Ayşe Erzan facts for kids
Ayşe Erzan (born in 1949) is a brilliant Turkish theoretical physicist. She has won many important awards for her work, including the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science in 2003 and the Rammal Award in 2009. She is known for her research in physics and her dedication to human rights.
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Who is Ayşe Erzan?
Ayşe Erzan was born in 1949 in Ankara, Turkey. She is a theoretical physicist, which means she studies the rules of the universe using math and ideas, rather than experiments. Her work helps us understand how things like particles and forces behave.
Her Early Life and Education
Ayşe Erzan completed her high school studies in Istanbul. After that, she traveled to the United States for college. She attended Bryn Mawr College and earned her first degree in 1970. She then continued her studies at Stony Brook University, where she received her Ph.D. in physics in 1976. A Ph.D. is the highest degree you can get in a field of study.
A Career in Physics
After finishing her studies, Dr. Erzan returned to Turkey. She worked for a year at Middle East Technical University in Ankara. In 1977, she joined Istanbul Technical University. During this time, she was also involved in groups that worked for peace and women's rights.
Working Around the World
In 1980, there were some big political changes in Turkey. Because of this, Dr. Erzan left the country. For almost ten years, from 1981 to 1990, she worked and taught at different research centers and universities around the world.
- From 1981 to 1982, she worked at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
- From 1982 to 1985, she was a visiting professor at the University of Porto in Portugal.
- From 1985 to 1987, she was a special researcher at the University of Marburg in Germany.
- From 1987 to 1990, she worked as a research scientist at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
- She also spent a short time as a research fellow at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy.
Returning Home
In 1990, Dr. Erzan returned to Istanbul Technical University in Turkey. She also continued her research at the Feza Gürsey Institute. She has been a very important part of the scientific community in Turkey ever since.
Awards and Recognition
Ayşe Erzan has received many honors for her amazing work in physics.
- In 1995, she became an associate member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences. She became a full member in 1997.
- That same year, she won the science prize from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.
- In 2003, she received the prestigious L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science. This award celebrates women scientists from around the world.
- In 2009, she was given the Rammal Award.
- In 2020, she received the Andrei Sakharov Prize from the American Physical Society. This award recognized her lifelong dedication to human rights.
Dr. Erzan is also a member of important science organizations like The World Academy of Sciences and The Science Academy Society of Turkey. She helps guide scientific discussions by being on the editorial boards of two major physics journals: the Journal of Statistical Physics and European Physical Journal B.
See also
In Spanish: Ayşe Erzan para niños
