ITU Faculty Member, World Renowned Scientist Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı Passed Away

Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı, ITU Department of Chemistry faculty member and one of the most respected names in polymer science worldwide, passed away on January 30th due to a heart attack he suffered while working in his office at ITU Ayazağa Campus, Faculty of Sciences and Letters.

Istanbul Technical University (ITU) is bidding farewell to Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı, one of its most distinguished professors. Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı, one of the faculty members who made our country proud with his achievements in the field of science, and who had a very important role in the rise of ITU among the world universities with his highly cited articles and original studies, passed away on January 30, 2023. His unexpected passing has left his family, students and loved ones in mourning.

Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı was a much loved and highly respected exemplary scientist who made a name for himself both nationally and internationally with his scientific studies and the recipient of many worldwide awards in the field of polymer science. Prof. Dr. Yağcı’s passing saddened the whole ITU Family as well as the scientific world.

A commemoration ceremony was held for Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı at the Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center in ITU Ayazağa Campus at 11.30 on Wednesday, February 1st. There were many participants from home and abroad in the commemoration ceremony, including Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı’s students, colleagues, friends and family. Yağcı’s family and loved ones made short speeches in his memory.

Our Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu expressed the following in his commemoration speech: “Besides his very successful scientific works, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı had a very cheerful and colorful personality. He always had a very good relationship with his students as well as with our academic and administrative staff. Regardless of their age, everyone who knew him loved him for his jocular and amiable character. Thanks to his never-ending energy and amusing humor, his relationship with the ITU Family has always been positive. We will remember our esteemed professor Yusuf Yağcı not only for his world-renowned works but also for his amiable and cheerful personality.”

After the ceremony at Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center and the funeral prayer held at ITU Mosque, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı was interred at Kilyos Cemetery.

He became known for developing a kit that detects coronavirus in 1 second

Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı was a much loved and highly respected exemplary scientist who made a name for himself both nationally and internationally with his scientific studies and the recipient of many worldwide awards in the field of polymer science.

Among Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı’s numerous achievements was the development of a kit that detects coronavirus variants in one second, an invention that we remember from last year and that made an impact in our country and in the world.

About Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı

Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı completed his undergraduate education at IDMMA Galatasaray Engineering High School, Chemical Engineering Department in 1974. Following his graduation, Prof. Dr. Yağcı continued his education in the UK and received his master’s and Ph. D. degrees from Liverpool University in 1977 and 1979. Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı joined the ITU Family in 1980, and he carried out studies in countries such as Germany, Japan and China with the scholarships he won. Prof. Dr. Yağcı received his titles of associate professor and professor at ITU. Prof. Dr. Yağcı became full professor at the very young age of 37.

Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı played a pioneering role in the realization of the polymerization reaction with light and the use of light in the field of click chemistry, and his highly cited works have been successful and respected worldwide. Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı’s field of study, polymer science, covers chemical substances such as plastics, paints and adhesives, which have become indispensable in our daily lives, as well as organic structures such as wool, hair and nails, and molecules such as DNA. Polymers, which have a wide range of applications from medicine to the defense industry, and fields of study such as polymerization reactions and click chemistry frequently become the subject of Nobel Prizes.

Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı has nearly 750 scientific articles with many citations and 10 patents. He has written 6 books and authored 31 book chapters. Prof. Dr. Yağcı was an honorary member of many international scientific institutions, as well as an editor and referee in prestigious academic journals. You can receive more detailed information about Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı’s work by clicking here.

ITU faculty member Prof. Dr. Yağcı was a sought-after name in academic meetings such as congresses, conferences and symposiums held at national and international level, in which he assumed important roles such as chairmanship and board membership. He was the recipient of 7 national and international scholarships and nearly 20 scientific awards in his lifetime that exceeded seventy years.

Apart from his scientific activities, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yağcı was a versatile and colorful personality who was actively involved in diverse fields from sports to art.