and enthusiasm of the undergraduate and graduate students from the Department of Civil Engineering. Their meticulousness, skills, and friendly demeanor were highly appreciated by our visitors.
All the researchers and scientists who attended the congress made significant technical contributions. I would like to express that it was a great pleasure to host all the participants, especially the congress organizing committee, in our hometown.
Once the congress was over and the guests were sent off, there was time to reflect on what had been said and discussed. Outsiders analyze our city, and you become part of these reflections. All our guests praised the natural beauties of Elazığ and expressed that not having visited here before was a loss.
Of course, the satisfaction of the guests pleases the host, but while hosting them, we also became aware of some of our shortcomings. Since there was such a large participation in the congress, our university's guesthouse was insufficient. We had to seek support from other institutions, and we thank DSİ, TEİAŞ, and the Provincial Special Administration for their assistance in this matter. However, we faced a reality once again: Elazığ has a problem with accommodation. The number of beds and rooms for large events is not enough. Today, the total number of rooms in hotels and guesthouses in Elazığ is equivalent to the number of rooms in one or two 5-star hotels in the western regions.
To help our guests get to know our city better, we took them to local shops where they could buy regional products. After these shopping trips, our guests expressed that they found the shopkeepers very warm and sincere. However, they pointed out the traffic problem in the city. The non-functioning traffic lights in the city center and the fact that drivers did not give way to pedestrians made it difficult for visitors to navigate the city. The city's traffic problem still awaits a solution.
My purpose here is not to discuss the technical aspects of the congress but to examine its positive impact on Elazığ. As I mentioned earlier, Elazığ should be introduced through an International City Symposium. Promotion should not only be about festivals and entertainment, but the scientific world should also be involved in the process. This would result in a more qualitative form of promotion.
On behalf of my colleagues, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Mehmet ÜLKER, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ragıp İNCE, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammet KARATON, I would like to thank everyone and every institution that helped us in organizing the congress, whether by participating or providing support.