EMU Faculty Member Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı Elected to the Committee of the Gravitational Physics Group of the Institute of Physics

Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics academic staff Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı has been elected by the members of the Gravitational Physics Group of the London-based Institute of Physics (IOP) to serve as an Ordinary Member of the Group’s Committee for the 2026–2030 term.

The Institute of Physics (IOP), the professional body for physicists in the United Kingdom and Ireland, organizes scientific events, awards, and scholarships through its specialist interest groups, which focus on various fields of physics. Among these, the Gravitational Physics Group brings together researchers investigating the relationship between gravity and the other fundamental forces, the earliest moments of the universe, and the fundamental structure of matter from both theoretical and experimental perspectives.

Following an invitation extended in April 2026, Prof. Dr. Sakallı submitted his application for candidacy. On 19 August 2026, he was officially notified by the Institute of Physics (IOP) of his election to the Committee, following a vote held among the Group’s members. Prof. Dr. Sakallı’s four-year term of office commenced on 1 October 2026 and will conclude on 30 September 2030. Upon assuming his new role, Prof. Dr. Sakallı received a welcome letter from Tom Grinyer, Group Chief Executive Officer of the IOP.

The Committee, chaired by Dr. Charlie Hoy of the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth, comprises scientists affiliated with institutions in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and China. Prof. Dr. Sakallı’s name is also included in the list of Committee members published on the IOP’s official website.

The Committee held its first meetings of the new term online on 9 October 2026. Discussions focused on proposed speakers and dates for the Group’s Annual Scientific Meeting, the process for the Annual Thesis Prize recognizing doctoral dissertations in gravitational physics, preparations for the BritGrav 2027 conference, which brings together gravitational physics researchers from across the United Kingdom, and the Group’s long-term objectives.

Commenting on his election, Prof. Dr. Sakallı stated, “Serving on the gravitational physics committee of one of the international physics community’s most established organizations represents a significant responsibility for both myself and Eastern Mediterranean University. In this role, I aim to contribute to strengthening collaboration among researchers from different countries and encouraging greater participation of young physicists in the Group’s activities.”

Prof. Dr. Huriye İcil, Chair of the EMU Department of Physics and Chemistry, congratulated Prof. Dr. Sakallı on his achievement, noting that his appointment would contribute to strengthening the Department’s ties with international research networks and creating new opportunities for collaboration among young researchers.

EMU Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Özarslan expressed his pride in Prof. Dr. Sakallı’s election to the Committee, emphasizing his belief that this appointment would contribute to strengthening the Faculty’s international scientific collaborations.

On the other hand, EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç also congratulated Prof. Dr. Sakallı, noting that his appointment to this position within the international scientific community would contribute to enhancing EMU’s scientific expertise and international visibility.

Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı

Prof. Dr. Sakallı, whose research focuses on black hole physics, Hawking radiation, quasinormal modes, greybody factors, gravitational lensing, and modified theories of gravity, also serves as Coordinator of the Academic Project and Research Development Office (R&D) at EMU. Listed among the world’s most influential scientists in Stanford University’s Top 2% Scientists rankings (Single-Year and Career-Long Impact), Prof. Dr. Sakallı serves as a reviewer for more than 20 indexed scientific journals in the field of physics. He is also a member of six COST Actions and serves as an Associate Editor for three international journals, two of which are indexed.