EMU Academician Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı Elected to the Institute of Physics Gravitation Physics Group Committee

Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics faculty member Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı has been elected as an Ordinary Member to the Gravitation Physics Group Committee within the London-based Institute of Physics (IOP) for the 2026–2030 term, following the votes of the group members.

IOP, the professional body for physicists in the UK and Ireland, organizes scientific events, awards, and grants through special interest groups organized according to their fields of expertise. The Gravitation Physics Group brings together researchers who study the relationship between gravity and other fundamental forces, the early moments of the universe, and the fundamental structure of matter from both theoretical and experimental perspectives.

Following an invitation received in April 2026, Prof. Dr. Sakallı submitted his candidacy and was notified by the IOP on August 19, 2026, that he had been elected to the committee following an election in which group members participated. Prof. Dr. Sakallı's four-year term, which began on October 1, 2026, will end on September 30, 2030. Upon taking office, a welcome letter was sent to Prof. Dr. Sakallı by IOP Group Chief Executive Officer Tom Grinyer.

Chaired by Dr. Charlie Hoy from the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth, the committee includes scientists from institutions in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and China. Prof. Dr. Sakallı's name is also listed on the committee roster on the official IOP website.

The committee's first meetings for the new term were held online on October 9, 2026. The meetings addressed speaker and date proposals for the group's Annual Scientific Meeting, the Annual Thesis Award process recognizing Ph.D. theses in the field of gravitation physics, preparations for the BritGrav 2027 conference bringing together UK gravitation researchers, and the group's long-term goals.

Evaluating his election, Prof. Dr. Sakallı stated: "Serving on the gravitation committee of one of the long-standing institutions of the international physics community is a significant responsibility both for me and for Eastern Mediterranean University. In this role, I aim to contribute to strengthening cooperation among researchers from different countries and encouraging younger physicists to participate more actively in the group's activities."

EMU Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics and Chemistry Chair Prof. Dr. Huriye İcil congratulated Prof. Dr. Sakallı on his success, stating that this role will help strengthen the department's ties with international research networks and foster new cooperation opportunities for young researchers.

EMU Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Özarslan expressed their pride in Prof. Dr. Sakallı's election to the committee, emphasizing his belief that this role will contribute to the development of the faculty's international scientific collaborations.

EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç congratulated Prof. Dr. Sakallı, noting that this role within the international scientific community will contribute to strengthening EMU's scientific accumulation and international visibility.

Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı

Conducting research in black hole physics, Hawking radiation, quasinormal modes, greybody factors, gravitational lensing, and modified theories of gravity, Prof. Dr. Sakallı also serves as the Coordinator of the EMU Academic Project–Research and Development Office (R&D). Ranked among Stanford University's list of the world's most influential scientists (Top 2% Single Year & Career), Prof. Dr. Sakallı acts as a peer reviewer for over 20 indexed physical science journals. Serving as a member in six COST Actions, Prof. Dr. Sakallı also works as an associate editor for a total of three international journals, two of which are indexed.