Change in ODTÜ-GÜNAM Chair of the Board

From Founder Prof. Dr. Raşit Turan to the New Term under Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk Yerci

 Prof. Dr. Raşit TURAN – Founder of ODTÜ-GÜNAM and Coordinator of the SiPV Division

Prof. Dr. Raşit Turan led the establishment of the Solar Energy Research and Application Center (GÜNAM) within Middle East Technical University (METU) in 2009, serving as its Founding Director. Bringing together METU’s scientific excellence and Türkiye’s vast solar energy potential, this initiative became the country’s first fully integrated research center in the field of solar energy technologies. Under the framework of Law No. 6550 on the Support of Research Infrastructures, enacted in 2020, GÜNAM obtained the status of a Thematic Research Infrastructure and was restructured under the name ODTÜ-GÜNAM (METU Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications). Between 2021 and 2025, Prof. Dr. Turan served as the Chair of the ODTÜ-GÜNAM Board, while continuing his role as the Coordinator of the Silicon Photovoltaic Technologies (SiPV) Division. During this period, the Center significantly expanded its influence in both national and international solar energy research and production ecosystems. A pioneering figure in silicon photovoltaic technologies in Türkiye, Prof. Dr. Raşit Turan has played a key role in shaping the country’s research and production capacity in this field. As the ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures) Delegate of Türkiye, he strengthened the country’s representation and visibility within international research infrastructures. He is also the inventor of nine patents in the field of solar energy technologies and has made substantial contributions to both academic and industrial advancements through his innovative approaches. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Turan, ODTÜ-GÜNAM rapidly evolved into the most advanced solar energy research infrastructure in Türkiye and the region. One of the Center’s most significant milestones during this period was the establishment of the country’s first industrial-scale solar cell pilot production line (SiPV Pilot Line). Through his vision, ODTÜ-GÜNAM established strategic collaborations with leading international solar cell and module research infrastructures, launching Türkiye’s first R&D and pilot production studies in PERC and TOPCon cell technologies. Moreover, the Center became one of the pioneering institutions in next-generation high-efficiency photovoltaic technologies, particularly through its research on perovskite/Si tandem solar cells. During this transformative phase, ODTÜ-GÜNAM’s scientific capacity and industrial impact expanded significantly, creating a strong bridge of collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers. Prof. Dr. Turan has taken part as principal investigator or researcher in numerous national and international projects funded by TÜBİTAK, the European Union (FP7, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe), and regional development agencies, playing a leading role in Türkiye’s transition to a high-technology solar energy ecosystem. He has co-authored more than 300 publications and holds an H-index of 38. His numerous national and international publications in solar technologies, nanostructured semiconductors, and energy efficiency have received significant academic recognition and citation impact. _________________________________________________________________

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk YERCI – Chair of the ODTÜ-GÜNAM Board of Directors

As of November 2025, coinciding with ODTÜ-GÜNAM’s new qualification period, the Center has been reclassified as an Advanced Research Laboratory, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk Yerci has been elected as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yerci, a faculty member of METU’s Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, is an internationally recognized researcher specializing in semiconductor materials, nanophotonic structures, photonic integrated circuits, and emerging photovoltaic technologies. He completed his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Boston University (USA). Subsequently, he worked as a research staff member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Mechanical Engineering, between 2011 and 2014. Upon returning to METU in 2014, he continued his research on light management, surface passivation, and tandem solar cell design. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk Yerci currently serves as the Integrated PV Program Leader within the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) Photovoltaics organization. He also acts as Türkiye’s ESFRI Delegate, contributing to the definition of international policy and research orientations in energy technologies and photovoltaics. His recent scientific work focuses on perovskite, tandem, and thin-film photovoltaic technologies. Dr. Selçuk Yerci has authored over 90 scientific publications and holds an H-index of 32. His pioneering research has earned him several prestigious national awards, including the TÜBİTAK Incentive Award, Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) – Outstanding Young Scientist Award, Science Academy Young Scientist Award, and the Parlar Foundation Incentive Award. In 2025, he was awarded the Gold Medal at the ISIF’25 International Invention Fair for his innovation titled “Monolithically series-connected solar modules formed by using P1 and P3 scribes with no additional P2 scribing operation.” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yerci is also listed as an inventor in six patent applications, contributing to Türkiye’s transition toward high-value-added photovoltaic manufacturing technologies through his original and practical solutions. Entering its new qualification period as an Advanced Research Laboratory, ODTÜ-GÜNAM, under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk Yerci aims to deepen its research infrastructures with international research infrastructures and to strengthen Türkiye’s global competitiveness in innovative solar energy technologies.