Istinye University Becomes the Only University in Türkiye Participating in Two CERN Experiments

Istinye University has achieved another significant milestone in the international scientific community by being officially admitted to the CERN CMS Experiment. Istinye University has become the only university in Türkiye to participate in its own right in both ATLAS and CMS, the two major general-purpose experiments conducted at CERN.

Istinye University has officially been admitted to the CERN CMS Experiment, one of the world’s most prestigious international scientific research platforms. Through this significant membership, secured under the leadership of Prof. Taylan Yetkin from the High Energy Particle Physics Research Group within Istinye University’s Department of Basic Sciences, the University has further strengthened its international research network in the field of basic sciences.

CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid), one of the two general-purpose experiments conducted at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), is recognised as one of the world’s largest international scientific collaborations dedicated to understanding the fundamental building blocks of the universe. The CMS Experiment conducts research in some of the most important areas of modern physics, including testing the Standard Model, investigating the properties of the Higgs boson, and searching for dark matter and new particles. In 2012, the ATLAS and CMS experiments independently confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson, marking one of the most significant scientific achievements in the history of particle physics and making the discovery that was recognised with the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Having been admitted to the ATLAS Experiment in 2023 as a member with its own voting rights, Istinye University has now joined the CMS Experiment in the same capacity. Considering the strengthening of Türkiye’s representation on international scientific platforms a national priority, the University joined both the ATLAS and CMS experiments in its own right to increase Türkiye’s visibility within these collaborations.

Istinye University Strengthens Its International Scientific Collaborations

The CERN CMS studies will be conducted under the leadership of Prof. Taylan Yetkin, a researcher in the High Energy Particle Physics Research Group within Istinye University’s Department of Basic Sciences. In addition to Prof. Taylan Yetkin, the research team includes Assoc. Prof. Onur Buğra Kolcu, Dr. Candan Dözen Altuntaş, and Dr. Ece Aşılar.

Istinye University was officially admitted to ATLAS, CERN’s other major general-purpose experiment, in 2023. Following its admission to the CMS Experiment in 2026, it has become the only university in Türkiye to participate directly in both major experiments conducted at CERN. This development demonstrates the level reached by Istinye University’s internationally conducted scientific studies in the fields of basic sciences and high energy particle physics, while further strengthening its position within the global research ecosystem.