Prof. Zafer Öztek, M.D. and Associate Prof. Hakan Altıntaş, M.D., E.M.D.M. began the foundation efforts of Hacettepe University Disaster Research and Application Center (HAMER) on December 04th, 2006, Monday. As a first step, the bylaw and activity program outline of HAMER were prepared.

Later, Prof. Nurhan Bayraktar, Ph.D., Prof. Çağatay Güler, M.D., Associate Prof. Zafer Erden, Ph.D., Associate Prof. Belma Giray, Ph.D. and Assistant Prof. Filiz Demiröz, Ph.D. joined them and the Founding Committee of HAMER was established. The seven-membered Founding Committee had its first meeting on March 14th, 2007, Wednesday (02.30 p.m.). This first meeting was held in the meeting room of the Department of Public Health (Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine). After fulfilling all the requirements and documents, the application file for the foundation of HAMER was presented to Rector Prof. Tunçalp Özgen, M.D.

On October 3rd, 2007 (Wednesday), in its 16th session, the Senate of Hacettepe University approved HAMER’s foundation (Decision number: 2007-162).

After the approval of Higher Education Council (YÖK), HAMER’s bylaw was published in the Official Newspaper (Date: 11 August 2008, Monday, Number: 26964). So, the HAMER was officially founded.

Rector of H.U. Prof. Uğur Erdener, M.D. appointed Prof. Zafer Öztek, M.D. as the first director of HAMER (Date: 11 October 2008, Number: 04611).

Rector of H.U. Prof. Uğur Erdener, M.D. appointed Associate Prof. Hakan Altıntaş, M.D., E.M.D.M. (Vice director), Prof. Nurhan Bayraktar, Ph.D., Prof. Çağatay Güler, M.D., Associate Prof. Zafer Erden, Ph.D., Associate Prof. Belma Giray, Ph.D. and Assistant Prof. Filiz Demiröz, Ph.D. as the first members of HAMER’s Executive Committee (Date: 19 October 2008, Number: 436-1816).

The Application and Research Centers of Hacettepe University presented their activities which were conducted in the last two years. This meeting was held in Hacettepe Culture Center’s R-hall on April 7th, 2012 and each presentation lasted in 10 minutes. After HAMER’s presentation, Rector Prof. Murat Tuncer, M.D. proposed a change in the name of the Center. He said that “the name should be more descriptive and specific as far as the activities are concerned”.

On April 13th, 2012, HAMER’s Executive Committee renamed the Center as Hacettepe University Disaster Medicine Application and Research Center. The Executive Committee also decided that this change should be reflected to the bylaw and logo. As the abbreviation HAMER has been in use for 4 years and been popular, the Executive Committee decided to preserve it.

On April 26th, 2012, in its 7th session, the Senate of Hacettepe University approved these changes (Decision Number: 2012-107).

The amendments of HAMER’s bylaw were published in the Official Newspaper (Date: 15 May 2012, Tuesday, No: 28293) and HAMER is renamed as Hacettepe University Disaster Medicine Application and Research Center.