Hakkı Ögelman

Hakkı Boran Ögelman (July 8, 1940 – September 4, 2011) was a Turkish physicist and astrophysicist. He was an expert on gamma-ray astronomy, the physics of neutron stars, and solar energy and worked on several key topics in modern astrophysics. He made many contributions to high energy astrophysics. In his early professional career he engaged in the SAS-II Small Gamma Ray Astronomy Satellite experiment development, data analysis, and first detection and imaging of our universe in gamma rays with his NASA colleagues, as well as in other fields of physics. His main interests in the field of astrophysics were the study of gamma ray astronomy and compact objects such as neutron stars and pulsars. Ögelman worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey, Çukurova University in Adana, Turkey, Max Planck Institute (MPI) at Garching, Germany and the University of Wisconsin. He was born in Ankara, Turkey, and pursued his higher education in the United States, earning degrees from DePauw University and Cornell University. After postdoctoral research in Australia and work at Goddard Space Flight Center, he returned to Turkey to contribute to education and research at METU and later at Çukurova University. He also held positions at the Max Planck Institute and the University of Wisconsin. His research interests included gamma-ray astronomy, neutron stars, pulsars, and solar energy. He received several awards and honors for his contributions to science. He passed away in 2011, and a summer school program was established in his memory.