CURRICULUM VITAE
YAKUP PEKÖN
yakup@astroa.physics.metu.edu.tr
ypekon@gmail.com
Date of Birth: 15 November 1982
EDUCATION
2007 – 2014
Ph.D. - PHYSICS
Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara
Institute of Science, Department of Physics
GPA: 3.44
2004 - 2007
M.S. - PHYSICS
Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara
Institute of Science, Department of Physics
GPA: 3.21
2000 - 2004
B.S. - PHYSICS
Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics
GPA: 3.00
WORK EXPERIENCE
2013- present
Title
Teaching Assistant
December 2011- January 2012
Title
Guest Researcher
2009 - 2012
Title
Research Assistant
2007- 2012
Title
Atılım University, Physics Group, Ankara
Duty
Teaching freshman physics laboratory courses for
engineering students
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
Cambridge/MA
Duty
Working on Chandra LETG data of V4743 Sgr
under supervision of Dr. Randall Smith, for
COSPAR Capacity Building Fellowship Program
METU Physics Department, Ankara
Duty
Conducting astrophysical research for TÜBİTAK
(The Scientific and Technological Research
Council of Turkey) Project no: 108T735
METU Physics Department, Ankara
Duty
Teaching Assistant
2006 - 2008
Title
Research Assistant
2005 - 2006
Title
Physicist
Conducting problem solving hours and
coordinating the Modern Physics course for
engineering students.
Conducting Physics Laboratory Courses for
freshman science & engineering students.
METU Physics Department, Ankara
Duty
Analysis of optical and X-ray astrophysical data
for TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological
Research Council of Turkey) Project no: 106T040
NanoMagnetics Instruments Ltd., Ankara
Duty
Testing and calibration of scanning tunnelling
microscopes (STM) and control electronics.
Assistance in production and R&D.
COMPUTER SKILLS
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OCTAVE, Matlab, C, Python
Experience with optical and X-ray (XMM-Newton, Chandra) astrophysical
data analysis software (MIDAS, XSPEC, SPEX, XRONOS, SAS, FTOOLS)
MS Office, Adobe Photoshop, Gnuplot, LaTeX
LANGUAGES
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Turkish: Native
English: Fluent (TOEFL IBT Score:111)
German: Intermediate
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS and EXPERIENCE
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Compact Binaries, Cataclysmic Variables (classical novae in quiescence and
outburst, magnetic systems)
X-ray spectroscopy, phase-resolved spectroscopy
Optical Photometry with MIDAS
CHANDRA Spectral and Timing analysis
XMM-Newton Spectral and Timing Analysis
PUBLICATIONS
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“Orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy of the intermediate polar FO Aqr using
XMM-Newton Observatory Data” Pekon Y., Balman S., 2012, AJ, 144, 53
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“Orbital and spin phase-resolved spectroscopy of the intermediate polar EX
Hya using XMM-Newton data” Pekon Y., Balman S., 2011, MNRAS, 411, 1177
“RR Pic (1925): An X-ray View” Pekon Y., Balman S., 2008, MNRAS, 388, 921
“On the Pre-nova Optical Brightness of V2491 Cyg” –
Balman S., Pekön Y., Kiziloglu U., 2008, Atel, 1504, 1
PROCEEDINGS
 “Orta Kutupsallarda Faz Çözünürlüklü X-Işın Analizi: PQ Gem ve V2069
Cyg”, Pekön Y. – in preparation
 “Phase Resolved X-Ray Spectral Analysis of Intermediate Polars EX Hya and
FO Aqr” –
Pekön Y., Balman S., 2014, Physics at the Magnetospheric Boundary, Geneva,
Switzerland, Edited by E. Bozzo; P. Kretschmar; M. Audard; M. Falanga; C.
Ferrigno; EPJ Web of Conferences, Volume 64, id.07004
 “High resolution XMM-Newton data of Nova Outbursts using Warm and Hot
Absorber Models” Balman S., Pekon Y., 2013, in IAU Symposium 281: Binary Paths to Type Ia
Supernovae Explosions, 124
 “Orbital-phase Resolved Spectroscopy of FO Aqr (IP) Using XMM-Newton
data”
Pekon Y., Balman S., 2011, in “The X-ray Universe 2011”, 266
 “Orbital Phase Resolved Spectroscopy of EX Hya Using XMM-NEWTON” Pekon Y., Balman S., in “X-RAY ASTRONOMY 2009; PRESENT STATUS,
MULTI-WAVELENGTH APPROACH AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES”,
2010, AIPC, 1248, 137
 “Orbital Phase-Resolved Spectroscopy of Selected Intermediate Polar
Systems” Balman S., Pekon Y., in “38th COSPAR Scientific Assembly”, 2010, vol: 38,
p: 2421
 “RR Pic (1925): A Chandra X-ray View” Pekon Y., Balman S., in “The X-ray Universe 2008”, 2008, p: 75
EVENTS ATTENDED
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National Astronomy Congress 2015 (UAK 2015) – February 2015 –
Ankara/TURKEY – (Talk)
“Physics at the Magnetic Boundary” Conference – June 2013 –
Geneva/SWITZERLAND - (Talk)
Asiago Meeting on Symbiotic Stars 2011 - July 2011 - Asiago/ITALY –
(Poster Presentation)
IAU Symposium 281: Binary Paths to Type Ia Supernovae Explosions – July
2011 – Padova/ITALY - (Poster Presentation)
XVII. National Astronomy Congress - September 2010 - Adana/TURKEY –
(Talk)
2nd Astrophysics of Neutron Stars Workshop – July 2008 – Istanbul/TURKEY
– (Poster Presentation)
The 8th COSPAR Capacity Building Workshop: Space Astrophysics with
NASA & ESA Missions: Swift, Chandra & XMM/Newton – January 2008 –
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Alexandria/EGYPT – (Participant in learning XMM Newton and Chandra
data analysis)
1st Astrophysics of Neutron Stars Workshop – July 2007 – Istanbul (Participant)
COMMITTEES
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National Astronomy Congress 2015 (UAK 2015) – February 2015 – Local
Organizing Committee
OTHER ACTIVITIES
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“Future of the Mind” by Michio Kaku - Translation Editor – METU Press –
2015
“Physics of the Impossible” by Michio Kaku – Translation/Science Editor METU Press - 2014