Ergun Kirlikovali

Ergun Kirlikovali was born in 1952 in İzmir, Türkiye, as the youngest of eight children. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry from Boğaziçi University (Istanbul) in 1974, and then completed an M.S. in Polymer Science at University of Manchester, England, in 1975 — after also doing industrial polymer internships in Austria (1973) and the Netherlands (1974). After moving to the United States in 1978, Kırlıkovalı worked for several polymer and aerospace-related firms on the West and East coasts (San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York). In 1985 he founded his own company, focusing on advanced polymer coatings and materials for aerospace applications. Kırlıkovalı is known for his role in developing stealth-enhancing polymer coatings used on high-profile military aircraft such as B-2 Spirit and F-35 Lightning II — a contribution that reportedly made his firm a critical supplier to the U.S. defense industry. In recognition of his work, he received accolades from major defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman. Beyond engineering and business, Kırlıkovalı has been deeply involved in the Turkish-American diaspora. He served as President of Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) during 2011–2013, and has long worked to promote Turkish culture and heritage in the U.S., particularly through advocacy, public outreach, and writing. Married with one son, he resides in Southern California.