Sevgin Oktay

In Memoriam
MS, ME, Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University 1963​

​
​ We were saddened for the loss of our dear friend Sevgin Oktay in 2023 at age of 88. He was the founder and former president of the Society Turkish American Architects, Engineers and Scientists. Additionally, he was an active VP of Assembly of Turkish American Associations, ATAA, for the New England Region. He had a car accident near Poughkeepsie while driving back home with his wife, Betty from an ATAA activity in Washington D.C. He had celebrated his 88th birthday two weeks earlier. He did not survive the accident, but Betty was injured. A celebration of his life was held in April 2024. Mr. Oktay was born in Saray, Tekirdağ, Turkey, and immigrated to the United States after graduating from Tarsus American College with honors. He subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Antioch College. He continued his edification with a Master of Science and Professional Engineering in mechanical engineering from Columbia University in 1963. Mr. Oktay joined IBM, at Watson Research Labs after graduation. He became a senior product program manager before his departure from IBM in 1993. During his career at IBM, Mr. Oktay was published extensively in scientific and professional journals and books in the areas of heat transfer, microelectronics and computer systems technology. He had more than 40 published inventions, 13 of which are United States patents.
After assisting an IBM colleague file patent applications for his clients, mostly in the Far East, Mr. Oktay embarked upon a second career in intellectual protection and patents, holding advisory positions as a registered patent agent with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and White & Case LLP before founding his own firm, Oktay Enterprises International LLC.
In addition, he was an elected life fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and a member of the Eastern New York Intellectual Property Law Association and the National Association for Patent Practitioners.
Mr. Oktay had been granted many patents himself and also acted as a successful patent agent for many semiconductor manufacturers in Taiwan and Singapore. He was an avid airplane pilot, was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Experimental Aircraft Association. Keenly involved with his Turkish heritage, he founded an organization, titled the Turkish Anti-Defamation Alliance, which aims to protect and preserve accurate information about his home country.

Commemoration of the Gallipoli War of 1915 21 March 2015 City Univerity of New York Organized by: * Istanbul Technical University Alumni Association USA İTÜ Mezunları Derneği ABD * Turkish American Societies
 
The needy student bees of ITU need your support to continue their studies.
We all can support at least one student each.		 ITUMD-Burs-Kiz3.jpg
2 Ways to Support Students
 You can support in 2 different ways:
1)  One-time donation.
2)  Monthly donations.
 
Scholarship Campaign Page:​

Association Home Page: