To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Melih Özsöz.

Melih Özsöz has been a member of the Sabancı University family for 21 years. He is one of the first 251 undergraduate students of 1999, when the university opened its doors. Melih Özsöz graduated from the Social and Political Sciences (SPS) Program of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) in 2004 and had his Master's Degree in European Studies at Boğaziçi University. He is currently working at Limak Holding as a manager.   

Melih Özsöz’s answers to our four questions are below . 

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

M.Ö: After the university selection exam, we visited the campus for the first time on a Friday during the selection period. It took us a long time to get to Istanbul and to the campus, we arrived at the campus on Friday afternoon and everyone had left. Mrs. Zerrin Koyunsağan was leaving the campus while we were talking to the security guards of the Rectorate building. She saw us. She talked to the security guards and told us that the Founding Rector Mr. Terzioğlu (God rest his soul) was on campus. We had the opportunity to tour and get to know the campus for the first time accompanied by our Rector Mr. Terzioğlu and our Student Resources Director Mrs. Koyunsağan. I think it is an opportunity that has been given to very few people. They canceled their own schedule and spent the evening with us. At that moment, we had already realized that Sabancı University was the “right school”.   

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?

M.Ö: At the age of 18, in Istanbul, you live your own life away from your family, staying in the dormitory. It teaches you to plan your own life very well, and it has a lot of reflections on your professional life.    

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

M.Ö: “Creating and Developing Together”. I did not mean much to me 20 years ago. However, today I understand much better what it means.  

I think that Sabancı University will retain the value and meaning of the its slogan “Creating and Developing Together”, which constitutes its founding philosophy, 20 later as well. I believe that Sabancı University, which “showed its difference” with this philosophy 20 years ago, will continue to make a difference/show its difference as a “global university without a campus” 20 years from now. 

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

M.Ö: Probably Boğaziçi University. But I would still prefer Sabancı University for my Master's Degree.  

To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Kemal İnan.

Kemal İnan has been a member of the Sabancı University family since 1 February 1998. Kemal İnan, who has been a faculty member at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (FENS) of Sabancı University for 22 years and one of our Emeritus faculty members since February 2011, also served as the Founder Dean of the FENS between February 1998 and July 2007.  

Kemal İnan’s answers to our four questions are below . 

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

K.İ: There are so many that it is very difficult for me to pick one. The reason is this: my being a member of Sabancı University coincided with many radical changes in my life at the same time.

These include marrying my current wife Gülten, settling in Istanbul for the first time in a long time, and of course, taking up a administrative position with so much responsibility as the Founding Dean of the FENS at an ambitious university where my close friend, the late Tosun Terzioglu, whom I trusted very much, was the Rector. 

It is not an opportunity that everyone is afforded to implement the enviable principles under radical and universal scales, that is, the principles of the establishment of an innovative world university such as Sabancı University.  

Since I have so many memories, it is hard and not meaningful to choose a particular one. Let me explain this. 

The moments I was most excited about and applied myself were the introductory speeches of Sabancı University, which I largely took responsibility for and delivered to students and their families during the university entrance exams. I was happy to learn from the students who later enrolled in our university on various occasions the decisive role these conversations played in their decision to join our university.  

Apart from this, what comes to mind are the times when I visited US universities such as UC Berkeley, Stanford, and MIT to select faculty members as well as the Silicon Valley, where I delivered speeches introducing the university system in Turkey and the shining star of this system, Sabancı University, to students who had completed their doctoral studies and were conducting post-doctoral studies and engineers. 

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change? 

K.İ: 20 years ago I was 58 years old. In 2007, my 9-year tenure as the Founding Dean ended. In 2009, my late friend Tosun Terzioğlu's Rectorate ended.  

It is questionable to what extent the excitement and development in the organization lasts after the initial stages. I think it would be unfair to see only managers as responsible for a possible transition from excitement to stagnation. 

There were two universities I had previously experienced the excitement of foundation in a student and assistant capacity: The Middle East Technical University and the University of Warwick in England, where I started my PhD.  

From these experiences, I learned this. An overly optimistic ideology dominates the initial stages of establishment of ambitious universities. Over time, especially the expectations and facts involved in monetary opportunities and the formation of the staff often fall into a conflicting process. For this reason, after a while, initial optimism must be replaced by a realistic and constructive mentality. I leave it to those closely experience this process at the administrative level to decide whether such a realistic and constructive process exists after the first 12 years. 

After leaving the Dean's Office and then retiring with the title of Emeritus Professor, I did not and still do not express my opinion on the management of the University, following the principle of ‘stand out of my sunshine’, unless asked.  

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

K.İ: What comes to not only my mind, but to minds of many administrators and academics who claim to establish a new university when Sabancı University is mentioned is to implement the founding principles of Sabancı University. In an interdisciplinary environment where various disciplines are intertwined, sometimes integrated and sometimes divided, these principles firstly include (i) to be a university that allows for non-departmental and interdisciplinary interaction, and (ii) to ensure that the students have the ability to freely choose their own professional areas. 

During this time, as a person who has passed through very different disciplines as a result of my own special background, I opened a new course called Technology and Society, which I teach 4 times in a 6-year period and which is open to all students. As a result of intensive work after the first semester I opened this course, I wrote my book titled Technological (Un)Functionality. The second edition of this book, printed by İletişim Yayınları in 2012, featured a new chapter added in early 2019. This book, which examines the unemployment caused by automation and artificial intelligence technologies and therefore the difficulty of transitioning to an information society, was selected as the book to be distributed to students for review by the reading club of the university in 2015. 

Today, this topic is so vital that in the recent future, I believe that my ideas in this book will be extensively discussed once again.  

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

K.İ: You need to be an oracle to answer this question. But I would probably be in a university environment again. The reason for this certainly comes not from my passion for teaching, but from my passion for learning. I mean, the passion I cannot give up is being a student!

To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Kazım Balkış.

Kazım Balkış has been a member of the Sabancı University family since 22 November 1999. Kazım Balkış, who has been working at Sabancı University for 21 years, worked at University Services and Operation and Technical Services units. 

He is currently responsible for Network Infrastructure Systems and Telephone Exchange Systems in the Purchasing and Operations Directorate.

Kazım Balkış’s answers to our four questions are below. 

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

K.B: On 1 May 1999, I had a job in mind, the company I was working for at the time forced me to work at the construction site of Sabancı University. I objected, saying “Today is my holiday, I will not work.” It was no good, they sent me right to the site. I was shocked when I arrived. There was dust everywhere; workers, cranes, towers, cement mixer trucks coming and going constantly in a synchronized way. It was as if there was martial law, you could not work however you wish. Even the safety helmet became my friend, I was chatting with it. We had to postpone even our vital need while working in the site. We were soldiers and the architect in charge was the military police, constantly trying to find our mistakes. The buildings were being completed one by one in these fast-paced months. As the buildings were being completed, we were feeling proud of our work. One day, I found myself in the technical office instead of the dusty construction field upon a job offer. However, there were still constructions from time and time and I was back out there. It is a different feeling, constructions attract me. 

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?

K.B: 20 years ago, I was in my 30’s, full of energy. But working at and being a technical employee in an educational institution, I think, is a privilege. You have to constantly improve yourself. You get to know different peole from different nationalities and cultures from students to the teaching staff and administrative staff due to the nature of the job, you have to address problems and come up with solutions and you get to improve your communication skills over the years.  

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

K.B: When you say Sabancı University, I think of the slogan of 20 years ago, “Creating Together”. The world is rapidly developing, needs are changing, the technology is rapidly advancing; financial problems, political developments, management styles are deeply affecting all individuals and institutions. We have to constantly refresh to keep up with the process. I think our new slogan should be “Producing together”. If we do not produce something together, we lose. 

I think that in the near future, different concepts of management will be developed in the world.

Organizations that cannot produce in this process will not have a chance. When my relationship with the organization is over, I will focus on my personal development, I plan to attend various courses, I have an artistic aspect, and I feel I need to reveal my abilities. 

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

K.B: I would probably continue to work in technical jobs. 

To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Kağan Kurşungöz.

Kağan Kurşungöz has been a member of the Sabancı University family for 21 years. He is one of the first 251 undergraduate students of 1999, when the university opened its doors. Kağan Kurşungöz graduated from the Computer Science and Engineering Program of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (FENS) in 2004 and completed his Master's Degree in mathematics at the Pennsylvania State University in the United States in 2006 and his Doctorate at the same university in 2009. Kağan Kurşungöz has been a faculty member at the FENS since September 2011.  

Kağan Kurşungöz’s answers to our four questions are below. 

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

K.K: I have a photo in front of the rough construction of the current building of the Faculty of of Management Sciences (I think it is not somewhere I can find right now).  I remember the first year of the school whenever I look at it. 

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?

K.K: I am doing the job I dreamed of 20 years ago. I am an academic, a mathematician. After studying in a completely different education system beyond its time, we have learned to listen to other ideas and value and evaluate them, be open to differences and innovations.  We have also had the opportunity to work one-on-one with the best teachers in their respective fields, and this, of course, has made a huge contribution to our education.  

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

K.K: When I think about Sabancı University, I mostly think of the good times I spent both as a student and as a faculty member. For 20 years from now, my dream is that Sabancı University will continue to move forward, adhering to the principles that it was formed around and made a difference. 

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

K.K: I would still be an, doing research at another university. But I feel like I would not be in Istanbul. I would probably be in a smaller city in Turkey, and maybe abroad. 

To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Hüveyda Başağa.

Hüveyda Başağa has been a member of the Sabancı University family since 1 November 1998. She has been working as a faculty member at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University for 22 years.

Hüveyda Başağa’s answers to our four questions are below. 

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

H.B: Our first meeting was at a search conference. In 1995, I was invited to a search conference attended by academics, business people, students, and researchers from many countries, and we discussed what kind of university would Sabancı University be. Participants were told to just imagine, without thinking about any positioning or restrictions. What kind of university would you like? We were asked what the university of the next century should be like. Participants addressed these questions in depth in their study groups, and at the end of 3 days, Sabancı University's philosophy was identified as ‘Creating and developing together’.  The concepts identified there formed the constitution of the University.

After the search conference, design committees were established and I participated in these committees. We, as founders, came together from time to time in Ankara and worked under the name of design studies. At these meetings, we discussed exhaustively and conducted various research and made preparations until the next meeting. Work in the design committees continued in this way. In these meetings, we identified the focus areas, faculties, diploma programs, and interdisciplinary structures of the programs of the university. Sabancı University opened graduate programs before its undergraduate programs, demonstrating how much it values research, and thus was able to attract very valuable faculty members.  

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?

H.B: Academic life should be an environment that is always open to new discoveries, learning, and applying what has been learned. Sabancı University is exactly such a university. The Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, other faculties, faculty members, and researchers talk to each other and collaborate without any bias. Everyone's lab is open to the extend that the infrastructure allows, everyone is open to discussion, and supports each other. This is the focus of studies for undergraduate or graduate students. Projects are designed and implemented together with students. Sabancı University has taught the importance of a flexible structure and making management decisions by discussion. I would say that we, the first recruited faculty members, have really created and developed together. 

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

H.B: Sabancı University has made a name as one of the reputable universities of our country and has found a distinguished place in the world. I consider myself lucky to have witnessed it. What comes to my mind when you say Sabancı University is a free and respected academic environment adopting the principle of learning and developing together.

20 years from now, I would like to see Sabancı University's achievements in education and research increase further and continue to establish its place in the world. I hope that the structure that exists at the moment will grow further, that the numbers will increase and diversify further, and that it will continue to be an example for other institutions in our country and region.

I have worked with great pleasure in academic life. I have trained many graduate and doctoral students. All my students have been very successful. Each of them has become a person who makes tremendous impact in business or academic life. It is invaluable to me to be in touch with them, to witness their success. I intend to continue in the same way from now on. 

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

H.B: Before I became a member of Sabancı University, I was working at Boğaziçi University, and I probably would be there now.

To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Gündüz Ulusoy. 

Gündüz Ulusoy has been a member of the Sabancı University family since 1 September 1999. Gündüz Ulusoy, who has been a faculty member at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University for 21 years, has been one of our Emeritus faculty members since 4 July 2015. 

Gündüz Ulusoy’s answers to our four questions are below. 

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

G.U: I met Sabancı University at a Search Conference for the Faculty of Engineering. It was back in 1998. I do not remember the month and day. We met on a Friday evening at Yeşilköy Çınar Hotel. I remember Tosun Terzioğlu, Hüsnü Paçacıoğlu, Ahmet Evin, Muhittin Oral, Kemal İnan, Banu Onaral, and Nesim Erkip being there. I had dinner with Mrs. Güler Sabancı on Friday evening and we had an intense brainstorming session for the following two days. Later, I delivered a two-page information note on Production Systems Engineering to Mr. Terzioğlu.

A collegial environment formed in a short time with a small community and I was honestly impressed with open and sincere behaviors, the open approach to innovation, the professionalism in conversations, the scope and structure of the Faculty, and the position of the Faculty in an international context. Later, when Mr. Terzioğlu proposed to me a faculty member position to establish the Production Systems Engineering Program, all I asked was whether the Sabancı family had an impact on academic recruitment and promotions. He said, “No” without hesitation. It was enough for me to make my decision. Later, this issue was given a broader framework with the Declaration of Academic Freedoms. 

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?

G.U: Collegial environment provided by Sabancı University, the emphasis on academic freedom, ups, downs, successes, failures, meeting new colleagues, seeking the better together, the pleasure and responsibility of creating the foundations of a young and innovative structure... 20 years full of these... Frankly, to sum up, it has been a pleasant 20 years. I became Emeritus in 2015. Of course, the scope and weight of my work has changed, but I always continue to approach my work from an innovative perspective, try new things, try to do what I do in the best way possible. 

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

G.U: What comes to my mind when you say Sabancı University is that it is an institution that is always ambitious in an international context, has determined the parameters of development correctly and is constantly striving for development in this direction, and supports it with innovative approaches and can achieve it without compromising academic freedom. I think my dream 20 years from now is a Sabancı University that lives on without losing these basic features under the circumstances of that period. 

As for myself, I want to publish an English textbook and prepare the Turkish version as well. 

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

G.U: If I had not joined Sabancı University, I would have continued at Boğaziçi University. The university environment is my living environment. It always has been that way, and it always will be.

Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences is pleased to announce the Applications of Engineering in Medicine and Biology seminar series organized by Professor Mehmet Toner, Sabanci University Distinguished Research Fellow.

Presented by the leading scientists who are world-renowned experts in their fields, the Applications of Engineering in Medicine and Biology seminars will provide a recent overview on the most innovative and effective applications of basic science and engineering in research areas such as regenerative medicine, implants, cancer diagnosis, and immunology.   

The Applications of Engineering in Medicine and Biology seminar series 2020-2021 Fall Program is as below: 

7 October 2020 – BAŞAK UYGUN – Engineering Organ Substitutes for Transplantation

21 October 2020 – JOHN BISCHOF – Nanowarming for Regenerative Medicine

4 November 2020 – GUILLERMO AGUILAR – From Laser Dermatology to the Development of a Transparent Cranial Implant

18 November 2020 – EBRU ORAL – Engineering Joint Implants for in vivo Longevity and Antibacterial Treatment

2 December 2020 – MEHMET TONER – “EXTREME MICROFLUIDICS” Label-Free Sorting of Extremely Rare Circulating Tumor Cells and Clusters

16 December 2020 – DANIEL IRIMIA – Chain Reactions in Immunology

Please click here to register The Applications of Engineering in Medicine and Biology seminar series.

To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Gülseren Caşın.

Gülseren Caşın has been a member of the Sabancı University family since 1 October 1999. Gulseren Caşin, who has been working at Sabancı University for 21 years, served as an administrative officer in the Publishing House, Corporate Development, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Institutional Communications units. Since 2011, she has been the Certified Training Programs Officer first in the Rectorate unit and then in the Business Development Unit. 

Gülseren Caşın’s answers to our four questions are below. 

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

G.C: The first time I met Sabancı University was in July 1999 in the building in Karaköy with the late Hosni Paçacıoğlu, the Secretary General of the university. I was very excited that Mr. Paçacıoğlu shared his dreams about the university and told me what they were going to do at the newly established Publishing House. Particularly the idea of “Creating and Developing Together” had a big impact on me. He told me that the position of the Administrative Officer of the Publishing House was open and that if I accepted, I could have the position, and we agreed on the general framework. He said that the office where I would work was going to be in the building in Karaköy; however, the offices were full, but I could when they were emptied and available. Since the campus was still under construction at the time, the administrative staff worked in the Sabancı Center and the faculty members worked in the building in Karaköy. Although the move to the completed buildings on campus had started, I did not hear from anyone I was to start work. When we met again with Mr. Paçacıoğlu on a boat trip including employees and their families, I was very surprised to hear him say, “Why haven't you started working yet?” When I said, “No one called me, Mr. Paçacıoğlu,” he replied with “Then, come and start working tomorrow,” which made me very happy. I started working in Karaköy the next day (1 October 1999) without knowing my salary. Later I found out about my salary, of course… 

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?

G.C: I have never felt tired for 21 years arriving at the campus of Sabancı University every morning with joy and excitement, with the dreams of taking our activities further that year and implementing projects to bring new young people into our school. Sabancı University has given me the opportunity to love young students, to conduct joint projects with them, to implement the philosophy of “Creating and Developing Together” as a team. 

Under the academic leadership of Prof. Dr. Nihat Berker, our former Rector, we have set sail to a new educational adventure with the Summer High School project in 2011, a first in Turkey. Each summer, we have found the opportunity to provide high school students from various schools of Turkey and the world with the opportunity to attend classes prepared by the distinguished faculty members of Sabancı University for two weeks, to allow them to experience university life, and to share their friendships and joy. In addition to equipping these beautiful and bright young people with academic knowledge which will make a great contribution to their future lives, I have always been extremely touched by the tears that they would shed during their departure from the campus. 

To date, more than 7,000 students have attended our summer high schools. The fact that some of these students became students of Sabancı University in the following years and that the income from Summer High Schools was transferred to the Sabancı Scholarship Fund each year, and our contribution to educational lives of our students have been the inspiration and the most important motivator in my work. 

However, perhaps the most beautiful part of it is that our assistant students, who we work with every year in summer high schools, from time to time share their successful careers around the world with me after graduation, which is the second great joy that Sabancı University has given me.  

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

G.C: To see Sabancı University as the first university from Turkey to be awarded the Nobel Prize in this long and meaningful period of 20 years. My children did not graduate from Sabancı University, but they grew up on the Sabancı University campus with the culture of the Sabancı University family, which is the most important thing to me. My dream is for my little granddaughter Mina to study at Sabancı University and to watch her graduation with our family from the front of the stairs of the amphitheater and applaud. 

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

G.C: I think I would still have crossed paths with Sabancı University somehow. I believe that working at Sabancı University is a privilege. This is a huge family home. I have always been and always will be proud and honored to work at Sabancı University.

As we complete our 20^th year on our path we started in 1999 with the objective of becoming a world university, we as Sabancı University, are excited to confer our first Honorary Doctorate Degree.

Following our Honorary Doctorate Ceremony on Monday, October 26th, 2020, we will organize a panel discussion entitled Sabancı University: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow moderated by Fuat Keyman, Sabancı University Vice President, with the participation of Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı and Sabancı University President Yusuf Leblebici.

We would be delighted if you could join us online for the panel discussion, to be broadcast live on the official Sabancı University Youtube channel.

NCTU & SU Double PhD program - Microelectronics Workshop, promotes joint research activities within the scope of the cooperation in the field of electronic engineering signed between Sabancı University and NCTU and encourages the joint doctoral degree program. The workshop will be held on 23 October, 2020 at 9.00 am.

The opening remarks of the workshop will be made by Sabancı University President Yusuf Leblebici, FENS Dean Erkay Savaş and Senior Vice President of NCTU/Dean of ICST Edward Yi Chang.

During the workshop, the research groups in Sabancı University and NCTU will share their studies on electronics such as microelectronics, integrated circuit technologies, ferroelectric, RF and mm-wave circuits, cryptographic hardware, MEMS and sensors. 

All Faculty members and PhD, masters and senior students who are interested in the joint doctoral program of the electronics department are invited to the program.

Please click to reach the program of NCTU & SU Double PhD program - Microelectronics Workshop and to REGISTER.

For further information on double PhD program, please visit https://ee.sabanciuniv.edu/en/education/double-phd.