A Cross-Generational Expedition to the Future: The National Technology Initiative

A closer look at historical developments reveals that our organic ties to science and technology disappeared despite our being the grandchildren of a civilization that founded the positive sciences. The National Technology Initiative, which emerged within that context, aims to promote Türkiye’s social transformation in science and technological development and to train individuals, whose work is guided by ethics and moral principles, that strive to serve humanity and their society. The vision, which the National Technology Initiative embodies, is not limited to developing high technology. At the same time, it aims to serve the benefit of humanity as a whole. This study sheds light on the historical processes and objectives, which influenced the National Technology Initiative’s emergence, and the methods, which must be employed to ensure the success of that vision, with an emphasis on the phenomena of man and society. Stressing that striving to be the best in any given area alone is not enough to become a pioneer in science and technology, this article posits that scientific research must be conducted in line with ethics and morality, and serve humanity. In this regard, it draws certain conclusions about technology and working for the benefit of humanity from Türkiye’s experience of developing a ventilator amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its decision to donate that equipment to the countries in need. This study, which also discusses the paradigm shift that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which experts view as the new players in the battlefield, have triggered, also tells the story of Baykar, one of the key players in that transformation. In this regard, it discusses the secrets of the success of Baykar, which developed the UAVs that led to an overhaul of military doctrine worldwide, and the secret to Baykar’s success – in other words, its genetic code. It also analyzes Teknofest and the Deneyap Technology Workshops, which the Türkiye Technology Team Foundation (the T3 Foundation) hosts, with the National Technology Initiative at the center, for the purpose of transforming society’s mindset and raising future generations with a commitment to developing science and technology.