History
The Department of Chemistry at Dicle University Faculty of Science was established in 1973 following the establishment of Dicle University. It commenced its educational activities in the 1974-1975 academic year with 15 students, implementing the program of Ankara University Faculty of Science. The support from Ankara University Faculty of Science contributed to the realization of a high-quality education.
Teaching Staff of the Chemistry Department (1974-1975)
The department provided education by implementing the curriculum of the Ankara University Chemistry Department in the building of Hıfzıssıhha Institute in the city center of Diyarbakır, organized into three sections. Respected faculty members from Ankara University, such as Prof. Dr. Celal Tüzün, Prof. Dr. Turgut Gündüz, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çakıl Erk, also supported the doctoral studies of the first members of the department.
With the enforcement of Law No. 2547 on Higher Education in 1981, Prof. Dr. Çakıl Erk, who remained in Diyarbakır and also served as an IUPAC representative, undertook roles in scientific research activities, as well as serving as the Dean and Head of the Chemistry Department. In 1986, the Chemistry Department moved to its current building on the campus of Dicle University, and through its research laboratories on the first floor, it excelled in academic staff and student training and scientific research, ranking high among other Chemistry Departments in Turkey. Starting from the 1990s, the curriculum of the Department was harmonized with the top five universities in Turkey (Ankara, Hacettepe, Middle East Technical University, ITU, and Ege University), and later, in accordance with the Bologna Process, the curriculum was updated in 2014.
Due to various reasons leading to a decreased interest in Fundamental Sciences at the national level, there was a decline in student demand for the Chemistry Department between 2011-2017. However, since 2018, the department has resumed regular student admissions.