Three Minute Thesis Competition Held at GTU

Three Minute Thesis Competition, which GTU is the first and only to hold in Turkey, took place at GTU with PhD candidates explaining their research to people from outside their fields of specialization. The competing PhD candidates were academic career-seeking students from 15 different universities in Turkey.

The Three Minute Thesis Competition was held by GTU for the third time, and 26 PhD candidates from 15 different universities joined the competition. The competition was carried out at GTU Electronics Engineering Lecture Hall. GTU Rector Prof. Haluk Görgün, Vice Rectors Prof. Babür Özçelik and Prof. Hasan Aslan, Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Abdurrahman Akyol, GTU faculty members, academicians and students were present. The jury members of the competition were Ece Karaboncuk, Educational TV Programs Producer and Presenter; Sadık Gültekin, NTV Channel’s Educational TV Programs Producer and Presenter; and Vahit Yıldırım, Chairman of the Executive Board for Gebze Organized Industrial Zone (GOSB).

SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE IN DAILY LIFE

Making the greeting speech at the competition, GTU Rector Prof. Haluk Görgün stated, “Our competitors are expected, without using any audio or video aid, or any help, to explain in 3 minutes the research methods they have used for their dissertations, the findings they have achieved so far and the possible contributions of these findings to the field of science, to people without specialized knowledge in the field they are presenting. In my opinion, the biggest challenge and return here is to be able to use scientific knowledge in everyday life. Conveying and spreading knowledge is as vital for the development the society as holding discussions about it.” Pointing out to the mission of GTU as a 4th generation university, Görgün said GTU is a university of the firsts, as it was the first to represent Turkey in Nano World Cancer Day events; the first to offer a master’s program in glass technology in Turkey; the first to produce a minituare motor; and the first to be included among the founders of the first Turkish incubation center in Silicon Valley, USA.

WINNER IS FROM GTU

After Görgün’s speech, the competitors raced against time to explain their topics to the jury members, who do not have specialist’s knowledge about the subjects presented. As a result, a PhD candidate at GTU, Eda Gazel Pehlivan, who was able to explain her dissertation in the plainest way possible, won the first place; Irmak Şah from Istanbul University won the second place; and Seçil Akyıldız Demir from Izmir Institute of Technology won the third place.