Gebze Technical University Joins the Antarctic Scientific Expedition

January 30, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
 

Asst. Prof. Meltem Çelen (PhD), a faculty member of the Institute of Earth and Marine Sciences at Gebze Technical University (GTU), sets off with the team of the 10th National Antarctic Scientific Expedition to begin her scientific studies on the White Continent.

The countdown has ended for the 10th National Antarctic Scientific Expedition (TAE X), carried out under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, under the authority of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and coordinated by the TÜBİTAK Polar Research Institute (KARE). Taking place between 26 January 2026 and 1 March 2026, this historic expedition brings together a delegation of 17 researchers, 16 Turkish and 1 international, who departed from Istanbul for Antarctica, the “White Continent.”

Representing Türkiye’s strong commitment to polar research, the scientific delegation includes Asst. Prof. Meltem Çelen (PhD) from the Institute of Earth and Marine Sciences at Gebze Technical University. Within the scope of the expedition, Çelen will conduct her research in Antarctica under the project titled “Determination of the Spatial Distribution, Inter-Environmental Drift Trends, and Sources of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Different Environmental Settings of Antarctic Horseshoe Island.”

A National Contribution to Global Science

Throughout the nearly month-long expedition, researchers will collect data across a wide range of disciplines, from climate change to marine sciences. Carrying GTU’s academic expertise to international waters and the polar regions, this participation once again highlights the university’s global scientific vision.