Project Team

Project Coordinator

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nilay Öztürk 

She is a faculty member in the Department of Primary Education at the Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Educational Sciences and at the BAUSTEM Center. Dr. Öztürk received her bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in science education from Middle East Technical University, and during and after her doctoral studies she carried out research for six months at the University of Missouri and for one year at the University of Minnesota. Her research areas are teacher education, K-12 science education and the teaching of socioscientific issues. Dr. Öztürk has many national and international scientific articles, and has completed and ongoing national and international research projects in which she serves as coordinator or researcher.

Project Researchers

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yasemin Özdem Yılmaz

She received her bachelor's degree in Science Teaching, her master's degree in Science and Mathematics Education and her doctoral degree in Elementary Education from METU. After her undergraduate studies, she worked as a teacher in schools in Türkiye and the USA. She completed her master's and doctoral studies on training science teachers in argumentation. In 2015-2016, she carried out postdoctoral research on out-of-school learning environments at the Great Lakes Science Center (OH, USA). She has national and international publications and projects on scientific inquiry and science centers. She has served as an editorial board member of TÜBİTAK's Bilim Çocuk magazine and as a consultant for popular science publications. Since 2019, she has been working on scientific inquiry in early childhood and education for sustainable development. Dr. Özdem-Yılmaz currently continues her work at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Gaye Defne Ceyhan

She is a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics and Science Education at Boğaziçi University. She completed her bachelor's and master's degrees at Boğaziçi University and her doctoral degree in the science education program at Syracuse University in the USA. She worked as a research assistant throughout her graduate studies. She worked as a science teacher at various schools for 8 years. She conducts research and provides training on sustainability and climate education, science communication and systems thinking in education. She has articles published in national and international academic journals, book chapters and research projects in which she has taken part.

Project Scholars

Ayşe Gül Çelenk

She has been working as a project manager at the Bahçeşehir University BAUSTEM Center since 2018. She graduated from the Department of Biology at İstanbul University in 2009. She completed the pedagogical formation program at İstanbul University Hasan Ali Yücel Faculty of Education and then, in 2015, her master's degree in the Department of Botany at İstanbul University. She has served as a consultant and instructor at TÜBİTAK TÜSSİDE science camps and has led workshops at science centers and primary school science clubs. She is continuing her studies in the Educational Technology PhD Program at Bahçeşehir University.

Naz Fulya Çibik

She received her bachelor's degree in Science Teaching from METU and her master's degree in Science Education from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University. She is pursuing her doctoral studies on Climate Change Education at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, where she also works as a research assistant. Her research areas are environmental education, education for sustainable development and climate change education. At the Campus Garden Ecological Agriculture Practice Area, which she coordinates at the university, she carries out work with students and various academics on climate change and the preservation of ecological balance. She has served as support staff, workshop leader and instructor in various TÜBİTAK projects.

Nazmiye Ertuğrul

She completed her undergraduate studies in the Science Teaching program at Boğaziçi University. After graduation, she worked as a science teacher at a private college for 1.5 years. She is pursuing her master's degree in the Department of Mathematics and Science Education at Boğaziçi University and continuing work on her master's thesis. She is interested in the systems thinking approach in education, climate change and environmental education.

Selen İlgen

She holds a bachelor's degree in Guidance and Psychological Counseling from Yıldız Technical University and a master's degree in Guidance and Psychological Counseling from Hacettepe University. She is pursuing her doctoral studies in the Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling at Bahçeşehir University, where she also works as a research assistant. She is interested in topics in the field of close relationships.

Ferah Topal Arslan 

She completed her undergraduate studies in the International Relations program at Anadolu University. She is pursuing her master's degree in the Educational Technology program at Bahçeşehir University.