Thirty Grade 9 Physics students participated in the ‘Life and Science in Space’ conference held at Yeditepe University on Sep 14. It was hosted by Prof. Albert Sacco Jr.: scientist, Dean of Texas University-College of Engineering, Turkophile, and former astronaut who carried the Turkish flag on the U.S. space mission he led in 1995. He spoke about his experiment to develop Zeolite crystals and life in space. It is the best for us to read the details of this conference directly from one of participant students, Lara.
“At 14 September2015, we as Hisar Students went to Yeditepe University for a conference. Conference was “Living and Doing Science in Space” by chemical engineer and former astronaut Prof. Albert Sacco Jr.
At 1995 Sacco went outside of our atmosphere with a spaceship called STS-73 to study the growth rate of zeolite crystals at space. During the conference he shared his studies with zeolite crystals and told us about his journey in the space for 16 days.
Our preliminary research about him and his studies gave us a brief idea about the subject and help us to understand the conference better.
Professor’s research topic is zeolite crystals which are used for cleaning the heavy metals in oil refineries and wastewater. Basically it is really important for earth’s future. The problem is zeolite crystals grow really slowly at World conditions but it grows 500-1000 times faster at the space because of no gravity. His research became really successful and people started to think that his analysis will also contribute other explorations at the future.
The reason of why the conference was held in Yeditepe University is Prof Sacco and Rector of Yeditepe University, chemical engineer Prof. Dr. Nurcan Baç, long years of works together on zeolite crystals. Prof Baç was the one who asked Prof Sacco to take Turkish flag to the space and Albert Sacco had the appellation of being the first person that took the Turkish flag to the space. He served this flag to the president of Turkey at that time, Süleyman Demirel.
At the end of the conference while we were going back to school with our bus, we also connected the studies that we learnt during the conference with our 9th grade physics lessons. The whole process was pleasant and full of knowledge. It was also really amusing for students who devote these topics like me.
Lara O. ’19”
Thank you Lara to sharing us your and your classmates’ important experience!