In memoriam Yusuf Yagci (17 March 1952–30 January 2023)
First published on 26th April 2023
Yusuf Yagci, Professor of Chemistry at the Istanbul Technical University, Türkiye, who was one of the pioneers in photopolymer sciences, passed away on 30th of January 2023 due to a heart attack while working on his next manuscript in his office.
Yusuf was born in Mustafakemalpasa in Bursa, Türkiye, and was educated at the prestigious Galatasaray Engineering High School, Istanbul. He continued his education at the University of Liverpool, UK, where he studied with Professor Bamford and graduated with a master's degree in 1977 and later graduated with a PhD degree in 1979 under the supervision of Professor Ledwith. He then returned to his native homeland, Türkiye, and joined Istanbul Technical University where he rose through the academic ranks and became full professor in 1989.
His research at Istanbul Technical University over a period of more than four decades focused on synthesis of polymers using light-induced reactions. Initially he worked on photoinduced cationic polymerization and later expanded to advance many areas of photopolymer sciences, such as photochemical methods to make block copolymers, macrophotoinitiators, photoinitiated free radical and controlled radical polymerization, living radical polymerization, photoinduced atom transfer polymerization, light-induced click reactions to create polymers, photo-induced metal-free atom transfer radical polymerization, and light-induced step-growth polymerization.
He was an exceptionally productive scientist who published over 55 books/book chapters and 750 research papers. Yusuf and his group have published 41 manuscripts in Polymer Chemistry. He has regularly reported his most important findings on photoinitiated polymerizations and synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures using click chemistry since 2011. Very recently, Polymer Chemistry guest editors have organized a special themed collection in honor of Prof. Yusuf Yagci's 70th birthday. Yusuf's accomplishments have been recognized through many national and international awards. He was elected to the Turkish Academy of Sciences in 1994 (Assoc. Member) and 1997 (Full Member). Most recent awards include The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) International Award (2008), Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) Ministerial COMSTEC International Award (2010), OIC Science & Technology Award (2017), and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2017), Belgian Polymer Group International Award (2018), Japan Photopolymer Science and Technology Award (2018), Alexander von Humboldt Research Award (2018).
In addition to his outstanding research accomplishments, he was also a dedicated teacher and mentor to his students. He supervised over 120 PhD students. His enthusiasm in chemistry and supportive character enabled over 40 of his students and researchers to become professors now teaching polymer chemistry in different universities in Türkiye and other countries.
Yusuf was particularly active in service to the polymer chemistry community by organizing many international conferences. For example, he initiated and chaired the first IUPAC International Symposium on Ionic Polymerization (Türkiye) and co-chaired with Dr M. Mishra the first International Symposium on Advanced Polymers via Macromolecular Engineering (APME) in 1995 (USA). This conference series has continued to be held every two years. The last conference he organized was the 7th European Symposium of Photopolymer Science in September 2022. The conferences he organized were not only excellent platforms for discussing the latest advances in polymer science, the associated social events he organized were especially memorable.
Yusuf's untimely passing is a tremendous loss for the polymer chemistry community and all who knew him will greatly miss his warm-hearted and supportive personality. His scientific studies will be a LIGHT for researchers.
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