Bilkent Plays Leading Role in European Commission 3D PHONE PROJECT
The Computer Engineering Department, along with 6 partners from Germany, France, Spain, Finland, Hungary and Turkey, have come together to work on the 3DPHONE - Three Dimensional Telephone. It is a 3 year European Commission (EC) project with an estimated budget of 5 million Euros - 3.5 million of which will come from the EC. The aim is to develop technologies and core applications for a new and innovative wireless communication experience. In the end, all of the main functions of the phone - including media display, user interface, personal information management applications and much more - will be available in three dimensions.
The participants in this undertaking are Telefonica (the most important mobile phone operator in Spain); Fraunhofer (the inventors of the fundamental technologies that are used in MP3 and DVDs); Streamezzo (a successful company in new generation media services); Holografika (a producer of holographic displays); and the University of Helsinki (one of Finland's most successful universities). Nokia will also play a role. Bilkent University's Computer Engineering department is responsible for coordination and technical management, and the Electrical Engineering department will coordinate the 3D video activities.
The 3DPHONE infrastructure is being developed in conjunction with an EC 3DTV project. Licensing the developed systems and patents to key mobile technology companies will provide great opportunities for improvements in Turkish science and technology. Moreover, because this project is the first in the world, it will put Europe ahead of countries like the USA and Japan and help make Turkey a top player in the world of mobile technology!
EU Integration Class Invited to TBMM
The Department of Management’s EU Integration Class (MAN 420) was invited by the Chairman of the Parliament's EU Harmonization Committee, Mr. Yaşar Yakış to attend a special question and answer session at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM).
The event was held in the Committee's meeting room and organized by Ms. Derya Baykal from the Directorate of Foreign Relations and Protocol. Along with the chairman, political representative attendees were: MP Yusuf Ziya İrbeç (Antalya), MP İbrahim Kavaz (Erzurum), MP Taha Aksoy (İzmir), and MP Onur Öymen (Bursa).
Discussed were the EU harmonization process, the inner workings of the Harmonization Committee, public opinion, the importance of fair negotiations between the EU and Turkey, Cyprus and other items. The class was then treated to a tour of Parliament and given copies of the official TBMM book.
"I may offer this excursion from now on, each semester, perhaps giving other departments a chance to participate too. The fact that leading politicians from both government and opposition attended the visit by Bilkent students proved that civil society dialogue in Turkey works - students experienced democracy first-hand," stated course instructor Klaus Jurgens.
Bilkent News Interactive is
best viewed by 800x600 resolution.
You can send comments, questions, etc. about Bilkent News Interactive by clicking this
link.
|
Greek Prime Minister Addresses Bilkent Audience
Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis made a historic trip to Turkey, marking the first time a Greek PM has come to this nation in nearly 50 years. While in Ankara, he visited Bilkent University to address faculty and students.
He spoke about past struggles between the two nations without dwelling on details, the progress that has been made, and his hopes for the future of Turkey and it's eligibility to become a member of the European Union - a bid that Greece has thrown its support behind. Reaching out further, the Prime Minister also vowed that he was committed to increasing peaceful relations with Turkey, and working towards a united Cyprus, stating "The time has come to break down Nicosia's last dividing wall in Europe."
Karamanlis noted that the next generation of Turkish business and political leaders will soon "contribute constructively to [Turkey's] future," and, he hopes, continue with the progress being made with his country, and take advantage of available opportunities on the global stage.
Top Criticism Awards Go to Bilkent Writers
The Memet Fuat Awards, arguably Turkey's top prizes in literary criticism, have been presented to Mahmut Temizyürek, a faculty member in Bilkent University's Turkish Unit, and Dr. Reyhan Tutumlu, who received her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Bilkent's Department of Turkish Literature.
 Mr. Temizyürek won the Award for Critical Essays for his latest collection entitled "Boşluktan Doğan." Dr. Reyhan Tutumlu, who currently teaches Turkish Literature at Lefke European University (KKTC), won the Memet Fuat Critical Analysis Award for her dissertation "A Narratological Approach to Vüs'at O. Bener's Works."
The award ceremony will take place in İstanbul on February 16, 2008 - the 82nd birthday of the late literary critic, Memet Fuat.
Also in this issue:
|
