Prof. Dr. DİLHAN (EGE) EZER ERYURT
1926
She was born in Izmir.
1942
When she had honours degree grades three years in a row at Ankara All Girls' High School, Hasan Ali Yücel, Turkish Minister of Education gave her Atatürk's book Nutuk as a gift. In the same year, she passed the exam to enter the Department of Mathematics of Istanbul University.
1946
She worked without payment with Prof. Dr. Tevfik Okyay Kabakçıoğlu who was appointed as the Professor of Astronomy at Ankara University for two years since there was no vacancy.
1948
She was officially employed after two years and she went to Michigan University for postgraduate studies with a special permit.
1953 - 1956
She earned her PhD from Ankara University in 1953 and became an associate professor in 1956. Her dissertation was the first paper on astrophysics in the university.
1959
She worked with Prof. Dr. Alastair G. W. Cameron, one of the world famous astrophysicists at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratory for two years. She needed to write a computer program to work on the subject Prof. Cameron asked from her. But she hadn't even seen a single computer back in Türkiye...She went directly to libraries, borrowed books and taught herself computer programming!
1961
She went to Indiana University to work as a researcher. She worked with Prof. Dr. Marshall Wrubel, a renowned scientist to build star models at the Goethe Link Observatory of the university. The same year she started to work at Goddard Space Research Institute of NASA and became the first Turkish Woman working at NASA! She was the only female astronomer in the institute during that period. She found that in the beginning the Sun was actually brighter than it was originally assumed and its heat gradually decreased. Her findings were relevant to the space flights which were just started.
1968
She worked as a guest professor at ODTU University for one year. She organized the first National Astronomy Assembly in Türkiye with the support of TUBITAK.
1969
After successful landing on the Moon with the Apollo Project, she was given Apollo Achievement Award in appreciation of her contribution as a member of the team.
1973
She started to work in the Physics Department of ODTÜ University and founded Department of Astrophysics.
1977
She was given TÜBİTAK Science, Special, Service and Encouragement Award.
1988
She worked as the head of Department of Physics of the Faculty of Arts and Science at ODTÜ for six months and as the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science for five years; she retired in 1993.
1991
She played an important role in the project and design of the observatory at ODTU.
1997
She was awarded with the plaque of honour for her contribution to the National Observatory project.
2012
Dilhan Eryurt died as a role model for Turkish women to pursue career in science.
