International Women's Day Celebrated With Inspiring Events

Gebze Technical University highlights the strategic importance of women in society and the business world through science summits, art exhibitions, and interactive workshops organized throughout the week.

Entrepreneurship and the World of Technology Come Together

Gebze Technical University (GTU) hosted a series of scientific, cultural, and artistic events as part of the celebrations for International Women's Day.

The first event of the celebrations was the “Inspiring Women Leaders and Entrepreneurship Summit,” organized through the collaboration of the GTU Computer Society (GTÜBT) and the Entrepreneurship and Career Planning Society (GİKAP). Held on March 5, 2026, at the Red Hall of the GTU Congress and Cultural Center, the summit brought together distinguished professionals including Havva Solhan (Nonereal Games), Deniz Yavuz (Beymen Group), Kübra Bilgiç (Huawei), Hilal Meydan (BilgeAdam), Fundem Ece (Dünya Danışmanlık), Gizem Nur Çatar (Siemens), and Nur Azade Yazgan (Polisan), who shared their career experiences with students.

Women’s Signature in Bioengineering: BioWomen

The GTU BIOS student society hosted leading women shaping the biotechnology sector through the “BioWomen” event on March 6, 2026, at the GTU Congress and Cultural Center. The program opened with remarks by Vice-Rector Prof. Mahmut Durmuş and featured talks by Elif Taşkın (Active Biomarks), Cansu Yıldırım (LIVZYM Biotechnology), Sevim Duran (Öncüller Gıda), and Özge Kasap (Andyou Technology), who shared insights into current developments in the bioengineering ecosystem and their professional experiences in the sector.

A Six-Year Tradition: Women in Everywhere

Organized by the IEEE GTU student branch, the “Women in Everywhere” event's sixth edition was held on March 9, 2026. The event hosted five sessions spanning diverse disciplines, from psychology and cybersecurity to sports and artificial intelligence. Speakers including Fundem Ece, Meltem Bozkurt, Selma Akdoğan, Başak Koç, and Sara Göze inspired students by sharing their success stories and contributing to their career perspectives.

Women’s Contribution to Geomatics Engineering: GeoWomen

The “GeoWomen” event, organized by the GTU Mapping Technologies Research Club (HTAK), took place on March 10 in the Conference Hall of the Department of Geomatics Engineering. The session featured prominent figures from the sector, including Ayşegül Toraman, Head of the Software Department at İSKİ; Özge Acar, Deputy General Manager of NeedsMap; and Dilek Tezel, PhD, Project Manager at the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. The discussion explored career journeys in geomatics engineering, sectoral challenges, and future perspectives. The gathering also highlighted the significant role women continue to play in the engineering profession.

Celebrations Enriched With Art and Culture

Throughout the week, a photography exhibition organized by the GTU Center for Women and Family Studies (KUAM) attracted great interest. The exhibition featured photographs capturing moments from the professional lives of female academic and administrative staff at the university and received widespread appreciation from visitors.

Additionally, students from the Private Gebze Minik Çınar Kindergarten contributed to the celebration by creating special painting activities dedicated to their mothers at the GTU Congress and Cultural Center, adding color and joy to the meaningful occasion.

Theater Performance Draws Great Interest

As part of the artistic events, the GTU Theater Society staged the play “Kargaşa” on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in the Blue Hall of the GTU Congress and Cultural Center. The performance was attended by GTU Rector Prof. Hacı Ali Mantar; Prof. Elif Özlem Aydın, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at GTU; GTU Secretary General Nadir Yıldırım; and Dinçer Ekinci, Executive Assistant to the Rector at GTU. The play, which focused on women’s rights and social dynamics, received great appreciation from the audience and concluded with a standing ovation for the students’ outstanding performance.

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