Professor Dr. Ahmet Mete Isikara: 1941 - 21 January, 2013

Email to MTNet of 28 January, 2013.

Dear MTnet Members,

We regret to inform you of the passing of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Mete Isikara last week, on Monday (January 21, 2013) in Istanbul, Turkey because of heart failure.

Prof. Isikara was born in 1941 in Mersin, Turkey. After graduating from high school in his hometown, he studied geophysics at the Faulty of Science, Istanbul University. He got his B.Sc. degree in 1964 and Ph.D. degree in 1972 at the same university. His Ph.D. was entitled "The effect of the Sun and the Moon on the Earth's magnetic field near Istanbul". In 1977 he became an associate professor with his studies on the secular variation and the electrical conductivity structure of the Earth's crust. During his career he served as the chairman of the Turkish National Geodesy and Geophysics Association (1976-1983), as well as the Aeronomy Commision (1980 - 1983). He presented Turkey in the Earthquake Prediction Committee of the Council of Europe (1980-1983). He moved to Bogazici University, Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute in 1985 as a deputy director. He became the director of the institute in 1991 and until his retirement in 2002 he stayed as a director. In 2003 he became the founding chairman of the Association of Preparation for Disaster and Training for Earthquake (2003). Especially following the 1999 Izmit earthquake, he became a public figure regarding public awareness about earthquakes and acted as a decision maker at the time of crisis. Prof. Isikara was last serving as the head consultant of the Turkish Red Crescent.

During his career he participated numerous national and international scientific projects with Japanese, British and German colleagues. He is responsible for the education of many young scientists.

He was one of the members of the organization committee of 5th induction workshop held in Istanbul in 17-24 August, 1980. Attached to this email, please find some documents and a photo taken during the workshop with Prof. Isikara.

Turkish scientific community will remember him forever,

S. Bulent Tank
Bogazici University,
Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute
34684, Cengelkoy, Istanbul,
Turkey