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February 12, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations Gebze Technical University brings its academic expertise together with younger generations who will shape the future of science through a comprehensive series of events organized as part of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11.
Gebze Technical University (GTU) held a multi-stakeholder program aimed at strengthening the role of women and girls in science and technology and promoting equal access to scientific processes. The initiative was coordinated by the GTU Science Communication Office, the GTU Sustainability Coordination Office, and the GTU Women and Family Studies Application and Research Center (KUAM), with strategic support from the District Directorates of National Education in Darıca and Çayırova.
Laboratory-Based First Scientific Experiences As part of the on-campus activities, students from Private Gebze Minik Çınar Kindergarten were hosted at the Department of Environmental Engineering at GTU. Through interactive experiments designed in line with the children’s cognitive levels and conducted under the guidance of university academics, the young participants were introduced to the engaging world of science. Students had the opportunity to ask questions directly to academics and, at the end of the program, were awarded “Little Science Star Certificates” along with small gifts.
Bringing Academic Expertise Into Schools Within the scope of the outreach and social responsibility dimension of the program, between February 9–13, 2026, female academics from various disciplines at GTU visited primary, secondary, and high schools in Darıca and Çayırova. Experts in critical fields such as chemistry, environmental engineering, civil engineering, biotechnology, and materials science delivered presentations and conducted laboratory activities aimed at increasing girls’ awareness of scientific career pathways.
In this context, Asst. Prof. Bahar Yıldız-Kutman, Deputy Head of Department of the Institute of Biotechnology at GTU, provided guidance for 300 female students at Çayırova Girls’ Anatolian Imam Hatip High School on the journey toward “Becoming a Scientist.” The program, attended by Çayırova District Director of National Education Recep Demir, concluded with a hands-on workshop following the theoretical presentation. Supporting the program through field visits and laboratory applications, Prof. Elif İnce, Prof. Elif Okutan, Assoc. Prof. Ceylan Mutlu-Balcı, Assoc. Prof. Emel Topuz, Assoc. Prof. Şule Şahin-Ün, Assoc. Prof. Burcu Dedeoğlu, Asst. Prof. Birgül Cansu Acartürk, Başak Dalbayrak-Demir (PhD), Burcu Pala (PhD), Dilara Öztürk (PhD), Neslihan Başaran (PhD), Research Assistant Yaren Öztürk, Research Assistant İrem Öztürk Ufuk, GTU alumna Ahsen Delibaşıoğlu, and members of the Aerospace Society engaged directly with students, further strengthening the academic depth and practical dimension of this meaningful day.
Broad Stakeholder Participation and Academic Field Engagement Through both on-campus hosting activities and direct field visits, GTU academics engaged with a wide range of educational institutions, strengthening the project’s outreach impact. The institutions involved in the scientific meetings included Private Gebze Minik Çınar Kindergarten; Darıca TOKİ Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School; Darıca Neşet Yalçın Anatolian High School; Darıca Aslan Çimento Primary School; Darıca 100th Year Atatürk Secondary School; Darıca Halide Edip Primary School; Çayırova Student Academy; Çayırova Fevzi Çakmak Anatolian High School; Çayırova Girls’ Anatolian Imam Hatip High School; Çayırova Şehit İlhan Küçük Solak Anatolian High School; Şekerpınar Imam Hatip Secondary School; Çayırova Yenimahalle Secondary School; and Çayırova Hasan Tahsin Secondary School.
Continuing to generate social impact, GTU once again demonstrated through this series of events its commitment to contributing to the regional scientific ecosystem and advancing equal opportunities in science.
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