From Blue Marble to Space with the Architects of the Sky

The launch of the project “From Blue Marble to Space with the Architects of the Sky” carried out by the Bursa Provincial Directorate of National Education was held at the Gökmen Aerospace Training Center (GUHEM). With the project, 60 classroom teachers from different cities of Turkey will be trained in the fields of space, astronomy and aviation.

Within the scope of TÜBİTAK-4004 Nature Education and Science Schools Support Program, the project "From Blue Marble to Space with the Architects of the Sky" was launched. The program held in GUHEM, Turkey's first aerospace themed training center, was attended by BTSO Chairman of the Board İbrahim Burkay, Bursa Provincial Director of National Education Bülent Altıntaş, Provincial National Education Branch Manager Ahmet Uzun, GUHEM General Manager Halit Mirahmetoğlu and students from different provinces of Turkey. classroom teachers participated. Speaking at the opening of the project led by Bursa Provincial Directorate of National Education, BTSO Chairman İbrahim Burkay said that countries that are among the 100 largest economies in the world have a strong potential in the field of space and aviation.

“GUHEM IS A TRANSFORMATION CENTER”

Stating that Turkey also has important goals in the field of aerospace, President Burkay underlined that GUHEM, which is included in the National Space Program, has also come to life with this vision. President Burkay said, “As BTSO, we brought this center to our city with the cooperation of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality and TUBITAK. As the Chamber, we invited the French astronaut Patrick Baudry to Bursa 7 years ago in the field of aerospace and brought him together with our companies and students. Baudry is the first astronaut in France to come out of 3 young people with a project like GUHEM in France. In fact, centers like GUHEM play the role of a transformation center. Turkey can now send its satellite into space with its technology. I believe that our center, which is in the first place in Europe and among the top 5 in the world, will bring new horizons to our new generation. I wish the project we organized together with the Provincial Directorate of National Education to be beneficial, and thank everyone who contributed.” said.

THE FUTURE IS IN THE SKIES…

Provincial Director of National Education Bülent Altıntaş said that the word of the founder of the Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 'The future is in the skies', which sheds light on the present, constitutes the essence of all the words that can be said about space, astronomy and aviation. Altıntaş said: “One understands the earth by recognizing the sky. This approach has found a strong response in our country today. We now say 'we are here' in the fields of space, astronomy and aviation, with effective studies with a future perspective that have been planned and started to be realized. We, the educators, have great and very important responsibilities in internalizing all these studies and making them sustainable by transferring them to our children and young people. Within the scope of TÜBİTAK-4004 Nature Education and Science Schools Support Program, the studies that will be carried out in different places special for space, astronomy and aviation; it will inspire new generation researchers interested in these fields and will be instrumental in raising young Gökmen. I would like to express my gratitude to all our managers, teachers and academicians who have worked hard for the realization of this project from the very beginning, our Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, the BTSO Management, the invaluable team of GUHEM and our stakeholders who have strengthened our project.” he said.

Provincial Director of National Education Ahmet Uzun emphasized that the teachers who received training with the project aimed to guide children in the process of making sense of space, the world and the universe, and to increase their competencies in astronomy and space sciences and aviation.

GUHEM General Manager Halit Mirahmetoğlu stated that selfless thinkers can change the world and noted that the program organized in cooperation with the Provincial Directorate of National Education will provide teachers with an important experience.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROWTH OF YOUNG SKYMEN

In the project, which was developed with the contributions of Bursa Provincial Directorate of National Education and GUHEM, trainings were started to be given to 60 classroom teachers selected from various provinces of Turkey, within the framework of the determined program. It is aimed to contribute to the training of young astronomers by inspiring the new generation of researchers who are interested in these fields with the "do-live-observe" themed activities within the education program to be carried out to cover fields such as astronomy, space sciences and aviation. The training activities to be held at GUHEM with the “From Blue Marble to Space with the Architects of the Sky” Project developed and supported within the scope of the 4004 TÜBİTAK call; It will be held between 22-26 August and 27-31 August for 5 groups of 30 people for 2 days each. In addition to GUHEM, training activities that will be reinforced with activities to be held at Yunuseli Airport and Dağyenice Pond will be made continuous.

GUHEM, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Bursa Model Aircraft Club Association, Bursa Amateur Astronomy Club Association and Celestron Telescope Company are among the stakeholders of the project, which is conducted by Bursa Provincial Directorate of National Education.