Nihat Berker

Who is Nihat Berker?

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

After graduating from Robert College, 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. After losing the president elections made in ITU, he left Istanbul Technical University. Between 2005 and 2009 he worked as a professor of physics at Koc University, Istanbul, after which he moved to Sabanci University. Currently he is the president of Sabanci University, Istanbul.

Nihat Berker is best known for his research in statistical mechanics, especially on phase transitions applying renormalization group theory, with applications to surface physics and materials with defects.