The NanoDay, organized by the Bilkent University National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), has once again brought together renowned figures from the global scientific community. This year NanoDay took place on June 2. The event created the opportunity to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between its over 250 participants, who included scientists, researchers, students and industry representatives from Turkey and around the world.
UNAM is dedicated to enhancing Turkey’s competitive R&D capabilities in nanoscience, nanotechnology, biotechnology/nanobiotechnology, materials science/engineering and related fields within its interdisciplinary ecosystem. Its mission is to create high-quality knowledge and high-value technology on an international scale. As part of this mission, UNAM organizes NanoDay each year to connect its hundreds of participants with leading scientists in the field. The event plays a vital role in achieving these goals by facilitating the exchange of cutting-edge research, promoting knowledge sharing and fostering social interaction. The event also includes activities such as the NanoArt and NanoPoster contests and exhibitions, which offer a platform for students from the Bilkent UNAM MSN program and other institutions to showcase their work and express themselves.
This year’s NanoDay event welcomed Prof. Dirk Strunk from Paracelsus Medical University in Austria, Prof. Ad Lagendijk from the University of Twente in the Netherlands and Dr. Fetah Benabid from the University of Limoges in France to share their expertise.
NanoDay 2023 kicked off with an opening speech by Prof. Hilmi Volkan Demir, the Director of UNAM and the Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (MSN). Prof. Demir emphasized UNAM’s visionary goal of leaving a lasting imprint on both the present and the future. He stated, “UNAM’s vision is to make a mark, today and tomorrow. We strive to create cutting-edge knowledge, educate highly skilled individuals and develop competitive technologies that generate significant value and have far-reaching effects on both national and international levels.” Rector Prof. Kürşat Aydoğan then highlighted UNAM’s exceptional accomplishments as it strives to become a global center of attraction for leading scientists. He emphasized the institute’s extraordinary achievements, including over 1,800 scientifically referenced publications, 200+ patented inventions and an extensive portfolio of more than 450 R&D projects.
During the event, Prof. Ad Lagendijk, who conducts research at the University of Twente and the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, delivered a captivating speech titled “Optimizing Optical Wavefronts Hitting Small Objects.” The program proceeded with the presentation, “Regenerative Therapies for Broken Heart and Bone” by Prof. Dirk Strunk, the Department Head of the Institute for Cell Therapy at Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) and the Director of the Flow Cytometry Core Facility in Salzburg, Austria. Following insightful flash presentations by UNAM MSN students on their research projects, Prof. Fetah Benabid, who is currently serving as a Research Director and Honorary Professor at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in the University of Western Australia while continuing his research at XLIM in Limoges, France, delivered a speech entitled “Hollow-core Photonic Crystal Fibers.“
The program also showcased captivating poster presentations by MSN students. The winners of the NanoArt competition were announced and honored to promote the appreciation of capturing images at the nanometer scale through the innovative use of imaging methods and technologies across different disciplines.