Turkish physicist wins Germany's top science prize

A Turkish physicist has received the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship award, Germany's most prestigious science prize.

The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship aims to attract leading international researchers to Germany. This year, Professor Fatih Ömer İlday, a professor at Bilkent University in the capital Ankara, was among nine scientists selected for the award. He is recognized for his research in fast laser technology.

İlday's research focuses on developing ultra-fast lasers, which have applications in various fields, including medicine. The 5-million-euro award will provide him with funding for the next five years to establish a research unit at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, where he will continue his work on "laser matter interactions."

He received his award from the German Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger. Together with İlday, eight other scientists were awarded the Humboldt Professorship.

İlday completed his Ph.D in physics at Cornell University in 2003. He then worked as a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining Bilkent University as a professor in 2006.

Since 2014, he held a joint professorship in physics as well as electrical and electronics engineering, leading the Ultrafast Optics and Lasers Laboratory (UFOLAB).

The scientist is a distinguished member of several prestigious scientific societies, including Academia Europaea, the Turkish Academy of Sciences and both the Turkish and American Physical Societies.