Welcome!
As graduate students at METU, we seek to launch a local version of the ComSciCon in Türkiye.
ComSciCon organizers in the US have previously demonstrated success with their regional programs, including Chicago and New York, as well as internationally in France and Canada. With ComSciCon-METU, ComSciCon will be officially held in Türkiye for the first time.
- The ComSciCon-METU event is scheduled to be held on 21 May 2024.
- There will be no cost or fee to graduate student attendees, but only a limited number of spots are available.
- Attendees will be selected through a competitive selection process.
We have an exciting program of events planned. Attendees will not only interact with their peers in science communication but also learn from writers and communicators who are experts in their fields and produce original writing for academic publication.
In addition to connecting with their peers, the researchers will have the chance to interact with and learn science communication from the professionals. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to share their research in the PopTalk competition, where they will need to convey their talk without using scientific terminology in a limited time. Also, attending researchers’ original works prepared for the Create-a-Thon event will be published.
To participate in this prestigious event, please fill out the form below:
FORM: https://forms.gle/gu26izbPseju2EF47
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Mail: metu@comscicon.org
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Application
General Information:
- The ComSciCon-METU event is scheduled to be held on 21 May 2024.
- There will be no cost or fee to graduate student attendees, but only a limited number of spots are available.
- Attendees will be selected through a competitive selection process.
To participate in this prestigious event, please fill out the form below:
FORM: https://forms.gle/gu26izbPseju2EF47
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us via our e-mail: metu@comscicon.org
Follow us for updates on events.
Instagram: comsciconmetu
Mail: metu@comscicon.org
LinkedIn: ComSciCon-METU
X: ComSciConMETU
Facebook: comsciconMetu
Threads: comsciconmetu
Program
Invited Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Prof. Dr. Eren Kalay
Prof. Dr. Yunus Eren Kalay earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Middle East Technical University (METU) in 2001 and 2003, respectively. He completed his doctoral studies at Iowa State University in 2009, followed by a postdoctoral research position at Ames Laboratory. Joining METU’s Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department as an assistant professor in 2011, he was promoted to full professor in 2020 and currently serves as an Advisor to the President at METU. Dr. Kalay’s research interests include amorphous and nanocrystalline metallic alloys, electronic packaging, rare-earth-free magnet production, and single-crystal development, utilizing electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques.
In addition to his scientific research, Dr. Kalay has been serving as the President of the METU Science and Society Center for years. He is also the founding president of the METU Science Communication Office. Dr. Kalay serves as a project coordinator and science advisor in various science communication projects such as the “Science Meets Art” European Union-supported project, the TV documentary “Science at Home,” and the radio program “Science is Life.” Furthermore, he is the founder and current editor-in-chief of “MATTER,” Turkey’s first undergraduate research journal, which provides opportunities for undergraduate students to publish their research projects.
Dr. Umut Yıldız
Dr. Umut Yıldız is a distinguished astrophysicist whose career has spanned across continents and stretched into the depths of space. Born in the vibrant city of Istanbul, Turkey, Dr. Yıldız’s early fascination with the cosmos set him on a path that would see him contribute significantly to our understanding of the universe.
After completing his studies in Astronomy and Space Sciences at the University of Ankara, Dr. Yıldız moved to the UK to hone his English skills before embarking on a Master’s degree in astronomy at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Here, he first encountered the HIFI instrument, part of the Herschel Space Observatory, which would later play a pivotal role in his research.
Dr. Yıldız’s journey led him to the Leiden Observatory for his PhD in molecular astrophysics, where he made groundbreaking discoveries about massive water outflows in forming stars. His postdoctoral work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in astrophysics led him at the deep space telecommunications section further solidified his reputation as a leading figure in science.
Beyond his scientific achievements, Dr. Yıldız is also a passionate science communicator, engaging audiences with the wonders of space and the importance of exploration. His return to Turkey marks a new chapter in his career, where he continues to inspire future generations and contribute to the global scientific community. Nowadays, he lectures at the METU Physics Department and works as a Chief Scientific Officer at Plan-S & INFINIA.
Panel Speakers
Dr. İlhami Buğdaycı
Dr. İlhami Buğdaycı is an accomplished physicist, lecturer, science writer, and editor. Dr. Buğdaycı’s research interests span various areas, including mathematical methods in physics, quantum mechanics, field theories, and special relativity.
Beyond academia, Dr. Buğdaycı has held several critical roles in science communication and popularization. As the Publishing Coordinator of Science and Technics (Bilim ve Teknik) Magazine, he has overseen the publication of scientific content, ensuring its accessibility to a broad audience. Additionally, he has contributed as a Popular Science Writer for the same magazine, distilling complex topics into engaging articles. Dr. Buğdaycı’s involvement extends to managing the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) Popular Science Books project, where he plays a crucial role in creating educational materials.
Furthermore, he served as the Publishing Director of Science Kid (Bilim Çocuk) Magazine, catering specifically to young readers. His commitment to promoting scientific literacy is evident through his role as the Public Understanding of Science Projects Coordinator at TÜBİTAK. Moreover, he gave popular science seminars (including astronomy, physics, mathematics, biology, and geology) to children at many public schools for years while working at TÜBİTAK. Dr. Buğdaycı has also served as a Publishing Director at METU Press for publishing popular science books.
Ertan Sinan Şahin
Ertan Sinan Şahin is a dedicated research assistant, physics teacher, and science communicator. Born in 1988 in Konya, Türkiye, he has made significant contributions to the fields of physics and education. Ertan completed his primary education and high school in Aydın before pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Middle East Technical University (METU). However, his passion for physics led him to transition to the Physics Department at METU, where he later pursued his master’s in general relativity and gravitational theories. Ertan continues his doctoral studies as a research assistant in the same field.
Beyond academia, Ertan Sinan Şahin is an exceptional educator. He has created online educational resources, including video lectures and problem-solving sessions, to help students prepare for exams like the Turkish University Entrance Exam (YKS) and other standardized tests. His engaging teaching style and ability to explain complex concepts have made physics accessible to countless students. This valuable content can be found on the website ertansinansahin.com.
In addition to teaching, Ertan maintains a YouTube channel (more than 400k subscribers) where he shares physics-related content to make learning enjoyable and effective for students.
Assoc. Prof. Selçuk Topal
He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Ankara University, Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Astrophysics, University of Oxford. His research interests include the observation and analysis of molecular gas in external galaxies, gas kinematics, and galaxy evolution. He has published many international articles and papers in his field and is the author of the popular science and astronomy book From Chaos to Cosmos: The Story of the Universe. Topal also holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.
In 2013, Topal launched the “Future is in Space” project (Gelecek Uzayda in Turkish), the largest single space-related science communication project in Turkey, which aims to make space and science as accessible and interesting as possible for everyone. To date, he has given seminars to more than 150,000 young people, personally visited 35 cities, written more than 170 popular science articles, appeared on more than 130 television programmes, and produced more than 300 educational videos and 32 podcast episodes on astronomy and space science. He continues to work on his Future is in Space project, which won first prize in its category at the International Astronomical Union’s #IAU100 international events in 2019.
Topal is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society, the International Astronomical Union, the European Astronomical Society, and the Oxford Union. Born in Giresun, Assoc. Prof. Dr Selçuk Topal is married and has two children (Uzay ve Venüs). Detailed information on Topal’s academic studies and science communication activities can be found at http://www.astronomselcuk.com/.
H. Aziz Kayıhan
H. Aziz Kayıhan is an astronomer, science communicator, and educator. He earned his degree at Erciyes University, from the Astronomy and Space Sciences Department. During his studies, he embarked on a mission to visit various schools from all around the country, bringing the wonders of astronomy to students of all ages. He started his full-fledged teaching career in 2009 with an invite from Çetin Şen Science & Arts Center. Today, he brings his 15 years of experience as an astronomy and astrophysics teacher to his current role as an Astrophysics Instructor at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. Kayıhan also shares his astronomy and teaching expertise with science teachers from different parts of Türkiye as part of different teacher training programs.
Kayıhan’s dedication extends beyond teaching. He participated in organizations like the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) and Yuri’s Night WSP, where he has held leadership positions. He served as the national representative of Turkey for SGAC and also was a part of SGAC’s executive council as the Regional Coordinator for the Middle East. He was the Outreach Coordinator for Yuri’s Night WSP throughout 2011 and 2012.
He has always been a dedicated science writer, writing for various online and print publications since 2012. He’s currently a writer for Popular Science Türkiye and the editor of several science magazines, including All About Space, How It Works, and Popular Science Junior. Kayıhan is also the founder and coordinator of the “Asteroit Kâşifi” project. This unique initiative guides Turkish students in the exciting quest to discover an asteroid using data from the Pan-STARRS telescope.
Assoc. Prof. Thomas Zimmermann
Thomas Zimmermann graduated from the University of Regensburg, where he completed his studies in Pre- and Protohistory, European Ethnology and Classical Archaeology. For his PhD project he was based in the Römisch Germanische Zentralmuseum Mainz (RGZM, now rebranded as Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA)), studying Copper Age burials with daggers in their technological and social dimensions, as part of the Early Elites Research Cluster. In 2003, he succumbed to oriental lure and moved to Turkey, where he is currently appointed as Associate Professor at the Department of Archaeology at Bilkent University, Ankara.
His versatile research interests include science in archaeology, early metallurgy, the emergence of elites in 3rd millennium BC Asia Minor, and socio-cultural changes in Early Holocene Upper Mesopotamia. He has published numerous articles in international peer-reviewed journals; his MA and PhD theses have appeared as monographs (RGZM Catalogue and Monograph Series, 2006 and 2007); he also co-edited the “Sacred Landscapes in Anatolia” conference proceedings with Charles Gates and Jacques Morin (BAR International Series, 2009), alongside with the Festschrift “Living the Aegean Spirit – Studies in Honour of Prof. Dr. Halime Hüryılmaz” in 2023.
He serves as elected Bronze Age Commission member of the Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques (UISPP) and is scientific commission member of the German-Turkish Academics Society at Göttingen. That aside, he loves to accumulate mechanical timepieces, fountain pens, and Star Wars collectibles.
Organizers
Mete Esencan – Organization Committee Chair
Mete Esencan is a Master of Science student in the chemistry department at the Middle East Technical University (METU). He works on nanotechnologies, especially combining gold nanoparticles, graphene oxide, and metal oxides for magnetically separable water-splitting nanocatalysts. His science communication journey started with the METU Chemistry Club. He volunteered as chairperson for two years and board member for a year to spread science to everyone. Also, he has been selected as the “Future Communicator” by the national broadcaster of Türkiye (TRT) thanks to the Turkish popular science, arts, and philosophy website: “Doğa Filozofu” (www.dogafilozofu.com) that he founded. After the website was chosen as the “best website” in Türkiye, the English version of the website was constructed under the name “OkButWhy” (www.okbutwhy.org). He is volunteering as the organization committee chair for the ComSciCon-METU. We are thrilled to launch this prestigious workshop in Türkiye for the first time.
Maham Maqsood – Panel Manager
Maham Maqsood is an MS student in the Biochemistry Department at the Middle East Technical University. Her research focuses on drug delivery constructs for application in cancer therapies and diagnostics. She is also a passionate and driven science communicator in the making and already has over five years of experience in science communication and outreach, collaborating with researchers, educators, and communicators to develop effective strategies and content for various platforms and events. She will be serving as the “Panel Manager” at ComSciConMETU and hopes to curate insightful discussions that inspire thoughtful dialogue and foster meaningful connections among the speakers and the participants.
Fatıma Nur Oğul – Application Review Manager
Fatıma Nur is a PhD student at METU Institute of Marine Sciences and soon to be graduate. In her PhD thesis, she is conducting a comprehensive study of the mechanisms in the regeneration of marine invertebrate organisms with a focus on stem cells, histology and transcriptomics. Throughout her academic journey she has been dedicated to understanding the intricacies of marine life and the processes involved in their biological activities. Passionate about bridging the gap between science and the public, Fatıma Nur has volunteered at science fairs and spent three years as a citizen science volunteer, teaching various scientific concepts to children aged between 8-17. She believes that every scientist has a responsibility to effectively communicate their work to non-scientific audiences, making science accessible and relatable for everyone. Fatıma Nur brings a wide range of skills and experiences to her academic and outreach endeavours, striving to make science a welcoming and inclusive space for all. Outside of her studies, she enjoys cooking, spending time with her cats and playing computer games.
Hayri Kerim İnce – PopTalks Manager
Kerim is an MS.c. Student in the Department of Chemistry at METU. He is studying structural proteomics to solve the structures of the proteins and understand their working mechanism. He loves to convey scientific facts to all people around, even in daily conservations, with allegory and in a simple way. To express the science behind life and guide the young generation towards science, he attended workshops held in small towns and villages with children. Moreover, he held presentations about proteins with the Chemistry Society of METU. Being a part of ComSciCon-METU is a great opportunity to reach people who love science and share the science with other people for Kerim. In addition to science, he also loves making music and drinking coffee all the time.
Elif Akmermer – Materials and Social Media Manager
Elif Akmermer (she/they) is a first-year MSc student at Middle East Technical University. She’s currently on an exciting journey exploring leaf proteins at the Q-OmicS proteomics lab, a topic that fuels her curiosity and passion. Whether chatting with peers or strangers, she loves sharing insights about her research and the fascinating world of proteins and leaves. Her childhood fascination with science, sparked by magazines like Bilim Çocuk, paved the way for her current scientific pursuits. When she’s not in the lab, she finds solace and joy in the company of her beloved cats and enjoys discovering new vegan eateries, reflecting her commitment to her project.
Baran Denli – Budget and Catering Leader
Graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a Mechanical Engineering degree. Currently working as a Rotary Wing Flight Test Engineer at Turkish Aerospace and continuing his academic pursuits at Middle East Technical University Cognitive Science Department. Special interests include computational linguistics, clandestine literature, chess and experimental gastronomy. Is a strong believer of anti-realism and dreams of an anti-realist world.
Sponsors
Code of Conduct
ComSciCon is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all participants, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, religion, abilities, socioeconomic background, age, appearance, professional status, nationality, gender, gender expression, or sexuality.
We believe that a conference where individuals feel uneasy or threatened is neither constructive nor acceptable. Hence, ComSciCon strictly prohibits any form of intimidating, threatening, or harassing behavior throughout the event, aiming to establish and maintain a safe environment for all attendees.
This policy applies to all individuals involved in ComSciCon, including speakers, organizers, expert reviewers, and attendees. By taking part in ComSciCon, you agree to uphold this policy.
Your presence at the conference is highly valued, and our goal is to ensure that everyone has an enriching, productive, and enjoyable experience.
ComSciCon 