Less than five years ago, Ahmet Oral had no choice but to build by hand the basic tools necessary to carry out research at Bilkent to complete his PhD in experimental physics. Today the recipient of Bilkent's first experimental physics doctorate works in one of the world's most advanced physics laboratories. A measure of Oral's success came last week when he returned to Bilkent to switch places with his former teachers. As part of a series of meetings, the Oxford researcher presented his most recent work to science faculty members and their students.
Another measure of Oral's success is the fact that he can easily find a good job. Many companies and research institutions are willing to sponsor high-level physics research and it is common for private companies to attract Oral's research assistants with high-paying jobs before they complete their PhDs. That lucrative employment is almost guaranteed to those with graduate degrees in science is a point Oral stresses when he meets with undergraduate students. "Here in Turkey, basic science has a bad image," he said. "Students see it as leading to employment only as a teacher, and most teachers have low salaries. Many students think they must get degrees in engineering or business to get a good job, but this is not the case."
Oral himself is living proof of the truth of his comments. Upon graduating from Bilkent, he secured competitive postdoctoral positions at the University of Bath and the University of Oxford doing groundbreaking research on the measurement of atoms and magnetic fields. "Oral's story gives motivation to our students in that it shows that we have a strong graduate program here," said Associate Professor Ekmel Özbay. "He proves that with a degree from Bilkent you can get a job with one of the best universities in the world," Dr. Özbay said.
In fact, every physics PhD recipient from Bilkent has gone on to postdoctoral research overseas, according to …zbay, many at outstanding science institutions like Johns Hopkins, Purdue, the University of California at San Diego, and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. While Oral praises the value of postdoctoral research overseas for "expanding one's horizons and opportunities," he cautions science students against the common perception that getting a PhD overseas is a must. "Look at Bilkent, for example. It is one of the best, perhaps the best physics center in Turkey," he said. "The students who come here and who graduate from here are just as prepared to compete as students anywhere in the world."
