The METU Parlar Foundation Science Award () is a science award issued by the Middle East Technical University Prof. Dr. Mustafa N. Parlar Foundation established in 1981 in Ankara, Turkey, commemorates Professor , who served as the Dean of Engineering at the Middle East Technical University. The Foundation's mission is to promote advancements in science and technology and their applications in industry. Annually, it confers several prestigious awards to recognize significant contributions to science and service. These include the Service to Science and Honour Award, the Science Award, and the Service Award. Notable recipients of the Science Award include ðoanna Kuçuradi in philosophy, Cahit Arf, Feza Gürsey and Erol Gelenbe in sciences, as well as Halil ðnalcñk in history.
The METU Prof. Dr. Mustafa N. Parlar Education and Research Foundation was established on January 12, 1981, in memory of Prof. Dr. , a scientist and early faculty member of Middle East Technical University. The foundation aims to foster relationships between the university and industry, support research and researchers, provide technical hardware and tools, offer scholarships to METU students and financially assist lecturers.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa N. Parlar was a Turkish scientist and educator, born in 1925 in ÃÂamlñhemà Âin, Rize. He studied at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. Parlar worked as a research engineer and assistant professor in the Unites Satates before returning to Turkey. He held various academic and administrative roles at Middle East Technical University, including Director of Education, Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. He also served as Rector of METU and held positions within the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, contributing to the fields of energy and telecommunications in Turkey. Parlar was a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from 1973 to 1977. In his honor, the METU Prof. Dr. Mustafa N. Parlar Education and Research Foundation was established in 1981 to support education and research.
Annually, the foundation awards several distinctions to recognize excellence within METU. These include the Honor, Science, Service, Research, and Technology Encouragement Awards. Additionally, it presents the Thesis of the Year Award to outstanding graduate and postgraduate students, the METU Lecturer of the Year Award to distinguished lecturers, the Thesis Advisor Award initiated in the 1996-1997 academic year, and the METU Excellence in Teaching Award, which is given to lecturers who have been recognized as the Year's Lecturer three times. These awards aim to evaluate the contributions of exceptional scientists and practitioners, certify their competencies, and inspire future generations.
Honorary award winners
Science award winners