Dilhan Eryurt was a Turkish astrophysicist. Eryurt was the first Turkish scientist to work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She founded the Department of Astrophysics at the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara and was Dean of the Faculty of Science and Literature at METU.
Eryurt first attended elementary school and later a secondary school for girls. There she developed a special interest in mathematics and after graduating from high school she started studying at the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy at Istanbul Üniversitesi and specialized in astronomy during her studies.
After graduating in 1946, she worked for two years without pay as a scientific assistant to Tevfik Oktay Kabakçıoğlu, who was to establish a Department of Astronomy at the Ankara University.
Eryurt then went on to graduate studies at the University of Michigan, receiving her doctorate in 1953 from the Department of Astrophysics at the University of Ankara, where she then worked as an associate professor.
She then went to Indiana University in the United States on a scholarship from Soroptimist International to conduct research on the creation of star models at the Goethe-Link Observatory.
The previously held view that the brightness and intensity of the Sun had increased in the first four billion years since its formation was corrected after Eryurt determined that the Sun had been brighter and warmer in the past.
After two years at the Goddard Institute, Eryurt worked there as head of a research group.
The Institute sent her to the University of California where she did research on the formation and evolution of stars. In 1988 she headed the Department of Physics for six months and then became Dean of the Faculty of Science and Literature.
Source: Wikipedia.
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| Dilhan Eryurt was the first Turkish scientist at NASA. Google doodle. |
Life of Dilhan Eryurt
Eryurt was born in Izmir in 1926 as the daughter of the politician Abidin Ege, who represented the Denizli Province as a deputy in the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1944 and was also Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture.Eryurt first attended elementary school and later a secondary school for girls. There she developed a special interest in mathematics and after graduating from high school she started studying at the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy at Istanbul Üniversitesi and specialized in astronomy during her studies.
After graduating in 1946, she worked for two years without pay as a scientific assistant to Tevfik Oktay Kabakçıoğlu, who was to establish a Department of Astronomy at the Ankara University.
Eryurt then went on to graduate studies at the University of Michigan, receiving her doctorate in 1953 from the Department of Astrophysics at the University of Ankara, where she then worked as an associate professor.
She then went to Indiana University in the United States on a scholarship from Soroptimist International to conduct research on the creation of star models at the Goethe-Link Observatory.
The previously held view that the brightness and intensity of the Sun had increased in the first four billion years since its formation was corrected after Eryurt determined that the Sun had been brighter and warmer in the past.
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| Dilhan Eryurt made an important discoveries which contributed to the success of the moon landing mission Apollo 11. |
After two years at the Goddard Institute, Eryurt worked there as head of a research group.
The Institute sent her to the University of California where she did research on the formation and evolution of stars. In 1988 she headed the Department of Physics for six months and then became Dean of the Faculty of Science and Literature.
Family
Eryurt was married to the lawyer and politician Sabahattin Eryurt.Recognition
Since 2017, the Middle East University of Technology in Ankara has been holding the annual Dilhan Eryurt Astronomy Day in memory of the astronomer, which is intended to promote the exchange between students and scientists in the field of astronomy.On 20 July 2020, Google honoured her with a logo ("Google-Doodle") as the first Turkish scientist at NASA.
Prof. Dr.
Dilhan Eryurt
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| Dilhan Eryurt Google Doodle. | |
| Born | 29 November 1926
İzmir, Turkey.
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| Died | 13 September 2012 (aged 85)
Ankara, Turkey.
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| Alma mater | Istanbul University. University of Michigan. University of Ankara. |
| Awards | Apollo Achievement Award. Tübitak Science Award. |
| Scientific career. | |
| Fields | Astrophysics (Heliology). |
| Institutions | Indiana University. Goethe Link Observatory. Goddard Space Flight Center. Middle East Technical University NASA. |