Ahmet Nihat Berkeris a Turkish theoretical physicist and emeritus professor of physics at MIT. He is the son of a notable scientist and engineer Ratip Berker, who deceased on 17.10.1997. His wife, Bedia Erim, is a professor of chemistry

Chemistry

Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....

 at
Istanbul Technical University.

After graduating from Robert College

Robert College

Robert College of Istanbul , is one of the most selective independent private high schools in Turkey. Robert College is a co-educational, boarding school with a wooded campus on the European side of Istanbul between the two bridges on the Bosphorus, with the Arnavutköy district to the east, and...

, Nihat Berker received BS degrees in physics and chemistry from MIT in 1971. Nihat Berker received his PhD in physics at the University of Illinois in 1977. In 1988 he became a full professor of theoretical physics at MIT. Since 1999 he served as a professor and dean of the School of Sciences and Letters at Istanbul Technical University

Istanbul Technical University

Istanbul Technical University is an international technical university located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the world's third oldest technical university dedicated to engineering sciences as well as social sciences recently, and is one of the most prominent educational institutions in Turkey...

. Between 2005 and 2009 he worked as a professor
of physics at Koc University

Koç University

Koç University is a private, non-profit institution, founded in 1993 and located in Istanbul, Turkey. One of the top universities in Turkey, it is supported by the financial resources of the Vehbi Koç Foundation, set up by Vehbi Koç, a leading Turkish businessman, “to serve humanity by increasing...

, Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...

. Currently he is the president of Sabanci University

Sabanci University

Sabancı University is a private research institution located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 1996. SU is a small and highly focused university with 2861 undergraduates and 624 graduates, maintaining a strong emphasis on social and natural sciences...

, Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...

.

Nihat Berker is best known for his research in statistical mechanics

Statistical mechanics

Statistical mechanics or statistical thermodynamicsThe terms statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics are used interchangeably...

, especially on
phase transition

Phase transition

A phase transition is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase or state of matter to another.A phase of a thermodynamic system and the states of matter have uniform physical properties....

s applying renormalization group

Renormalization group

In theoretical physics, the renormalization group refers to a mathematical apparatus that allows systematic investigation of the changes of a physical system as viewed at different distance scales...

 theory, with applications to
surface physics and materials with defect

Defect

- Geometry and physical sciences :* Defect , a characteristic of a polyhedron* Topological defect* Isoperimetric defect* Crystallographic defect, a structural imperfection in a crystal- Pop music :* The Defects, Northern-Irish punk rock band...

s.

External links

• http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/nihatberker/