Program for Undergraduate Research (PURE) participants receive certificates

The Sabancı University Program for Undergraduate Research (PURE) 2017-2018 Academic Year Summer Semester concluded with the PURE Fair on August 10, 2018.

The Sabancı University PURE program for undergraduate students to gain research experience was attended by 136 students from 20 institutions in addition to Sabancı University in its 2017-2018 Academic Year summer semester. Students worked on 52 interdisciplinary projects from engineering to fundamental and social sciences over the course of 7 weeks, and showcased their efforts at the "PURE Fair" poster presentation.

The PURE program began in the 2016-2017 Academic Year summer semester and has attracted 265 students in four semesters so far. 

The PURE Fair poster presentation began with introductory remarks by Sabancı University Vice President of Education Cem Güneri and Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Member Hüsnü Yenigün, and winning project teams received their awards from Sabancı University President Zehra Sayers.

Vice President of Education Cem Güneri said that the PURE program was offered to students of other universities for the first time this year, and as a result, the number of students increased by almost threefold: from 42 FENS students working on 22 research projects last year to 136 students from both Sabancı and other universities. Noting the importance of undergraduate student involvement in research projects at Sabancı University, Güneri continued: "You can continue the PURE program in future semesters and take your projects to the next level, and achieve more meaningful results through participation in international conferences and making publications. Keep in contact with your advisors and continue working.”

Winners of the PURE Fair:

• Samet Özcan, Azen Koç, Ceren Alganatay and Deniz Güçsavaş, working under advisors Kerem Bora and Emine Süphan Bakkal, with their project “Experimental evolution: Adaptation of microorganisms to extreme environments”

• Yasemin Utkueri and Batur Gültekin, working under advisor Serap Hayat Soytaş, with their project “Nanofiber/Natural Clay Antibacterial Nanocomposites via Green Electrospinning”

• İlknur Şafak Demirel and Gizem Çile, working under advisors Goksin Liu and Zehra Sayers, with their project “Iron-binding Protein Production in Bacteria”

• Aleyna Beste Özhan, Mustafa Emre Karaçar and Gökay Erbil, working under advisor Özge Akbulut, with their project “Rheological control enables printing of ultra lightweight cement composite for warmer climates”