SUMMER 2021 ISSUE 58
Evin Senin Dünyan RC QUARTERLY SUMMER 2021 ISSUE 58
Dünya Senin Evin
Dünyanın sanat ve tasarımla daha iyi bir yer olacağına inanıyor; sürdürülebilir bir dünya için var gücümüzle çalışıyoruz.
the environmental
KTSM, Kale Grubu tarafından desteklenen, disiplinlerarası paylaşımlara imkan veren üretim ve buluşma noktasıdır. Kale Tasarım ve Sanat Merkezi sustainability issue kaletasarimsanatmerkezi.org / kaletasarimvesanatmerkezi / ktsm_org
tepta_robertcollege_ilan_haziran2021_195x260mm_2.pdf 1 03/06/21 10:07
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K The cover for this issue SUMMER 2021 ISSUE 58 celebrates the vast biodiversity of our campus. All photos were taken on RC grounds by faculty and students, as part of an effort to catalog the Alumni Journal published periodically by flora and fauna found the RC Institutional Advancement Office for at RC. approximately 10,000 members of the RC
the environmental community: graduates, students, faculty, sustainability issue administration, parents and friends.
The trees, flowers, birds, koi fish, Bosphorus beetle, and new beehives of the RC campus all bestow on the RC community a deep appreciation of and respect for nature. In this issue we delve into environmental sustainability, an urgent matter for humanity and now a strategic focus for RC. The RCQ chronicles the latest developments at school and traces the school’s history for the seeds that were sown for today. Many RC alumni are active as leaders, teachers, activists, and professionals in environmental sustainability-related areas. There is much news and In inspiration to share from them as well.
this The pandemic did not slow down the RC community: RC students continue to display many accomplishments, and RC alumni have published books and received issue prestigious awards. These achievements lift the RC spirit, as the Class of 2021 begins their post-RC journey.
As always, we would love to hear from you. If you have any comments or would like to share news, please write us at [email protected]
Happy reading! The RCQ Team
Özel Amerikan Robert Lisesi Editorial Board Design & Production Kuruçeşme Caddesi 87 Nuri Çolakoğlu RA 62 Topprint Arnavutköy - Beşiktaş / İstanbul Deniz Alphan ACG 67 Merkez Mah. Seçkin Sokak DAP Vadi Tel: (0212) 359 22 22/289 Vicky Habif ACG 71 Jr. İ Blok No: 3/1 Kağıthane / İstanbul e-mail: [email protected] Nükhet Sirman RC 72 Tel: (0212) 264 33 11 www.robcol.k12.tr Elçin Yahşi RC 79 www.topprint.com.tr Nil Sarrafoğlu RC 89 Editor-in-Chief Printing Monika Mraz, Director of Institutional Advertising Manager Umut Doğa Matbaacılık Advancement Betigül Onay Özman RC 02 Mas-sit Matbaacılar Sitesi 1. Cadde [email protected] No: 160 Yüzyıl-Bağcılar, İstanbul Editors Tel: (0212) 359 22 89 Tel: (0212) 438 02 05 Zeynep Karaarslan Başaran RC 88 Lisa Johnson Betigül Onay Özman RC 02 Burcu Berent RC 96 Mehveş Dramur RC 96
Basım Yeri ve Tarihi: İstanbul, Temmuz 2021 Yayın Türü: Süreli Yayın Periyodu: 4 Aylık Your feedback on the RCQ matters! Did you enjoy this issue? Write us at: [email protected]
RC NEWS COVER STORY 4 Message from the Head of School RC Focuses on Environmental Sustainability 26 5 Rethinking the Way We Publish RC Alumni in Environmental Sustainability: Illuminating the Way 6 Class of ‘21 Flies From Home Forward 41 9 School Year Ends on a Creative Note Young Alumni Are Mentors for the Next Generation ONES TO WATCH 10 RC SEIC: Flattening Learning Hierarchies Y. Berk Manav RC 14 Breaks Fresh Ground in 11 Award Honors Female Science Student Sustainable Investment 58 Student Artists Honored at 20th Begüm Muştu L9 Soars at the International Young Researchers’ Demirkan Aşetey RC 76 Art Competition Conference 59 12 Back in RC Project Kicks Off with Cemal Kafadar RC 73 L10 Student Defne Duru Arat Wins RC Launches Core Value Awards International Poetry Contest 13 Global Initiatives Connect Students AROUND THE WORLD GIFTS Raising Awareness of the World’s Endangered Species 60 14 Class of ‘96 Establishes a New Endowed Scholarship 15 Derin Uras Environmental Fund RC REACHES OUT Charlie Hoppin Memorial Fund A Sustainable Future in Bünyan 63 16 Endowed Scholarship Established in Memory of Mehmet İsvan RC 46 BOOKS Classroom Named in Memory of Giray Ertaş RC 88 Nuri Çolakoğlu RA 62 Invites Readers to 17 Cookbook’s Third Edition Continues to Support Scholarships Follow the Footsteps of Atatürk 64 Metin Ar RA 69 Curates World’s Best Restaurants in New Book CIP Özdemir Nutku RC 50 Remembered 18 CIPs Focus on Sustainability Through Posthumous Memoir 65 Doğan Gürpınar RC 97 Explores the History of Names in Turkey GRADS IN THE NEWS Photography Book by Cem Yılmaz RC 07 20 Serap Aksoy RC 74 Elected to the Takes Readers Around the World 66 National Academy of Sciences Seda Aksoy Evren RC 95 Writes Children’s Book İzak Benbasat Honored with Order of Canada Medal Buğra Giritlioğlu RC 89 Publishes New Poetry Collection 67 21 Canan Atılgan RC 87 Heads Up Science Academy The Latest Book from Orhan Pamuk RA 70 Has a Pandemic as Ayşe Buğra ACG 70 Receives PEN Turkey Award Backdrop 22 V&A Acquires Sculpture by Elif Uras RC 90 Herkül Millas RA 61 Presented with 50th MEMORIES Orhan Kemal Novel Award The Legend of the Maze 68 23 Esra Yalçınalp RC 00 Recognized for Journalism Excellence Ali Günvar RC 72 Wins Italian Poetry Award ALUMNI NEWS 70 24 Film by Buket Yıldız RC 06 Gains International Accolades FACULTY AND FRIENDS NEWS 75 RC IN AMERICA 24 RCAAA Hosts First Fireside Chat OBITUARIES 76 4 rc news
An Education That Doesn’t Cost the Planet
It is easy to attribute blame to individuals controlling corporations, institutions, banks and governments. Easy, but wrong. All those people shared one common experience: an education. We must accept and understand that, if we are to redress the world’s current challenges, education henceforth needs to be redefined, renewed, and repositioned. Leading schools around the world are embracing this challenge. Turkey must not lag behind.
Education has been a preparation for the workplace. Education has been an immersion in specialized academic areas. Now, an education must be something different. The education of the future must retain the best of previous models whilst also being about connection. We must connect young people to themselves. We must connect them
Head of School Adam Oliver on the summit of Mt. Uludağ to each other. We must connect them to nature. Dear Friends, And we must share this And what does that world resemble, Every edition of the RCQ resonates in in 2021? Our beaches are littered journey with them. different ways. It was a great pleasure with plastic, and the current for me to read the last edition, for generation do not remember a time The work is urgent and precious. The example, which was such an inspiring when this was not normal. More than bonds that have been broken must showcase for artistic creativity. This a million species are at immediate be renewed. Young people who can edition focuses on another area that is risk of extinction; there are species no longer name trees or fish or plants particularly dear to my heart – and is that today’s young people will never or birds will never be invested in their arguably the most important challenge see. The air in our cities is noxious. protection. How could they? The of our time. Water is growing scarcer every day natural world is sometimes described as global temperatures rocket. A new as being voiceless. This is incorrect. I should like to begin with a well- pandemic has claimed millions of We are its voices. If we choose to be. known quotation from Winston lives. Each generation passes on the If we are educated to be. Churchill: “We shape our buildings; gift of the future to its children. Yet thereafter, they shape us.” Churchill’s we are close to passing on not a gift, As is often the case, visionaries among reflection on architecture might, with but a curse. the rising generation are already ahead gentle modification, be extended to of us. They have started to realize that help us consider the current state We might well enquire: How did we there is limited value in graduating of our planet: We shape our world; come to this? But it is more important from RC and the Ivy League only to thereafter, it shapes us. to ask: How do we come out of it? inherit a dust-bowl. rc news 5
They have, as a consequence, begun cost the planet: it must be delivered that change is still possible, hope is to drive their own agendas through sustainably. This is our great challenge still valid, and because education the work of individuals such as Greta – and our opportunity. Childhood remains our greatest tool. Thunberg, and youth-led movements is the formative period in our lives. such as Fridays for Future. We learn from what we see and I hope you enjoy this edition of RCQ. experience as much as what we are In the pages hereafter you will have We owe it to them to catch up. told. Therefore we must create wiser the opportunity to read about the spaces, ones that model sustainable great work we already have planned or Article 56 of the Turkish Constitution modes of living until they become in progress, and I actively encourage states that protecting nature is the our norm; until current, wasteful you to reach out to us to share your duty of all citizens. If we are to honor models are intolerable for the rising stories and support regarding any and the spirit of this wise decree, we must generations. We need to give them the all ideas you have to help us in this renew every part of what an education educational tools to address the issues vital work. means: our curriculum, our teaching, that will affect their nation and their our welfare and co-curricular programs, world, and instill in them the belief Adam Oliver our infrastructure, our partners, that engaged, positive action, coupled Head of School mission and social responsibility. with practical, scientific solutions, can make a real difference. RC has always led. Now, we must lead again. We must create a new paradigm It is a bold vision but an essential one. for schools in Istanbul, and ultimately I share it unashamedly with you as the the nation. An education mustn’t Head of this great school in the belief Rethinking the Way We Publish Robert College is making sustainability a key component in everything we do. This issue on environmental sustainability was an opportunity for us to review the paper we use for the magazine, and make sure we are printing in a way that has a minimal impact on the environment. This edition of the RCQ is, therefore, printed on paper that is manufactured from responsibly sourced wood fiber. Responsible sourcing entails responsible forestry practices such as protecting water quality, woodlands, the rights of indigenous people, forest ecology and wildlife habitat, as well as preventing loss of natural forest cover.
We’d like to know what you think. Please send your feedback to Lisa Johnson at [email protected] 6 rc news
Class of ‘21 Flies From Home The Class of ‘21 embarked Turkish Director Nilhan Çetinyamaç simple yet very valuable: “Be original, on their new journey on a beautiful opened the ceremony with welcoming be brave and be responsible.” sunny day, June 29, having spent their remarks, telling the class, “My wish senior year mostly in lockdown due to is for each of you to write your Head of School Adam Oliver continued the pandemic. The commencement own success story, to create your with his speech which challenged the ceremony took place on the Dave own formulas for happiness and to class: “We have the knowledge to Phillips Field, with 201 members of discover the life that will make you restore shattered populations of fish, the Class of 2021, as well as their happy.” She also shared three life birds and animals. We have the skill loved ones. principles which she said are very to re-forest the Amazon. We have the rc news 7
Head of School Adam Oliver Turkish Director Nilhan Çetinyamaç Commencement speaker Arwa Damon RC 94 technology to remove the plastic dead zones in our oceans and restore clean water to our lost rivers. We have the knowledge, skills, and technology. But do we – or rather, I must say, do you – have the heart, and the will?”
The commencement address was delivered by CNN International Senior Correspondent Arwa Damon RC 94. In her inspiring speech, Damon saluted the students: “Take that emotional rollercoaster that Covid threw you on and turn it into your power engine – take all that and own it, because at the end of the day YOU did it, YOU made The graduating class entering the Dave Phillips Field 8 rc news
Faculty speaker Koray Demirkapı Student speaker Cem Küpeli RC 21 Student speaker Öykü Türkoğlu RC 21
“Stand tall, so this country rises on your shoulders. Stand tall, just like Mustafa Kemal who built a nation.”
In his touching speech, student speaker Cem Küpeli reminded the class of the importance of love: “I want to ask you to keep doing what you love and to give as much love as you can to those around you, just as I have seen you do in the past five years, because the world needs both.” Student speaker Öykü Türkoğlu made a passionate address: “We are leaving our school where we learned to think freely and democratically and are setting on a path to change the world and Turkey. At a time when there is Teachers who attended Graduation posed on the steps of Gould Hall before the ceremony a lot of hopelessness in our country, we still continue to dream of a better it!” Providing examples from the many This year’s faculty speaker was Koray future, we are still determined to twists and turns that enabled Damon Demirkapı, head level dean and music make a difference in the world, and we to become a war correspondent, she teacher, who underlined how dynamic will continue to voice what we think is urged the students not to be afraid of and special the Class of 2021 is. right, as we walk our path.” making mistakes: “Do not let yourself He gave endearing examples of the get locked in, whether it’s by society moments he shared with them, most The ceremony closed with the tradition and what it dictates you should do, notably the many conversations he of caps being thrown in the air, your parents and their expectations had with the students who dropped followed by the singing of the school of you, or peer pressure. When your by his office. He concluded his speech song. The new graduates lingered on gut tells you to change course or do by mentioning the importance of the stage after the ceremony, excited something even if it’s terrifying, or voicing one’s opinion and standing to be among their friends again. uncomfortable, or unsure – DO IT.” for the values one cares about deeply:
Graduating seniors were thrilled to be with classmates after a year of mostly distance learning due to the pandemic rc news 9 School Year Ends on a Creative Note The academic year finished off with a theater, tennis, golf, chess, the RC rare series of over 70 creative workshops book collection, composting, and more. offered by RC students and faculty According to LP-3 student, Ece Önel, from June 21-30. The intention was “We were able to choose according to end a difficult year by celebrating to our interests and according to the and centering on what we all love: topics we wanted to discover, so it was learning and being curious. When the enjoyable.” Students were invited onto Ministry of Education announced that campus for four of the eight workshop schools should remain active until July days making the school and grounds 2, RC administration decided to shake full of animated discussions once matters up; to have an “intellectual again. Additionally, remote sessions interruption” of sorts. The hope was were offered to accommodate those that teachers would have a chance to who could not make it physically. Apis mellifera Initiative advisors Stuart Arey and Maria Sezer lead a beekeeping workshop, one of be students again and students could over 70 creative workshops offered at the end of become the teachers. English and film teacher Jameson the school year Vierling expressed, “What impressed RC hopes to continue this end-of-year An invitation was opened to all me the most was seeing teachers approach of exploring and sharing students, staff, and faculty to either and students in a different light, our experience and knowledge. The present a workshop or to be a sharing their passions, and allowing Creative Workshop approach enabled participant. Workshops were offered the teachers to be students and the RC to end the year in a positive, and on a wide range of topics: beekeeping, students to be teachers because we affirming way, reminding everyone of creative writing, flower pressing, all can and do learn from each other.” what makes our school special. Young Alumni are Mentors for the Next Generation What began with one RC graduate it inspired other teachers in the current university. One of my students helping out with a math class has community to have young alumni work was thinking of applying to that blossomed into a chance for RC with their classes. university and was very happy to hear students to learn and be inspired first-hand about this school.“ by recent alumni through the RC Art teacher Maria Sezer shares her Graduate Mentorship Program. experience: “It was wonderful to see Over the two semesters 28 RC Alumni from the past five years have my former student Aslı Munzur (RC teachers had 40 young alumni work been supporting classes as guest 17). She especially dwelled on what with their classes. The response was speakers, activity facilitators and was useful in ceramics classes to her very positive and Pamuk is planning to even helping groups of students with as a scientist, but also spoke about continue the program next year. their homework. “As we started the continuing her ceramics interest at her 2020-21 school year with distance learning, students were frustrated at Alumni mentor activities the lack of interaction with the school Help with homework community,” says English teacher and 5.0% program coordinator Mia Pamuk. “In Giving feedback Guest speaker faculty and department meetings we 10.0% discussed what this lack of contact 30.0% meant for their motivation,“ she adds. Big group activities 10.0% The program began when Emin Berker RC 18 assisted with Berna Tüfekçioğlu’s Answering questions math classes, attending classes and 15.0% fielding questions about assignments, Small group activities including homework questions. This 30.0% partnership was so successful that 10 rc news
RC SEIC: Flattening Learning Hierarchies Robert College Social Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity Office (RC SEIC) has had a very busy year! A student-facilitated innovation platform to design, experience and develop transdisciplinary, collaborative, diverse learning, and creative responses to local and global issues, RC SEIC achieves these goals via initiatives that focus on well-being, community building, capacity building, and sharing individual and organizational learning with the local and global ecosystem. Here is a selection of their activities.
On Wednesdays We Wonder is a same sharing circle. The first meeting Ecosystem Talks is a platform that weekly community building gathering of the series was with Can Yeşildere allows inspiring exchanges of ideas that focuses on learning how to learn RC 18 who took a gap year and with leaders in social innovation. in a student-facilitated environment. discussed the benefits of this choice Zeynep Bodur Okyay, an activist, The founding students aimed to with attending student and faculty. entrepreneur, head of Kale Group, design a learning experience where and daughter of İbrahim Bodur RC 51, everyone holds space to create a was invited to an Ecosystem Talk in learning circle together: “We can learn March. This event’s main goal was to from peers, teachers, the cook at our challenge typical learning hierarchies school, the security guard we say hi and prove everyone has something to every morning and they can learn to teach and learn. Before the event, from us.” Women in sports, black RC SEIC gathered together to prepare holes, and toxic positivity were among questions for Zeynep Bodur. They the topics this year. practiced collective thinking and reflected on important sources such as the Harvard Business Review. During the event, students were able to ask questions and pose challenges to Bodur. One of the discussion points was the concept of conscious Innovation Sense Making Den ecosystems, something Kale Group is an initiative that aims to flatten practices, although it is a fairly new learning hierarchies, postulating that concept in the business world. viewing the learning process within the student-teacher dynamic creates missed learning opportunities. To that end, this initiative gathers students, faculty, and staff together to consume a content around social innovation Innovation Alumni Talks connects and to hold a discussion about it. RC student changemakers with RC The first discussion of the series alumni changemakers from diverse was on Dr. Otto Scharmer’s Theory disciplines and backgrounds. This U with a particular focus on “Turning coming together allows participants the Camera Around: Who is My Self? to gain exposure to diverse ideas and What is My Work?” to challenge those very ideas in the rc news 11 Annual Award Honors Female Science Students makes us encouraged to pursue and Dr. Güniz Büyüktür ACG 60 and her keep on working for our dreams.” cousins Prof. Dr. Emine Beyhan Yeğen ACG 70 and Hümeyra Gücük all offered This year’s ceremony included their congratulations to Doğa Ece. speeches and messages from Seyhan Eğe’s family and close friends, who all Also joining the ceremony was the underlined what a pioneer she was as 2020 Excellence in Science recipient, a woman in science in the mid-20th Yaprak Önder L12, who said, “The century. Seyhan Eğe’s sister Güneş award was an encouragement to Eğe Akter ACG 52, who established pursue science at a higher level and the award in 2009, said, “With the ensure I was on the right track. I want Prof. Seyhan Eğe Excellence in Science you to know that your hard work and L11 student Doğa Ece Tanaydın is the recipient of Award we have set a joyful precedent of passion is being recognized through this year’s Excellence in Science Award acknowledging the ability, motivation this award, and I hope that this The recipient of the 12th Annual and talents of young women to excel in inspires you to further explore your Prof. Seyhan Eğe ACG 49 Excellence the sciences, once considered a taboo interest in science.” in Science Award for Girls was subject for the fairer sex who were announced during an online event on assumed to be too fragile to deal with Each year, the award is presented to April 16, 2021. Lise 11 student Doğa such rigorous demanding matters.” a Lise 11 girl student who is chosen Ece Tanaydın, who was surprised by the science faculty as showing with the news during the ceremony, Seyhan Eğe’s classmate Ayfer Doğan outstanding dedication to the said, “Thank you for this award, which Neyzi ACG 49, her former student Prof. sciences. Student Artists Honored at 20th Demirkan Aşetey RC 76 Art Competition For two decades the Demirkan Aşetey RC 76 Art Competition has been recognizing talented RC students. Established by the Class of 76 in memory of their classmate who was an art enthusiast, the event has come to be the highlight of the year for art students.
The winners of this year’s competition “On God Complex and His Diet” by “Untitled” by Bengi Ada Tüfekçi L12 were announced during an online Defne Duru Arat L10 ceremony on April 30, 2021, attended by students, faculty and members of Lise 12 student Bengi Ada Tüfekçi keep his memory alive through this RC 76. The panel of judges were all RC for her untitled work. Third prize art competition in his name. We graduates who found inspiration on was given to Lise 10 student Zeynep are thankful to our dear classmate the RC campus and ended up pursuing Öğütçü for her piece called “Emotions Coşkun Arkun for coming up with the careers in the arts: İrem Kaneli RC 89, All Over the Place”. idea, to the faculty and staff for their Hale Güngör Oppenheimer RC 00, and strong support and organization, to Gülşah Mürsaloğlu RC 08. Marking the occasion, RC 76 class the students who participated in this agent Nedim Ölçer said, “It is difficult competition with their valuable art The first prize went to Lise 10 student to believe that it has been twenty works, and last but not least to our Defne Duru Arat for her multimedia years since we have lost our beloved beloved classmates who have been booklet “On God Complex and His classmate and friend Demirkan. supporting this project for the past Diet”. Second prize was awarded to We are happy that we were able to twenty years.” 12 rc news
Back in RC Project Kicks Off with Cemal Kafadar RC 73 By Student Council member Kaan Hotan L10
Cemal Kafadar, Vehbi Koç Professor of Istanbul during the 16th century. Turkish Studies at Harvard University Following, we discovered the surge and a member of the RC Board of of night socialization’s effects on Trustees, was back at RC to give a entertainment forms and the rise of lecture, 48 years after his graduation. new performative arts like Karagöz Prof. Kafadar has a wide range of and Meddah. professions and has taught courses from history and cinema to Ottoman Prof. Kafadar was the first guest of history, and many more. the Alumni Project that is led by the Student Council with support from His lecture was a brief introduction the Institutional Advancement Office. to one of his works, “How Dark is the The project aims to bring students History of the Night, How Black the and alumni from different areas and Story of Coffee, How Bitter the Tale different classes together to form a of Love: the Changing Measure of closer community in which students Leisure and Pleasure in Early Modern have the opportunity to benefit from Istanbul.” We embarked on a journey the wisdom of alumni. We’re hoping to from the spread of coffeehouses host many more alumni in the future. to the new definition of leisure in RC Launches Core Value Awards This year, the Core Value Awards and then approved by the Senior Lise 9 student Evrim Sude Con, who were established to recognize Leadership Team (SLT). The awards received the Excellence award for her students in Lise Prep through Lise for this year were announced at level level, shows just how motivational the 11 who exemplify the values of RC: assemblies on May 24-28. awards are: “Winning the excellence balance, excellence, leadership, award made me understand that the multiculturalism and responsibility. Head level dean Koray Demirkapı effort that I was putting into my work For each core value, two students from states that the awards were in any part of my life was worth it. I each level, therefore forty students, established to create awareness believe this value is a quality that every are honored. They are recognized for about the RC Core Values within the RC student should embody in their living the particular core value and student body and to increase student journey. Excellence is not about being being an example of its attributes. recognition: “We think that this award perfect but doing your best despite Award recipients are decided by an system will help students to learn and any obstacle. I will always try to pass awards committee comprising the understand the RC Core Values better this value on to others because it will five level deans, the Dean of Student in the following years and will allow eventually bring success and esteem.” Affairs, Dean of Student Activities and more of our students to be recognized the Turkish Director, after consultation by the community.” with teachers, staff and counselors, rc news 13 Global Initiatives Connect Students Despite the pandemic, global educators continue to Without Borders/Without Fear International Art Exhibit innovate, creating opportunities that connect students This art project provided a creative outlet for students to a greater wealth of knowledge, people, and resources, from across three schools in the US, Canada, and Turkey of which education has never experienced before. The to express how they are dealing with the pandemic and International Project Development Office, headed by Rima isolation. The project was organized by Street Art Club Berro-Oliver leads RC’s contribution to this work, offering advisor Narciso Argüelles who explained, “Without Borders our students opportunities to engage in dialogue, exchange speaks to breaking down barriers and finding solidarity stories, experience different perspectives, and deepen with people around the world. Without Fear speaks to the their understanding of global issues with peers from an idea that the students are bravely carrying on with life and international and cosmopolitan background, all around the making art.” Lise 12 participant Berre Kahraman said, “I see world. Our goal is that every student leaves RC with a store art to be an essential part of my life, so Street Art Club is of positive memories, connections and friendships with a way for me to express myself freely and truly, whenever, young people abroad, and an education that transcends wherever.” borders. Taken together, we believe this will help our students to move onto the next stage of their lives with confidence in themselves as future global leaders.
In their own words, here are students’ descriptions of recent work carried out through the International Project Development Office.
Student Dialogue Series A forum for international discussion of complex issues such as media, sustainability, and social justice.
“The most interesting part was seeing so many different Street Art Club member Berre Kahraman L12 perspectives of others on a specific topic, and nearly every conversation broadened my view. Also, I have made many French Creative Writing Contest friends with many different backgrounds, which made me A creative writing contest was one in a series of competitions grow as a person.” - Elvan Ece Satıcı L10 organized by the Association of French Teachers of Istanbul in May 2021. It was divided into categories of language “It was so eye-opening to learn about global opinions. levels and age. Lise 10 student İsmihan Uğurlu won 2nd Discussing international issues with a broader experience prize in the high-school B1/B2 competition. Her poem set, helped me see different sides of the problem. The more “Je Parle, Trois Fois” expresses her feelings about being sides you see, more elaborate solutions you see.” - Ceyda trilingual. “I think this is the closest I’ve felt to my third Yeşillik L9 language,” she said.
E-pal Program with the Bishop Strachan School, Ontario Story Telling Across Cultures- GEBG A cultural exchange program that gives RC students the The RC school community connected with the wider world chance to cultivate relationship with global peers. “The by participating in a live virtual event with New York Times e-pal project showed me that even with such restrictions, bestselling author and UNICEF Advocate for Children we can still find ways to connect with people around the Affected by War, Ishmael Beah. English teacher Ana Shaw globe and make new friends. I have never been to Canada, said, “It was profoundly moving, uplifting, and humbling.” so it was very interesting to hear all about the country and culture from the perspective of friends my age. Even though meeting in person doesn’t seem like a realistic goal for the near future, I am excited to see where these friendships will take me.” - Yasemin Şukal L11
Global Studies Programs with Felsted School, UK “Interacting with people from so many different countries all around the world made me feel so happy. I loved the keynote speakers. It was inspiring for me to listen to successful people who achieved so much. I believe that someday in the future I can achieve these things as well.” - Nil Safir Bağcı L9 Ishmael Beah, NY Times bestselling author 14 gifts
Class of ‘96 Establishes a New Endowed Scholarship
The 96ers came together in 2016, female student, and it is named the recently done it, our friends were still to establish their first scholarship RC 96 Empowering Girls Scholarship in the zone. I only asked eight friends ever: the RC 96 Endowed Scholarship. Fund. However this time the goal is for large gifts and once they said they Their aim was to support a residential to collect $200,000, which has been were in, we asked our classmates and female student having an interest in reached through the pledges so far. everybody immediately rose up to the co-curricular activities and arts. They challenge.” Other classmates agree, were able to collect over $150,000 RC 96 has been known for their mutual adding they were very used to giving which was the minimum amount love towards their sports teachers, as in installments, and they felt like they required to set up an endowed fund. well as the instructors of clubs and were forgetting to do something once When the 20th Reunion of the class activities. Quite a few alumni from the payments for the first endowment was crowned with a successful this class had previously joined the were finished. They wanted to campaign, younger classes followed campaign for the Dave Phillips Field, continue, as monthly payments had suit with significant gifts on their as a result of this affection. Loyalty, become a routine. When the first respective twentieths. commitment, and passion have always scholarship was decided, they had mattered more to them than academic 30 months to give, whereas this time The assigned student of the Class of excellence. When asked, a member of they have 36 months. Many people in ‘96’s scholarship fund happened to RC 96 stated: “It was always a given to the class pledged monthly gifts for the pursue an interest in arts, and the be intellectuals, or to be academically next three years which will enable them yearly student reports about her successful at RC, so we purposefully to donate larger sums as opposed to progress were always delightful to focused on other areas, such as making a single payment in a year. read. When her graduation finally sports, arts, theater and camaraderie. approached in 2021, the class got The school spirit has always been They take pride in setting an quite excited and motivated upon very strong among us. We therefore outstanding example of the monthly learning of her decision to enroll at consciously wanted to underline our payment plan for the younger classes. Dartmouth in pursuit of an arts degree preference for these values when “We are so proud of our class,” say on full scholarship. underwriting the new endowed fund.” classmates Burcu Berent and Mehveş Dramur, both of whom work in the Following this sensational news, it Although RC 96 is not the first class to RC Institutional Advancement Office. took the class only a week to regroup create a second endowed fund, they “We are working to raise funds for our and decide to embark on a second certainly are the youngest to attempt school, and by supporting RC in such endowment, coinciding with the 25th such a substantial challenge. “The a generous way twice in a row, our Reunion of RC 96. The new fund is second one happened faster,” says classmates show how responsible and established once again to support a class agent Orhan Ayanlar. “As we had committed RC 96 feels.”
RC 96 at their 20th Reunion, the year the class raised their first endowed scholarship. They have raised a second endowed scholarship for their 25th Reunion gifts 15
Derin Uras Environmental Fund
To support Robert College Each year the fund will support two students in their vital work on students who have done the most to environmental issues, and to help promote environmental causes, and RC deliver an education that does to foster awareness in others, as well not cost the planet, the Derin Uras as provide support to the school’s Environmental Fund has been current environmental initiative established in his memory by his projects lead by students. mother Ümran Üngün ACG 70 and wife Duygu Uras RC 02. The first award from the fund was given this year to two teams from the Derin, who passed away in January SDG 13 Climate Action Challenge. One 2019, had the rare distinction of being team will use the award to develop an born while his family lived on Robert app called Your Drop which will make College’s beautiful campus. Spending people aware of how much water they his happy childhood playing in its consume and show them how they woods and green spaces and later in can reduce usage. The second team high school preparing a project about is developing an app called Naturavis Derin Uras with his son Can rare trees on campus, he grew up taking that will help consumers make more environmentally sound choices. In The goal of Derin’s family is to real delight in nature and the natural raise $200,000 for the fund by world, and his family is determined to addition, an award will be given at future graduations to a Lise 12 student 2023, invested with the Robert preserve this legacy. Helped by Ümran College Foundation, to support and Duygu, Derin’s young son, Can, who has done the most to promote environmental causes, and to foster these environmental initiatives in has already planted 15 olive trees on perpetuity. campus in memory of his father. environmental awareness in others. Charlie Hoppin Memorial Fund been established by his family and being. Throughout his life he sought friends to support students in their it out.” Charlie had polio in his teens. pursuit of outdoor education and There were many forms of exercise he environmental care and understanding, could not do but his favorites - hiking, areas that were very dear to Charlie’s sailing, skiing - were all still possible. heart. He first visited Turkey in 1978 He did them, especially sailing, until as lead lawyer for the Turkish debt close to the end of his life. restructuring, and was invited to the Board a year later by then-Board Chair “His family knows that it would have Rodney Wagner. “Charlie was a natural given Charlie great pleasure to know teacher himself and Robert College, all that RC students are starting an aspects of it, aligned perfectly with his Environmental Club,” adds Nancy. interests. For over 30 years he visited “Had this existed when he was a Trustee Emeritus Charlie Hoppin the campus at least once a year,” says younger Board member he would have his wife Nancy Hoppin. loved to have joined you!” Charlie Hoppin was a dedicated member of the Robert Charlie’s legal work required intense The first award from the fund was College Board of Trustees, serving in focus and long hours. “It was often presented to two teams from the SDG many capacities for over four decades. exhausting,” explains Nancy. “He knew 13 Climate Challenge who will develop To honor his service to the school, the that, for him, time in the natural world a permaculture garden and a food Charlie Hoppin Memorial Fund has was key to his happiness and well- forest on the RC campus.
If you would like to be part of these important funds, please contact Monika Mraz, Director of Institutional Advancement, at [email protected] or +90 212 263 4239. 16 gifts Endowed Scholarship Established in Memory of Mehmet İsvan RC 46
A desire to set up an endowed RC 44 and Reha Doğan ACG 44) and scholarship at RC was also an cousin (Nurhan İsvan RC 76) are all opportunity to commemorate a loved graduates of the school. Known then one for RC 72 alumni Nilüfer İsvan as Aziz Vamık, Nilüfer’s grandfather and İrvin Cemil Schick. The Mehmet also served as instructor of Turkish at İsvan RC 46 Endowed Scholarship RC between 1915 and 1918. was established in the fall of 2020, in memory of Nilüfer’s father. The passion for education runs deep in the family, and Nilüfer İsvan and The İsvan family has long ties to İrvin Schick are both professors. “We Robert College. Nilüfer İsvan’s parents feel that our real intellectual debt is to (Mehmet İsvan RC 46 and Nuran Ünel RC, without which we would not have ACG 46) and grandparents (Aziz İsvan achieved any of that,” says Schick. RC 15 and Ulviye Bedi ACG 22), as well as her uncle and aunt (Ahmet İsvan Mehmet İsvan RC 46 Classroom Named in Memory of Giray Ertaş RC 88 “Our son, our brother Giray was proud of his alma mater. We want his legacy to have some impact for education and for him to be always remembered in the hallways that shaped his life,” said his family.
Robert College is deeply appreciative to the Ertaş family for commemorating Giray in such a meaningful way.
Woods 308 was dedicated in memory of Giray Ertaş RC 88 in the presence of his family (center) and a few of his classmates. Giray Ertaş was a much-loved When Giray passed away in a car member of the Class of 88. He had accident in December 2019, his family strong ties to RC that began when he wanted to commemorate him at Robert started as an Orta school boarder in College, and it was only fitting that 1980. Later when he was no longer they chose to have his name appear staying in the dorms, he would remain in one of the halls where he fostered on campus for so long that he was so many friendships. On July 8, 2021, pronounced an honorary boarder. The Woods 308 was dedicated in memory strong friendships that were forged of Giray Ertaş, in the presence of his continued well beyond his years at RC. family and a few of his classmates. Giray Ertaş RC 88 gifts 17
Cookbook’s Third Edition Continues to Support Scholarships
A contributor to the RC in 2012. The book went on to receive The book is available through Scholarship Fund for many years, first place in the Community and booksellers in Turkey as well as Melahat Kınoğlu ACG 44 shared the Charity for Europe category at the through the Alumni Association at proceeds from her book filled with 2013 Gourmand World Cookbook Bizim Tepe. life-long recipes from family and Awards, one of the most prestigious friends, Bir Ömür Bin Tutam Lezzet cookbook awards in the world
With the third edition of the book, Melahat Kınoğlu’s family has pledged to continue sharing the proceeds in support of the RC Scholarship Fund in memory of their mother, to donate to the education of young girls.
In Melahat Kınoğlu’s own words, “The story of this book first began around the ages of 12-13 when I was exchanging recipes with my friends at Robert College.” Her family wishes that her story goes on through those who continue to cook, savor and share the joys of her dishes. Melahat Kınoğlu ACG 44 18 community involvement program CIPs Focus on Sustainability During the spring semester, several Community Involvement Projects focused on sustainability. From climate crisis to marine ecology, from social cohesion to environmental and social issues, RC students organized events and workshops that helped children and peers at high schools around Turkey become more aware of the issues and understand that they have the power to make positive changes in their communities. Kids Learn to Green Academy CIP Care for the Seas Raises Environmental Awareness By project leaders Ayseli Karabekmez L10 & Buse Yılmaz-Paksoy L10
Green Academy aimed to enhance about the climate crisis and other the knowledge about environmental environmental issues. issues and encourage children to learn and be more active about the climate The advisor for the Green Academy crisis. In this project, we also learned CIP was Dünya Önen RC L3 03, RC how to find information and research biology teacher and co-head of the together with kids. Environmental Education Initiative. CIP members are using a book they created to teach We truly appreciate her support! children about marine ecology At the end, everyone had learned so Children around Turkey are learning many new things, that we thought We enjoyed Green Academy so much about the importance of protecting it would be best to document all and we would like to continue with our seas thanks to the Evde Deniz Var the research, discussions and idea this project. (There Is Sea at Home) CIP run by the exchanges that happened throughout RC Marine Biology Club. this journey. We created a publication Now, we also have the necessary that included research about different experience for this project and “We saw that one of the biggest topics we discussed as well as the we know exactly what we want to problems among people in Turkey paintings the kids did to express their improve upon. Next time, we are was the lack of information and feelings and insights they gained. sure that we will put together a more interest in marine life. In order to conscientiously planned project that make a difference we decided to start We believe that the two months we the participants will enjoy even more! by informing children,” says Lise 10 spent together was an enriching student Ece Beren Ertekin. learning experience for all the participants, because Green YEŞİL AKADEMİ CIP members created an illustrated Academy was a place where everyone children’s book about life under the 91.000 Dev Öğrenci Ortaokulu got the chance to offer their own Kemal Özalper Ortaokulu seas and the adventure of Feti, the sea Sümer Ortaokulu perspectives and share their ideas. Yeşilyurt-Gazi Ortaokulu turtle. They are now using this book Throughout the process everyone Robert Kolej in their CIP to teach children about learned more about the urgency of the world under the seas and basic environmental issues and got the marine biology topics, as well as to chance to discuss with others. create awareness about pollution in the seas and oceans. The CIP members As the leaders, we have gained a not only teach them about marine life lot of skills throughout the process. but also encourage them to research Many things did not go as planned, information by themselves. so we had to adapt. In online projects and these uncertain times, Doğa Buse Kurt L10 says, “We learned it is important to be flexible. We also how to get to the core of information
learned how to communicate with M A R T - H A Z İ R A N 2 0 2 1 and simplify really big topics to explain an outside organization to support them to 3rd grade students. As a next our project. On top of these skills, Green Academy team members produced a step, we aim to do this project again publication with research about the topics they we gained a lot of useful information discussed and drawings from participants with different students to reach and inform a wider audience.” community involvement program 19
CIP Spring Seminar on Social Cohesion On April 28 and 29, 2021, CIP hosted two online seminars on Social Cohesion presented by the Human Resource Development Foundation (İnsan Kaynağını Geliştirme Vakfı). Sixty-two students, one teacher and two staff members joined the seminar, gaining a deeper understanding and awareness of the challenges faced by migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Turkey and the region. An engaging discussion ensued on the difference between tolerance and acceptance and social cohesion as a force for inclusion rather than marginalization or assimilation of socio-cultural difference.
The 10th Social Responsibility at High Schools Symposium By Aras Karlıdağ L11, 2020-2021 CIP Advisory Board member teacher and student groups from six and disability rights were invited to different schools successfully formed facilitate workshops and presentations: the organizational team despite Deniztemiz TURMEPA, Yeryüzü Derneği, all the challenges this year: Robert Yeşil Yama, Servas Barış Okulu, Atlas College, Terakki Foundation Schools, Derneği, Fenerbahçe Vakfı Topluluk Alev Schools, İTÜ Development Bahçesi ve Permakültür Uygulamaları, Foundation Schools, Üsküdar Okul Destek Derneği, Gönüllü Hizmetler American Academy and Arnavutköy Derneği, Fridays for Future Türkiye, Korkmaz Yiğit High School. Eleven Türkiye Down Sendromu Derneği, students from the Robert College Kurtaran Ev, İhtiyaç Haritası, İZEV and Student Tech Crew formed the IT Şişli Belediyesi Mahalle Evleri. During (Tech) crew for the symposium, the workshops, participants learned holding a big responsibility on their about volunteering and how to start shoulders. They prepared the website by listening to presentations, asking for the symposium, made interviews questions and engaging in activities. and published them on the website, They also gained different perspectives handled the symposium preparation on social responsibility by listening to and registration process, produced our guest speakers: Prof. Dr. Levent videos introducing participating NGOs, Kurnaz, from Boğaziçi University; and With the motto of “Saving Life, created certificates and provided Ahmet Harmancı, Sadık Ünlü, Asude Protecting the Living” in our minds technical support for approximately Altıntaş and Ömer Görgülü from the and cooperating with high school 500 participants. Young Guru Academy. At the end of students and teachers from six the event, a closing video that included schools, the 10th Social Responsibility With the aim of expanding engagement footage from the workshops was in High Schools Symposium was held in social responsibility to as many shared. Our focus on the importance of on May 2, 2021. Although it was people as possible, we hosted 482 volunteering and the need to support it the tenth time this symposium took students and teachers from 42 high was reinforced as the symposium came place, this was the first time it was schools around Turkey, including to an end. We received very positive held virtually. However, this was not İstanbul, Eskişehir, Nusaybin, feedback from each participating the only reason why this symposium Gaziantep, Ankara, Bursa, İzmir, school which showed us that our was different from the other nine Tarsus, and Sivas. In order to achieve symposium could be a source of symposiums. Unlike most of the this, 14 NGOs that are directly involved passion, happiness and hope for each previous years’ symposiums in which with volunteering in areas such as participant. Hence, we were extremely teachers took the organizational role, animal rights, education, environment happy with our success. 20 grads in the news Serap Aksoy RC 74 Elected to the National Academy of Sciences Serap Aksoy, a professor of constituents in saliva which is injected epidemiology (microbial diseases) at into the human bite site (vaccines the Yale School of Public Health and against these are being investigated acting chair of the Department of to prevent their blood feeding ability), Epidemiology, was among 120 new components of the smell apparatus members elected to the National (olfaction) which allowed us to develop Academy of Sciences in the United more effective traps to reduce their States, which is one of the highest numbers, and their gut microbiota in honors that can be bestowed on a which we can now produce molecules scientist or engineer. Aksoy states that target the pathogenic parasites that she hopes to contribute to the that cause disease.” Academy by providing leadership in the area of insect transmitted diseases, Aksoy views RC as a game changer in microbial pandemics, climate change her life: “I loved my science classes. I effects on infectious disease and in remember various science fairs that global health diplomacy. I attended on campus, as well as my Serap Aksoy RC 74 trip to Ankara where our project was Aksoy’s laboratory focuses on tsetse among the finalists. The strong inquiry- flies and the pathogenic parasites species: “The genome discovery enabled based education, our hands-on biology they transmit that cause fatal diseases us to launch various molecular studies laboratory classes and love for natural in Africa. Aksoy was instrumental in on many aspects of this fly that can sciences my teachers instilled in me sequencing the genomes of six tsetse fly lead to its control. Some examples are were very influential in my career path.” İzak Benbasat Honored with Order of Canada Medal İzak Benbasat, RA 65 and communication technologies for the RC YÜK 69, Fellow of the Royal Society benefit of individuals, organizations, of Canada and Sauder Distinguished and society, and for my mentorship Professor of Information Systems of over 40 doctoral and 25 master of Emeritus at the Sauder School science students in MIS.” of Business, University of British Columbia, is the second Turkish Benbasat remembers his years at individual to receive the Order of RC with great affection: “My 12-year Canada Medal, given for exemplary educational journey on the RC Bebek service of Canadians who make a campus started in 1957 with two years significant difference to Canada of English prep, three years of Robert through their lifetime contributions. Academy Orta Okul and three years of Lise, followed by four years of Benbasat was ranked third in the world İzak Benbasat, RA 65 and RC YÜK 69 Robert College Yüksek Okul, a period among management information that spanned my adolescence to systems (MIS) scholars in 2020 based systems, and social networks. adulthood years. It was a privilege to on h-index rankings which measures Benbasat states: “I am honored and be a part of the RC community which the quality of scientific output and delighted to have been recognized for imparted in its students expansive the diversity of scientific research. my contributions to the development and independent thinking skills within Benbasat’s research focus is in the of the field of managementa congenial and engaging learning areas of human-computer interaction, information systems (MIS), which environment on one of the most computer-based managerial support involves the study of information and beautiful campuses in the world!” grads in the news 21 Canan Atılgan RC 87 Heads Up Science Academy Prof. Canan Atılgan was principles of scientific merit, freedom elected President of Turkey’s Science and integrity. It brings together Academy (Bilim Akademisi), taking prominent scientists in Turkey, many over from Founding President Prof. of which are RC graduates, in order M. Ali Alpar RA 68. As a professor to promote and preserve scientific of materials science and nano excellence, scientific methods, engineering at Sabancı University, traditions and procedures, as well where she has also served as the as scientific freedom and integrity; Dean of Engineering and Natural in brief, to represent and sustain the Canan Atılgan RC 87 Sciences, Atılgan’s work focuses on spirit of science. members at a university that was polymer and protein dynamics, as being established with a true liberal well as theoretical and computational During her tenure, Atılgan hopes to arts soul woke up the beast in me. I investigation of complex molecular focus attention on the changing role grew interested in diversifying my systems. She has received numerous of academia and on inclusiveness: understanding of the world through accolades for her work, including the “We hope to ensure Science Academy fields outside of the sciences. And TÜBİTAK Encouragement Award in becomes an independent point of when I look back, I believe the 2002, and the L’Oreal Young Women reference, taking on advisory roles foundations built at RC contributed to Scientist Fellowship in 2005. for decision-making and action-taking my metamorphosis.” institutions in Turkey.” Science Academy was established Atılgan is also currently the Biophysical in 2011 as an independent non- Atılgan credits RC with instilling Society Ambassador to Turkey and governmental organization to an interdisciplinary outlook in her: invites RC students and graduates promote, practice and uphold the “Being among the first of the faculty interested in this field to contact her. Ayşe Buğra ACG 70 Receives PEN Turkey Award Ayşe Buğra is the latest recipient only defended the equality rights of of the PEN Turkey Writers Association other literate women but all women. Duygu Asena Award, given in memory of Duygu Asena, one of the most When asked how her years at ACG prominent writers in the women’s influenced her career, Buğra says, “As movement in Turkey. In its declaration, students at ACG, we were very lucky to the association explained that the study in an environment where we did award was given to Ayşe Buğra as a role not only have an excellent education model, as an educator and a scientist, but were also encouraged to make because of her work, her books and our own life choices and develop our her determination. Upon accepting her capabilities to pursue the ends we find Ayşe Buğra ACG 70 award, Buğra said, “We know we have meaningful. Unfortunately, there are to fight for women’s equality in society still too many young women who do there. She is the author of numerous in all our diversity.” She underlined not have this opportunity.” books and has also received the that her maternal grandmother and Social Sciences Award from the World mother, both teachers, believed in Ayşe Buğra is a professor emeritus Academy of Sciences in 2015 - an award gender equality and were aware that of political economy at the Ataturk given to scientists from developing it was something that needed to be Institute of Modern Turkish History countries for their contribution to fought for. Buğra also stated she at Boğaziçi University and is the co- scientific knowledge and/or to the would like to draw attention to all the founder and the current director of the application of science and technology smart, hard-working women who not Social Policy Forum research center to sustainable development. 22 grads in the news V&A Acquires Sculpture by Elif Uras RC 90 Prominent contemporary artist were men, and the works were meant Elif Uras adds to her many accolades for gendered spaces like the male with the recent acquisition of her quarters of mosques and palaces. In ceramic piece “Pregnant Spiral” by the my ceramic works I wanted to subvert Victoria & Albert Museum for their the tradition and to emphasize what permanent collection. The piece is a has been missing from its earlier part of the exhibition Contemporary incarnation.” Ceramic Art from the Middle East at the V&A alongside Uras’s “Ottoman Both pieces fit in Uras’s artistic stance Belly”. Uras states that having her quite specifically: “The abstract work included in this collection is patterns I appropriate from art Elif Uras RC 90 one of the greatest achievements historical references allude to lace or she can imagine as an artist: “The Uras explains that the patterns beadwork covering certain parts of the V&A Museum is encyclopedic when painted on both “Ottoman Belly” and body or its entirety. I see these works as it comes to ceramics. I remember “Pregnant Spiral” are inspired by the questioning or upending the orientalist visiting it more than a decade ago Haliç pattern created in Iznik in the 15th image of the eastern female as well as with my parents after I had started century: “In Iznik I was struck by how a rejoinder to our society’s patriarchal working with ceramics in Iznik and women dominated the workforce as attitudes towards the female body. was so moved to see historical Iznik entrepreneurs, as well as craftspeople The pregnant vessels were a reaction works represented along with other and artists. This represented a gender to the politicization of the female body masterpieces from China, Japan, the reversal from the 16th century Iznik, and its reproductivity.” Islamic World and Europe.” when the artists and craftspeople Herkül Millas RA 61 Presented with 50th Orhan Kemal Novel Award of critical thinking (logic) and others fruitful communication. The novel is emotionally. On the other hand, we about my world, naturally the way I know that human beings are emotional experienced and I felt it.” to a great extent. I learned these by simply reading about these issues, Millas views the role of RC in his life as but I always suspected that there are determinant: “I joined this school as a things that cannot be communicated young boy and left it when I graduated by simply expressing facts and as an engineer and a married man. that there are feelings that can be These are the most critical years of
Herkül Millas RA 61 presented only by arts and literature. the formation of one’s character. RC is a heritage; beyond of a recognition Herkül Millas was presented “Literary texts create images, mostly or a negation of it. It is there, like the the 50th Orhan Kemal Novel Award imaginary, that are directly addressed feelings that dominate us beyond our for his work Aile Mezarı (The Family to our emotional world. At a certain critical thinking. The greater influence Grave, Doğan Kitap). RCQ asked stage of my life I felt the need to of RC on me was my teachers, but Millas where this novel fits within express these feelings that academic even more importantly, my friends of his oeuvre: and scientific articles cannot. The that schooling period. They helped my Family Grave is the result, and I am integration to the wider community, “According to neuroscientists special happy that I managed to communicate keeping me safe as a member of parts of our brain process the received with my readers. I perceive the Orhan a closed community, like the one I data differently: some work on a base Kemal Novel Award as a sign of a describe in The Family Grave. grads in the news 23 Esra Yalçınalp RC 00 Recognized for Journalism Excellence The Progressive Journalists displayed how one building could be Association has presented two awards standing firm, whereas the building to BBC Türkçe video journalist Esra next to it could be totally collapsed. Yalçınalp for her coverage of two devastating events in 2020, during Yalçınalp rushed to İzmir and which she conveyed the human stories reported the breaking news for behind the crises. a week. A few weeks later, with colleagues Mesut Ersöz and Osman The Mustafa Ekmekçi Award was Kaytazoğlu, they created a video given to her and Mahmut Hamsici for investigating the possible reasons of their documentation of the refugees a specific building’s collapse through Esra Yalçınalp RC 00 in Turkey trying to cross the Edirne expert interviews, animations and border. In March 2020, the Turkish human tragedy was conveyed. For archival material. Their work was government opened its borders to instance, the story of a 12-year-old awarded for being informative, Europe. Tens of thousands of refugees Afghan girl who lost her family when cautionary and memorable. attempted to cross it – only to be sent trying to cross the border helped shed back by Greek officials. light on the plight of refugee children.” Yalçınalp values RC as the place where the seeds of her journalist mindset Yalçınalp says “Lack of information The Behzat Miser City Award tackled were planted: “RC education creates a marked the beginning of the yet another difficult subject: The Izmir questioning mind: the default trait of a crisis. Then came an abyss of earthquake of October 30, 2020. journalist. We question what we hear/ misinformation. It was through BBC Confirming the popular saying that it see. We ask questions to understand. Türkçe’s trustworthy and immediate is not the earthquake but the buildings Then we tell the story in the simplest coverage from the field that the actual that kill, the Izmir earthquake way possible.” Ali Günvar RC 72 Wins Italian Poetry Award his book Soneler (Sonnets, Ötüken artificial and meaningless it is to divide Neşriyat) to the Tulliola Renato Filipelli human culture into East and West.” Poetry Award, and he received an award for the best Turkish poetry Günvar states that though some of book. Soneler was conceived to be his views have veered away from the out of the ordinary, and this approach RC point-of-view, the influence of RC contributed to the win. “Sonnet as a on his life and career are undeniable: form was seen in Italian right before “I no longer evaluate whether this Petrarch, and as a form is inspired influence is negative or positive. Any by divan literature,” says Günvar. “It positive or negative effect occurs only transforms the seven couplet ghazal after one distills them. It is RC who format. Aruz prosody, on the other taught me Pound and Elliot. I started hand, is an adaptation of the Greek learning about how to find the roots hexameter, the high literary language of modernity in the traditional at RC. of the ancient times, by the Arabs. This learning did not lead to simply In my sonnets, I used this cross- reproducing an orientalist approach; Ali Günvar RC 72 pollination as an emphasis on how instead it showed how to go deeper. Though Ali Günvar does not East and West cannot be separated I am not a typical RC alumnus, but I believe that art needs awards, two and how human civilization is whole. I have learned a lot at RC.” young poets insisted that he submit wrote the sonnets to demonstrate how 24 grads in the news
Film by Buket Yıldız RC 06 Gains International Accolades After finishing her MA in Barcelona Indie Filmmakers Festival Film and Television at Bilgi University, and Boden International Film Festival. Buket Yıldız co-wrote a short film called Tuesday, which was an official Yıldız says she is currently focused on selection at Cannes and Sundance her marketing career, though she also film festivals. She followed it up with has new script ideas: “My husband is Wave, a short film she wrote and an actor and a playwright, so he has directed about a one-day getaway been inspirational lately. We might of a white-collar city woman to a end up doing a film together in the village by the Aegean. This single next few years.” Yıldız remembers her day tells the viewer of a yearning for years at RC fondly: “At RC, I learnt liberation, away from all attachments how to think, and how to look beyond and in the flow of the moment, but the obvious. RC also gave me the the day also leads to confrontations resources to try out my talents such stemming from norms and boundaries as singing. The better I discovered my talents, the more confidence I gained, of morality. The film has so far been Buket Yıldız RC 06 recognized at several international so I became willing to take risks to festivals including Stockholm City Film Awards, Vancouver Independent Film explore myself and the world around Festival, Rome Independent Prisma Festival, Anatolian Short Film Festival, me in depth.”
RC in America RCAAA Hosts First Fireside Chat The first Fireside Chat of the year was pandemic and how technology held on March 22, 2021. Hosted by is being used in education to the RCAAA President Alpdoğan Kantarcı recently established environmental RC 86, it featured current Head of and social entrepreneurship initiatives School, Adam Oliver. In this virtual which have drawn the participation of event attended by over 60 alumni many students. and friends of RC, Kantarcı began the conversation with how his friendship Among the guests were also with Oliver developed in Boston Christopher Wadsworth, one of and Istanbul when the President of RC’s former headmasters, as the RCAAA and Head of School visited event bridged classes of different each other, discovering their mutual generations. The conversation ended passion for biking. with a teaser for future fireside chats with Robert College and alumni. They then discussed a variety of This event marked the first event topics, ranging from how school hosted jointly by the RC Institutional activities have changed during the Advancement Office and RCAAA.
26 cover story
RC Focuses on Environmental Sustainability
The Robert College campus is the very heart and soul of RC, as well as being one of the world’s most beautiful campuses. This issue focuses on a subject that is, therefore, especially close to home: environmental sustainability. As RC embarks on developing its first long-term sustainability plan, Project Hummingbird, there is indeed a lot of news to share from campus, as well as food for thought offered by our alumni.
Students enjoy a music lesson on the grass in front of the Forum cover story 27
Studying nature both through the curriculum and through extracurricular activities was in the fabric of RC education from the earliest years of the school. The 1925- 26 Report of the President and Faculty of the College states that the school at the time had a physiological laboratory, and sea specimens and fauna from the Marmara Sea were investigated in it as part of Biological Science classes. Courses were introduced to study modern methods in agriculture and were met with great interest from the students, as Turkey at the time was “eminently an agricultural country.” The courses incorporated elements of botany, soils, and poultry. The report also mentions that the College took over “the dairy and the farm from the Russian caterer to use as a practical demonstration tool.”
The 1930-31 Report of the President and Faculty of the College is full of interesting facts about this farm, which Students under the Cedar of Lebanon in the 1920s (left) and today apparently rendered the campus self- (right). The tree is estimated to be over 291 years old. sufficient in certain areas and turned Apart from meeting the needs of the Lester H. Briggle. According to the a profit in others. There were orchards school, the farm continued to serve as Trustees Minutes of April 1922, he and grapevines producing fruit for the a laboratory for students interested was a very popular teacher, attracting school kitchen. The need for milk for in agriculture. There were Gardening, more and more students every year. the whole school was met by the farm Farming, and Nature Study Hobby He helped cultivate the College’s 1.75- and “better quality not found in this Clubs. All in all, it is apparent that the acre garden and also helped get a part of the country”. There was surplus RC community was very much involved barn erected. By 1926, farm supplies milk especially during the summer, with nature and took pains to be self- were part of the ACG budget, and the which was sold and became a source sufficient in areas where it could. It is Agriculture Auxiliary is listed as an of revenue. Interestingly, the RC farm remarkable to note that the College expense and a revenue in the Trustees animals were of such good breeding planted 1500 small trees in 1930-31 Minutes of November 1927. that the farm cooperated with the alone. government and gave a Holstein bull, In the 1920s the hillside behind Gould White Rook chickens, and Duroc pigs On the ACG campus, as early as 1919, Hall and the slope descending from to various authorities for breeding. there was an agriculture teacher, Prof. Gould Hall were apparently quite
Working in the garden, 1920s Robert College Farm, 1920s ACG agriculture class, 1920s 28 cover story
Planting the Senior Tree on Arbor Day 1925, with President Caleb Gates present (third from right) bare. According to May N. Fincancı’s book The Story of Robert College Old and New, President Kathryn Adams, herself a keen gardener, started a tree- planting project, and “the Arnavutköy campus was much embellished during her presidency. Various sources contributed trees and shrubs for the project, and the American University of Beirut sent cedars of Lebanon.” It is thanks to these efforts from a hundred years ago that the RC campus now boasts such stunning greenery.
The appreciation of nature embedded A page in the 1929 Record gives details about that year’s Arbor Day in RC culture is also apparent in the Arbor Day tradition. The first Arbor Day held at RC was on December 8, 1913. The tradition continued on both campuses for several years, then was revived again in the 1950s. It was a half-day at school, with teachers and senior class students planting a tree together during the ceremony. There were also speeches, musical and choral concerts and tea. The Arbor Day song was sung at the end. While this tradition did not continue over the years, planting trees on campus certainly did. For example, members of the Class of ‘86 planted trees at the end of the Plateau, as part of a program led by Ayfer Yeniçağ and Doğan Kantarcı, a professor of forestry. Also trees are planted in loving memory of deceased
Photos: İpek Tingleff young alumni. A rich variety of plants and flowers can be found on the RC campus, including crocus (left) and chicory (right) cover story 29
Miss Angele Yemenidjian, assistant to Natural History Museum curator Dr. Bertram V.D. Post, in front of the once famous butterfly RC’s Natural History Museum was considered the finest in the region collection in 1922 The Natural History Museum CIP in 2014. Under the guidance of Taner the United Nations General Assembly constitutes another interesting facet Aksel RC 87 (see p. 44), RC students set up 17 interlinked global Sustainable of RC environmental education. The worked with other Istanbul high school Development Goals designed to be a museum came into being sometime in students to learn about permaculture “blueprint to achieve a better and more the 1800s with a rocks and minerals and help them start permaculture sustainable future for all.” These goals collection. By the turn of the century, gardens on their own campuses. RC are meant to be achieved by 2030, and the collection included reptiles, birds, started a permaculture garden at this environmental sustainability figures insects, mammals, plants, fish, and time as well. As part of the CIP, students greatly among them. skeletons. According to the British from the different high schools worked Natural History Museum, Robert with the locals of Alpagut village in Within this context, it was imperative College Natural History Museum was Bolu to transform it into an example of for RC to embrace environmental “the finest in the Far East.” Over time, sustainable living (see RCQ 47, p. 15). sustainability both as an educational the interest and funds for the museum In 2015 the Permaculture Club created policy and also in terms of taking care diminished until the 1960s when the a community garden in Ulus Park (see of and giving back to the wonderful collection was revitalized and a zoo RCQ 49, p. 5). piece of nature it occupies and was added. Yet this resurgence also shares with many animals, birds, waned when American College for Nature permeated the RC experience insects, plants, and trees. Interest Girls and Robert Academy merged in in many ways historically and features around these issues turned into the 1971. Around 1978, largely due to the prominently in the memories of Environmental Initiative in 2017, with efforts of teachers Ayfer Yeniçağ and all alumni. Unfortunately it is now the leadership of English teachers and Eşref Sakarya, some space on the top impossible to think of nature without environment advocates Tim Koehn floor of Bingham Hall was set aside thinking of the climate crisis and and Aninne Schneider. “As with many to gather together what remained of sustainability. RC has taken many things at RC, my involvement with the collections, and this space was inspiring and groundbreaking steps the initiative started when a student, named the Armine Şükür Natural around environmental sustainability, Eyüp Eren Yürek RC 18, came to me History Museum after the legendary and it is important that the RC looking for an advisor for a new club science teacher and ACG 34 graduate. community is informed about them, he wanted to start in 2017. I’ve always In 1992, the collection was moved to so that it is a process of continuous spent a lot of time outdoors, camping Feyyaz Berker Hall and distributed development and collaboration. and backpacking both with my family over several floors. Students have and as an adult leader in scouting, continued to show interest in and care Environmental Sustainability at RC so caring about the environment for the collection over the years. The Today always seemed like a given,” Schneider taxidermy bird collection is now on Sustainability has become a crucial recalls. “I was happy to help Eren, loan to St. Joseph High School Natural framework in all areas of life. In 2015, and the first two years it ran as the Sciences Center.
Throughout the years, particularly in extracurricular activities, nature figured greatly, as evidenced by clubs like Birdwatching and Nature Walking, though issues of sustainability came to the fore relatively recently. The Permaculture Club was a pioneering activity in that sense. It started out as a These butterflies and beetles from the Natural History Museum are now in Feyyaz Berker Hall (Photo: Gizem Yılmaz) 30 cover story
RC Environmental Initiative. It slowly gained momentum until it really took This work is the first off last year as the RC Environmental of its kind at the high Movement, an umbrella organization school level in Turkey bringing together students interested in a variety of issues related to the and will potentially be environment, ranging from reducing a role model for other plastic waste to permaculture to schools. campus biodiversity.” Many RCEM members helped get multiple projects strategic roadmap will be developed underway since 2017, such as a by a steering committee made up campus-wide initiative for composting, of faculty and staff to identify a collaboration with Taner Aksel RC 87 priorities and impacts, set long-term on composting and the establishment targets, and create a sustainability of community gardens, a ban of single- management system. This work is use plastic bottles from on-campus the first of its kind at the high school sales, and the installation of four level in Turkey and will potentially be beehives. a role model for other schools. It will also hopefully have a positive impact on the Turkish national discussion regarding environmental education, The blue ground beetle is a rare and exciting sight to as well as moving into a more regional see on campus and international discussion. initiatives are well under way in environmental education. The English Önen and Holz have also drafted a Department is exploring how more policy for the sustainable stewardship environmental topics can be reviewed, of the habitats of the RC Campus. particularly in Lise Prep. They have This important document highlights also introduced a unit on Nature critical issues. It recognizes that and Environmental Writing to the the RC campus is a de facto Lise 10 curriculum. The Geography wildlife refuge in the middle of a and History Departments are liaising megacity and postulates that the RC with the Environmental Education community should be “committed co-heads to develop their curricula. to preserving and enhancing it as A library guide is being prepared to such, by implementing sustainable support all students and faculty. stewardship practices which maximize There is also work towards offering AP English teacher Aninne Schneider helped start the biodiversity and result in the safety Environmental Science, a trailblazing RC Environmental Movement in 2017. She will take and harmonious coexistence of all initiative. Another focus point is over from Dünya Önen as Environmental Initiatives co-head in the fall of 2021. residents and visitors, both human having more student projects oriented and non-human.” towards environmental concerns. Now under the leadership of Head Robert College’s primary function The habitats on campus are an of School Adam Oliver, RC has taken is, of course, education, and many educational resource in and of major organizational steps. An Environmental Education Initiative has been established, with biology teacher Dünya Önen RC L3 03 and physics teacher Stephen Holz as its co- heads during the 2020-21 school year. Aninne Schneider will take over from Önen as co-head in the fall of 2021.
The school is set to formulate its first long-term sustainability plan. On Earth Day 2021 (April 22), RC signed a contract with Brika Sustainability, a consultancy led by Gülin Yücel RC 88, for this purpose. Initially, a Less manicuring leads to more biodiversity! Select lawn areas are being allowed to flourish, which supports pollinators and other species. cover story 31
Birds That Can Be Spotted on the RC Campus Middle-spotted woodpecker, pied wagtail, tawny owl, Eurasian jay, great tit, Eurasian wren, chiffchaff, swift, yellow-legged gull, hoopoe, chaffinch, blackbird, European robin, laughing dove, hooded crow, blue tit, song thrush, common buzzard, magpie, house sparrow, starling, Eurasian nuthatch, willow warbler, green woodpecker, ring- The Faralyalı Trail winds through a variety of environments on campus necked parakeet. themselves. The sustainable setting up additional compost areas, stewardship policy sets the goal waste segregation, alternating lighting that all RC students should graduate of outdoor lamps, reminders to turn having learned to love specific species, off electrical appliances and lights specific habitats, and the biosphere as when a space is vacated and signs to a whole. It also lays out best practices ensure that people operate the air- in such wide-ranging areas as mowing conditioners using energy-efficient and trimming, tree stewardship, settings. mulching, composting, cats and other domestic animals, identificationAnother important undertaking is Ring-necked Parakeet and recording of wildlife species, the Residential Life Enrichment Plan insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, which will be in place for Lise 9s fertilizers, Plateau maintenance, once students return to campus and community gardens, ivy, bees, hedges subsequently rolled out to all classes. and decorative shrub maintenance, The plan will bring extended learning and noise pollution. These best opportunities to residential students, practices will guide the actions support their social and emotional that will be shaped by the RC long- well-being, strengthen the sense of term sustainability plan. The Plant community, and provide respite from Great Tit Department has many plans underway a challenging academic program. as well, a few of which are: feasibility The principal outcomes are creating studies concerning renewable energy, a better awareness of the diverse environment (flora and fauna) on campus and in and around Istanbul, as well as outdoor education. Insight sessions with academics, experts from NGOs, and RC faculty are also being developed. Laughing Dove Beyond the classroom, the vibrant environmental interest among RC students manifests itself in ever- developing extracurricular activities such as the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Club, Nature Walking Club, Upcycling Initiative, and the Apis mellifera Initiative which works Judas trees blossoming in spring are with the beehives on campus. Among European Roller always a favorite sight all this tremendous work, spirit of Photos: Elizabeth Molton 32 cover story
collaboration with other schools’ environmental groups, as well as with a wider community, is paramount. RC already cooperates with TÜRÇEV (Environmental Education Foundation of Turkey), World Wide Fund for Nature Turkey, Fridays for Future Turkey and Permatürk Foundation. As designated in the sustainable stewardship policy, RC is also planning to collaborate with researchers in the field of forestry, botany and ecology to survey the biodiversity on campus. Inviting experts for workshops, identifying field Co-heads of Environmental Education Dünya Önen RC L3 03 and Stephen Holz methods for research and overseeing the involvement of students in research What are your objectives in order II. Outreach - Students need to and analysis are also in the works. to make RC an environmentally find their voice in the climate crisis There is no doubt that the ongoing work friendly school? which will always be present in their around environmental sustainability at The approach to RC Environmental lives. The changing climate, more RC is of critical importance, challenging, Education is based on four pillars: extreme weather, rising waters and and exciting. environmental degradation are all I. Education - We want to incorporate topics that students need to be Pioneering Environmental environmental concerns and topics educated about, active with and Education into all relevant subjects and include engaged in. It is their future. Living “Environmental Education at Robert the study of the environment in all purposefully is a must. Good ideas College is bursting with ideas we want classes whenever possible. LP and need to become effective actions, and to develop and implement on campus L10 English have already started this then they must be shared with a wider and beyond.” process. In the future, we hope that RC community. will offer independent study classes to RCQ asked the co-heads of L11 and L12 students based on in-depth III. Zero Waste - Our goal is to bring Environmental Education - biology analysis of concrete problems and the RC campus as close to zero- teacher Dünya Önen RC L3 03 and potential solutions. In addition, the RC waste, zero-energy as possible. To physics teacher Stephen Holz who set Social Entrepreneurship Innovation and that end we are exploring solar energy to work on this critical topic in August Creativity initiative at RC is focusing production, energy conservation and 2020 - to update the RC community on on the United Nations Sustainable more efficient use of water resources. the philosophy behind Environmental Development Goal 13 to examine and We are also collecting food waste from Education and what is being done. offer solutions to climate change. the Murat Karamancı Student Center
Japonese cherry blossom Laurustinus Small copper butterfly Shelf fungus Photos: İpek Tingleff Tortoise Bladder campion Hedgehog Green beetle cover story 33
Garden clippings and other organic waste is being composted at a remote site on campus and composting as much of this as Closer to home, we need to get RC electrical and gas energy or ways to possible. We expect students with leadership, faculty, the Business Office reduce it. Solar and wind energy have engineering interests to take an active and the entire grounds and custodial been on the agenda before and will part in these endeavors. crew moving in the same direction. be looked at again once we have a To achieve this coordination, we are comprehensive plan for the school. IV. Biodiversity Study and Expansion forming a 5–10-year Environmental - The RC campus is an amazing 65-acre Education and Sustainability Plan and You started working on this program oasis in urban Istanbul. Did you know a method to implement it effectively, in August 2020. What are the that we have four California Redwood together with our consultants Gülin steps taken so far? What are the trees on campus? In fact it is estimated Yücel RC 88 (see p. 45) and Dr. initiatives? that there are over 70 different species Levent Kurnaz, the director of the Environmental Education at Robert of trees, well over 100 different flowers Climate Change and Policies Research College is bursting with ideas we want and uncounted types of insects, birds Center at Boğaziçi University. Dr. to develop and implement on campus and mammals living with us here. Our Kurnaz is also the co-founder of the and beyond. The pandemic has kept goal is to both bring this amazing Turkish chapter of the United Nations the students and most of the faculty biodiversity into our awareness, and Sustainable Development Solutions off campus, and that limits how much to enhance this biodiversity through Network (UN SDSN). we can accomplish. One area that we carefully studied actions. are able to work on is the separation What is RC’s plan for becoming a of waste food in the cafeteria and the What steps are crucial to achieve zero-carbon school? infrastructure to deal with it. We hope these goals? What is needed to To be a zero-carbon school, a few to be ready with a working system achieve these steps? What is the things must happen. The first is when the students come back and timeline? that we need to have a clear picture we have over 1400 people on campus A large part of this effort is making of our current carbon footprint every school day. We are preparing an people more aware of our current and then aggressively work toward instructional video and signs to explain environmental degradation and the reducing it to the maximum extent that we will be separating organic true cost of our actions regarding possible. Since actually going to zero from inorganic waste in the kitchen, consumption of plastics and fossil is nearly impossible within reasonable and the waste in the cafeteria into 4 fuels, the loss of biodiversity, how much budgetary constraints, carbon offsets categories: Organic, Dairy, Meat/Fish, waste we generate and what impact could be purchased to bring the Paper/Plastic. The paper and plastic could be made with any conservation. number to zero. RC has begun to will be recycled; the meat and fish The price we are paying is reflected look at our current carbon footprint, will be packaged, cooled and fed to in climate change and diminished but we still have quite a long way to the campus cats. We are looking for opportunities in the entire biosphere. getting a clear picture of our use of other organizations that will benefit 34 cover story
from any excess we produce. For the Braudel and his friends, in their work dairy products, we are experimenting The Mediterranean asked whether with Bokashi composting which ancient civilizations were ruined will ferment this waste without any due to drought, desertification, and odor. The largest category will be the famine. Some climate scientists organic waste from the cafeteria and and archeologists now claim that kitchen. We have created an area near the first empire in the world, the Music House to compost all of the Akkadian Empire, was destroyed due leaves, grass and organic food waste. to climate conditions and drought. The resultant soil will then be used These postulations necessitate to create new permaculture garden that historians change the lenses beds throughout the campus, both with which they view the past. This as student projects and for interested transformation of how we view history campus residents. This is a small step impacts how we teach history. It is toward making the RC campus as near important to note that the youth are to zero waste as possible. already engaged and committed to change. Therefore, how RC students Teaching For are learning history is changing as well. Photo: Elizabeth Molton Environmental Ladybug on a daisy stem Sustainability Awareness Beginning in 9th grade, we start Incorporating environmental exploring how environmental crises related to industrialization are sustainability awareness into conditions and climate change shape also reviewed through these types of the curriculum, as well as into historical events. The transition to lenses. extracurricular activities, is one of the settled life, the move from being a part building blocks of the Environmental of nature to a master of nature are Understanding these past crises can Education initiative. RCQ asked RC areas that capture student interest raise awareness about how we can teachers from different departments strongly every year. We give our find solutions to the current, more about their views on sustainability, students time and space for them to violent ones. It is clear what humanity how they are transforming their explore the ever-increasing studies in did to the earth over 10,000 years. We lessons and what they are doing this area and to put their thoughts cannot ignore the devastation, and outside of class. into writing. They look into pre-historic we cannot explain it away by saying and historic climate changes, natural Esin Pulathaneli, Social Studies disasters and pandemics. Department Head and History Teacher In later years, we continue to underline “The transformation of how we view climate’s effect on historical events. history impacts how we teach history.” For example, they study the Celali Rebellion in Anatolia as a corollary Fernand Braudel stated that history is of drought, climate imbalance and nothing but the continuous questioning diminishing fertile soils that, in turn, of the past for today’s problems and cause increasing taxes and political worries. The school of history that pressure. When they realize that Braudel spearheaded in the beginning events that look political or military- of the 20th century influences the related on the surface are in fact life- study of history from the perspective and-death matters that are linked of population increases, pandemics, to climate change, they get closer migrations and climate change. to today’s issues. Imperialism and Esin Pulathaneli Photos: İpek Tingleff Yellow salsify tuft Jointed charlock fruit Mallow cover story 35 it came out of necessity. Generation Z is aware that we are running out Research Support of solutions and that we need to use the knowledge and technology of the RCQ asked RC Head Librarian 21st century for sustainability. It is our Cara Murphy Keyman about job as Boomer, Gen X, and Millennial how the beloved İbrahim Bodur history teachers to create the Library contributes to the awareness that we are living in an age environmental movement. of reason and that decreasing carbon emission, changing energy sources “In order to support environmental and slowing down global warming are education on campus the library possible. has begun curating resources to support the various initiatives and Max Foxall, English Teacher Max Foxall curriculum by creating a webpage “The environmental crisis is as much devoted to environmental issues. a crisis of culture as it is a scientific superior to) nature but as part of a Our main focus this year has been crisis.” greater living identity. on two issues: climate change resources and supporting the Within the environmental movement, It is crucial for everyone because we work of the students and faculty there are different political positions. live in a time of environmental crisis. working on the biodiversity of the Environmentalism is generally seen And it is as much a crisis of culture Robert College campus. We also as a shallow response to the climate as it is a scientific crisis. The shift provide reference help/guidance to crisis: it is a position that essentially that I described above from a human- students working on environmental involves protecting human interests centered to a nature-centered system topics. The library actively searches and quality of life. So the term itself of values brings ecological thinking into for and purchases both print and is problematic as it is anthropocentric; opposition with almost the entirety electronic resources to support it sees nature as only having value of Western philosophy and religion. environmental education.” in terms of its use to humans, and Therefore, it requires analysis in cultural views humans as superior to nature. as well as scientific terms. Teachers Many green activists instead define of the arts and humanities have a themselves as deep ecologists and responsibility to equip students with demand recognition of the intrinsic the knowledge that will enable them value of nature and urge a radical to understand the environmental crisis change in human self-understanding: from a cultural perspective because that we should see ourselves not significant cultural change is needed if as individuals separate from (and we are to solve this global issue.
From an academic point of view, students need to understand that nature is always culturally constructed, and that its construction always has political implications, if not an outright political agenda. Students also need to understand that contributions to the environmental debate can be seen as examples of rhetoric, and therefore an understanding of rhetoric will enable them to participate in these debates. We have to challenge students to A tortoise walking through the forest near the Faralyalı Trail reflect on their own relationship to 36 cover story
nature and the extent to which it is anthropocentric. The unit on Nature and Environmental Writing that we introduced in Lise 10 exposes students to key concepts from ecocriticism, a branch of cultural/ literary theory, and then uses those concepts to explore nature poetry and environmental nonfiction, including, for example, Rachel Carson’s seminal environmental text, Silent Spring. The students then have to write a research- informed environmental essay that addresses the RC community and either challenges the community to make changes in our daily lives and/ or advocate for environmental justice and sustainability in the wider world. RC teachers Ferdağ Sezer (left) and Erol Şahin (center) with Taner Aksel RC 87 (right) This is the first year we’ve taught a unit during a student permaculture project in 2015 like this, so there’s still a lot for us to processes that involve soil, air, water, and see how they are all interlinked. learn in terms of best practice. energy and flora, so that students can Thinking about maximizing fertility in experience firsthand that all of these a small space, using water and energy Ferdağ Sezer, Geography Teacher natural resources can be preserved carefully and in a renewable way, and “Through our projects, RC students and renewed through smart designs. fighting erosion are among many other experience firsthand that natural In past projects, we established a things they learned. This multi-factor resources can be preserved and vegetable garden, food and forest environment enables them to think renewed through smart designs.” waste center, and composting area. in an integrated manner and find Students were able to manage the solutions addressing global warming The natural resources of the earth are projects by interacting with plants, soil, and climate change. not unlimited. We have to be aware microorganisms, water, sun and wind, and accept that we need to rehabilitate the earth. We are responsible for the Face-to-Face with Turtles: future generation, and we need to teach them about the problems the The İztuzu Dalyan Trip environment faces, so that they can design a lifestyle and culture that is One of the pivotal points in the RC curriculum in relation to environmental sustainable. Preservation of resources sustainability issues is the trip Lise 11 students take to İztuzu Dalyan every and values is possible only if we year. The trip was started in 2019 by biology teachers İpek Tingleff and Sibel understand and design the system Almas in conjunction with DEKAMER (The Association for the Research, and its parts in an integrated manner. Rescue and Rehabilitation of Sea Turtles). The students study the basic Geography as a discipline examines anatomy and physiology of sea turtles, their life cycle and all aspects of climate, landscape, economic conservation of their nesting area. They do fieldwork on the beach, observing activities, settlements, socio-cultural turtles in their natural habitat and setting up grids for the protection of their structures over the entire earth, nests. They also clean sea turtle tanks and feed them. as well as regionally and vis-à-vis humans. Sustainability is inherent in the geography discipline, as the preservation of natural resources and humans is one of its basic principles.
In geography classes at RC, students develop awareness around their immediate and far environments, through methods that incorporate research, observation, and acquisition of skills. The permaculture projects that we conduct are a great example.
These projects bring together natural Photo: İpek Tingleff cover story 37
How did social entrepreneurship, our students with the design thinking which is about developing and mind and skill sets to develop a implementing solutions to social, solution to this local and global crisis. environmental or cultural issues, develop at RC? Four teams worked on this challenge I started the Social Entrepreneurship this year and shared their projects Club at RC in 2013 with five students. with the RC Community initially to There were no other models at the get feedback. In May, they presented high school level. We took on the big their projects to a jury of academics, task of exploring the question: How educators and social entrepreneurs. can we teach social entrepreneurship Impressed by the proposals, the school at the high school level? Theory and jury members decided to invest in U by Dr. Otto Scharmer from MIT all four projects, together with support and design thinking framework by from the Derin Uras Environmental Stanford Design School proved to Fund and the Charlie Hoppin Memorial Ferdağ Sezer be the most useful tools. With the Fund (see p. 15). These projects, which Our students also collaborate with insights we gained, I co-authored will be implemented next year, include other schools’ students, exemplifying a guidebook with Ashoka Turkey a permaculture garden and a food how to join forces for a sustainable entitled Üniversiteli Sosyal Girişimciler forest – both on campus, an app to future. They are ecology-literate, able İçin Yol Haritası (A Roadmap for Social to look at issues with awareness and Entrepreneurs at University). wholistically and are able to generate multi-dimensional solutions. They are Having social entrepreneurship, advocates for the right of other beings. innovation, and creativity become RC students are well on their way to a strategic focus at RC was a critical becoming responsible individuals with step. The social entrepreneurship regards to sustainability. ecosystem works on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). SDG 13 Aybike Oğuz, English Teacher and Climate Action is the most urgent for a Head of Social Entrepreneurship, sustainable, eco-centric future. As the Innovation and Creativity Social Entrepreneurship, Innovation, “Social entrepreneurial skills can help and Creativity Office (RCSEIC), we young people design solutions for designed the SDG 13 Climate Action Aybike Oğuz ecological sustainability.” Challenge Program. It aims to equip Some of the Beautiful Plants on Campus Cretan rock rose, sage leaf rock rose, common field speedwell, snowdrop, hawthorn, maple tree, star of Bethlehem, field marigold, common daisy, tassel Bladder Campion Hawthorn Cedar of Lebanon grape hyacinth, meadow buttercups, little leaf linden tree, common medlar, oleaster leaf-pear, field clover, red clover, black locust, yellow Spanish broom, cedar of Lebanon, purple dead-nettle, lyrata bellflower, bladder campion, sweet scabious, little robin, greengage plum, common chicory, Judas tree, giant fennel, umbrella pine, broomrape, silver wattle, purple viper’s bugloss, narrow leafed Star of Bethlehem Field Marigold Common Mallow rupin, shepherd’s purse, common mellow, oak, European ivy, turpentine tree, perforate St. John’s wort, hemlock, periwinkle, red horse chestnut, bay laurel, pink-butterfly orchid, hairy crocus Source: Campus Field Guide Photos: First column İpek Tingleff; second column A. Seha Karabacak RC 20; third column top Cretan Rock Rose Common Daisy Common Field Speedwell Tim Koehn; third column middle and bottom Abudullah Keleş RC 19 38 cover story
track water usage, and an app to help consumers choose environmentally- friendly products.
What do social entrepreneurship and environmentalism have to offer to each other, and how do they complement one another? When our students graduate, regardless of the discipline they choose to study, they will have to respond to multi-disciplinary, complex problems, which require an understanding of systems thinking.
Social entrepreneurial skills can help young people design solutions for RC 20 alum A. Seha Karabacak (right) prepared the RC Field Guides with biology teacher İpek Tingleff (left) ecological sustainability. In return, while he was a student environmentalism teaches us that İpek Tingleff, Biology Teacher reports/posters on plants they chose. I we are all a part of an ecosystem. “My goal as a biology teacher is to create started hanging “The Bird of the Week” Once a changemaker internalizes this citizens who love spending time outdoors, posters - informative signs about understanding, social impact, ethical who love and appreciate nature.” birds on campus. I discussed them in fiber and sustainability become my classes every Monday. I received guidelines in anything they design in Could you tell us about your interesting comments from students any field. environmental work at RC? such as, “Do we have enough kinds of Living on campus, I went around for birds to introduce one every week?” What should the students equip years with books in my hand to identify Of course we do! Another student themselves with in this area when the plants and the birds. I tried to help said, “I thought every little bird I saw they graduate? my students appreciate nature walks was a sparrow,” which is obviously not Connection with self, connection with and observations. the case. At the same time, I started the perceived other, and connection the Nature Walking Club which aims with nature. These will require them I incorporated teacher-guided walks to foster interest in nature among to develop skills such as empathy, into the RC biology curriculum, to students and introduce them to nature teamwork, problem solving, and identify the trees around campus. I also walking and birdwatching as a healthy creativity. developed a project assignment in the lifelong hobby. Plants unit where students prepared We also created the RC Field Guide Exciting Partnership with Nezahat with my Nature Walking Club students, a project that lasted two years under Gökyiğit Botanical Garden the leadership of club president A. Seha Karabacak RC 20. We referred An exciting project in the works is RC’s collaboration with the Nezahat Gökyiğit to books specialized on the flora of Botanical Garden (NGBG). RCQ asked Environmental Education co-head and the Belgrade Forest and of Istanbul biology teacher Dünya Önen to provide some details: to identify the species that are closely related. We tried to use original photos “Our connection with NGBG has been established through Burçin Çıngay, as much as possible. We keep adding Head of Science at NGBG. Biology teacher İpek Tingleff, geography teacher new species of plants and birds to the Ferdağ Sezer, geography teacher Güneyi Vural, and I are involved from the guide as we observe and identify them. RC side. We are working together to draft a project proposal which will in the While this Field Guide is only about next three years aim to educate our students as citizen scientists, catalog plants and birds for the moment, we our biodiversity with herbarium samples, and revive our past and current started adding fungi as well. There Natural History collection. Important components of this project include the is also a rich fauna that should be digitization of data, and creation of a website and a mobile app to locate included in the guide, ranging from biodiversity on our campus. tortoises to weasels, from lizards to hedgehogs. I started an Instagram This project perfectly exemplifies the spirit of collaboration needed for account - @rcnaturewalkingclub - environmental sustainability. It will hopefully be a long-term partnership with during the pandemic for the students great potential for scientific publications and student involvement.” who cannot come to campus. cover story 39
Apis mellifera Initiative co-advisor Maria Sezer checks the beehives on campus. The bees moved to RC in 2020.
This is just a start, a spark to instill The beehives brought a lot of or even collapse of plants and animals a love of nature in the students who excitement to the RC community. in a location.’ I am hopeful there will be always rush from one building to Why did you want to have them in more awareness about the biodiversity another, from one class to another. the first place? of the campus, starting with the AMI I am a hobbyist apiarian and also members. They should be able to What are the takeaways of the work with some bee-made materials distinguish between the different types students in these clubs and in my practice as an artist. When I of bees. I also hope to create more initiatives? came back to RC after 20 years and awareness of the diversity of the flora, My goal as a biology teacher is to met Stuart Arey, I learned he had especially the nectar-bearing flora. create citizens that love spending been a commercial beekeeper before time outdoors, love and appreciate becoming a teacher. Of course we Bees are a great starting point for nature. You preserve and cherish started dreaming about having bees seeing the world as an interlocking something you love. As I always say on campus as soon as we met! system, where we all depend on each to my students, you probably won’t be other. I believe in seeing beauty and a biologist, botanist, ornithologist or Adam Oliver was a great force behind sharing it as a powerful educational entomologist, but at least you should the plans, since he is passionate tool. Love for a subject will create a be able to answer the questions about making RC a green school. We wish for protection. Robert College of your future children as you go obtained the bees from a befriended has a campus with enough space and for a walk in the woods. Students beekeeper and the beehives from vegetation to have a few hives, so the who participate in the club and the near Marmaris. We had several walks students can work with them and Dalyan Ecological (see box on p. 36) around campus to look for an ideal experience them. trip hopefully will become influential location and finally decided on an citizens who will make an effort in isolated spot far away from the school We know you extracted 8 kilos of environmental conservation. buildings, which is also a safe space honey last year. How do the bees for the bees. like the campus? Maria Sezer, Art Teacher and Co- The bees are doing fine, and there is advisor of AMI - Apis mellifera As Stuart states, ‘Bees are part of the quite a lot of flora for the needed nectar Initiative with Stuart Arey, Science cycle of life. They are an important and pollen. The honey is a mixture of Department Head and Physics pollinator that helps maintain a diverse the many nectar sources on campus. A Teacher population of plants. Diversity leads to large source of the honey this year came “Bees are a great starting point for seeing a healthy environment. If that diversity from a number of gigantic linden trees the world as an interlocking system.” gets disrupted, it can lead to the decline which flutter at the time they flower 40 cover story
to an item that seems like waste. As the Upcycling Initiative, we started by upcycling items in the CIP depot to contribute to CIP annual fundraising. We held workshops on how to make beeswax wraps and paper wallets. Due to the pandemic, we had to adapt our work to online platforms. We created an Instagram account where we introduce upcycling, share our projects and inform people about our events. We also organized two Upcycling Challenges where the RC community was invited to participate with their upcycled projects. Currently, we are hosting guest speakers who are knowledgeable in this area to share their experiences with us.
What is the aim of your students? Photo: İpek Tingleff Bee collecting dandelion pollen Why do they want to get involved? The aim of our students is to learn Sude Işıl Baştuğ RC 20 with the movement of the bees in them! what upcycling is and how they can These trees are treasures, as they may apply it to their daily lives outside of and our aim is to make the Robert be more than 100 years old! I hope we school. They would like to learn how College community more aware of can plant more nectar-rich plants that to reduce their waste and when it is upcycling so that it can become a make for very tasty honey, like lavender possible, utilize it as effectively as part of our everyday lives. Our goal and sage. Another hope I have is to possible. As they gain more insight is to use upcycling as a tool to create propagate the lavender I have seen on about the subject, they intend to awareness about concepts such as the campus as a part of the AMI activities. share it with people around them to environment and sustainability. With make upcycling more common. this purpose in mind, we would like What are the plans going forward? to work on projects where everyone Going forward we plan to make the What kind of skill sets do the can get involved, have an active social bees thrive and share our love for students get when they experience media presence and interact with them with as many RC students and upcycling? other people who are experienced in residents as possible. Ultimately this In the process of upcycling an object, this area to learn from them. will lead to more ecological awareness the students learn to change their and activism. I also hope for students point of views about an object. to be able to film inside the hives, Instead of seeing it as waste, they extract propolis and make tinctures see the opportunity for it to become with this, maybe make candles or a whole different thing. They become creams. There is a lot to discover and more aware of the objects and the do still. environment around them, thus, more sensitive towards them. They Upcycling Initiative Mentors Sude enhance their creativity and go Işıl Baştuğ RC 20 and Nüket Ergelen, beyond the limits of their imagination. Academic Deans’ Office Assistant In addition to these soft skills, they “In the process of upcycling an object, learn how to safely use a drill, choose the students learn to change their an appropriate paint for a material, points of view about an object.” search for environmentally friendly products and many more. These are What is upcycling? What is the skills that they can apply to their Upcycling Initiative at RC? everyday lives. Upcycling is re-using a product in such a way that the new product What are your future plans? is more valuable than the original We are an initiative under the Robert one. It is giving a second chance During Upcycling Challenges students and teachers College Environmental Movement, are invited to share their projects cover story 41 RC Alumni in Environmental Sustainability: Illuminating the Way Forward RC alumni are at the forefront of both raising awareness for and actively managing projects around environmental sustainability. They offer experience, direction and inspiration!
Nergis Yazgan ACG 67 Put Preservation on the Agenda “I am grateful to RC for showing how to seek wisdom and help all on your own.” outings. I was intoxicated in nature, Over the course of 1985-1998, DHKD but depressed during hunting. merged with WWF. The modest association founded in 1975 mainly We lived in Bebek (a small town then) to save the bald ibis from extinction in a big garden between the Bosphorus in the Birecik region now became in the front and the İpar Grove in the the National Organization (NO) for hinterland. This setup gave me all the Turkey within the big network of unique tastes of nature – collecting WWF International. The main reason mulberries and walnuts in the gardens, for being invited on board was the making wigwams and going swimming. extraordinary hard work and success DHKD had in saving the İztuzu Beach When I was accepted to ACG in 1958, in Köyceğiz, Dalyan from becoming I was ready to relish every bit of this a huge tourism development, thus extraordinary school –this beautiful securing the breeding grounds for woodland with all its diverse botanical the loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta treasures, birds and squirrels. caretta) for the future.
With the above in my “backpack”, What are the positive changes you Nergis Yazgan worked at the forefront I was ready to plunge into nature observe in this field? of the environmental movement as the conservation, when I became I am very saddened that along with director of both Doğal Hayatı Koruma President of DHKD (Doğal Hayatı species and habitats becoming Derneği and WWF (World Wide Fund Koruma Derneği; Wildlife Protection vulnerable or extinct, we now have for Nature) Türkiye for many years. Association) in 1985. The reason Belkis even more major planetary problems Balpınar, then Founding President like climate change. What is the story behind the of DHKD, wanted to hand me the founding of WWF in Turkey? presidency of this fledgling society was On the other hand, more and more How and why I became obsessed with that she knew I had a deep love for people living in villages or townships nature protection has its roots in three nature and could give the association are putting up a fight to protect things: My family, where I lived, and a new life. their forests or to battle against big ACG - today’s Robert College. multinational mining companies. I did not even know the difference My father loved nature, but he was a between a society (association) and How did your education help shape relentless hunter, so ever since I was a a foundation or a board meeting and your future? toddler, I was outdoors, and I had an a trustee meeting. In fact, I had no I am eternally grateful to Robert innate love for animals. From the age clue what working as an NGO meant. College for giving us an incredible of 12, I was allowed to carry a loaded I learned everything during the many education – in all directions education gun and shoot. Over time, I started years I worked as president and CEO can take you and showing how to seek questioning the killing part of our for DHKD and later WWF. wisdom and help all on your own. 42 cover story
Ali Nihat Gökyiğit RC ENG 46 Defends Nature Through the Decades “We have started understanding nature better.” Can you tell us about the Maçahel Project? When TEMA first started, we took into account that some damage to nature was due to poverty. Therefore, we included rural development projects in our program and focused on Maçahel (see RCQ 24, p. 26).
After a nine-month search, we discovered that the pure Caucasian bee, once thought extinct, was alive. This was a fertile species, able to draw nectar out of every type of flower with their long tongues, and resistant to tough weather conditions. We started Ali Nihat Gökyiğit is one of the amounting to 664 locations. We have by educating and organizing, and bee leaders in the fight to protect Turkey’s almost 900,000 volunteers. Together production is now in full force. The biodiversity through two organizations we fought against water erosion. We second phase was the creation of he founded, the Turkish Foundation took up the Konya Karapınar and Iğdır organic farming. The third phase was for Combating Soil Erosion, for wind erosion problems. Our “10 billion nature tourism. We developed travel Reforestation and the Protection of oak seeds meet the earth in 25 years” routes. I also built a guest house which Natural Habitats (TEMA) and the Ali project created a lot of excitement. I donated to TEMA, and we renovated Nihat Gökyiğit Education, Health, Our sapling donation efforts are going village houses to create motels. Culture, Art and Preservation of on full force. We can say that Turkish
Natural Resources Foundation (ANG). people have cultivated a passion for What gives you hope for the future? trees, friendship towards nature and Our dependence on an ecosystem Why did you found TEMA? a passion for nature preservation whose balance is enabled by biological In the 1970s, Hayrettin Karaca and I through our efforts. richness is now recognized. We have used to chat about nature all the time. started understanding nature better, He had become aware that erosion Why did you establish the ANG now that natural disasters, climate was rampant, during his travels to Foundation? change and drought have entered collect specimens for his Arboretum. Over time, the idea of establishing our lives. NGOs and governmental I had grown up in Artvin, known for a foundation to generate funds and organizations are working hard to its biodiversity, and was aware of continuity for biodiversity issues educate people. I hope that the the damage done to nature during took hold of me. That is how the ANG public’s interest will only increase. my travels as a young engineer. Over Foundation came into being. time, we felt it was inadequate to How did RC influence your love of just talk about these problems. We One of our important activities nature? decided to establish a foundation is creating botanic gardens that I attended walks in nature at RC to educate and convince the public showcase the plant world. The which reminded me of my childhood through projects that showed that memorial park I built for my wife in Artvin. Connection to nature was solutions were possible. TEMA was Nezahat is now part of the Foundation highlighted in our classes. During launched in 1992, and with almost one and is the first and only botanic geology class, different natural stones million volunteers, it is one of the most garden that is located in a highway would be passed around for us to embraced NGOs in Turkey. interchange. The Illustrated Flora of specify the type through observation. Turkey project that aims to record our Our geography teacher Ziya Bey would What types of impact has TEMA had valuable biodiversity started in this go to a different part of Turkey every since its inception? garden! There are also projects around summer and come back and tell us his As of 2020, our activities extend endangered endemic and rare plants observations. I want to underline how to 81 cities, 404 districts, 123 of Turkey, tree farming focusing on our teachers loved teaching. neighborhoods and 56 universities, fast growing trees and bees. cover story 43
Rahmi Koç RC 51 Keeps Clean Waters on Turkey’s Ecological Agenda “We all have to face the sea and not turn our back to it. Sea is life, sea is bread, sea is tourism.” A giant in the Turkish business world, We started collecting waste with our Rahmi Koç is also a role model in boats in some regions. Many of our philanthropy and social responsibility. friends sponsored our efforts. We DenizTemiz Derneği/TURMEPA is an collected waste on the coasts with NGO he founded which continues to the public. Some artists even created be at the forefront for the fight for works of art from this waste! clean bodies of water. How has DenizTemiz evolved over How did you create DenizTemiz? the years? In 1992, I became the president of At first the attitude of many towards the Turkish-Greek Business Council DenizTemiz was “so what?” Our second to facilitate economic cooperation president Eşref Cerrahoğlu built more between Turkey and Greece. My awareness around these problems Greek counterpart was not an active and especially gave momentum to businessman. Though I proposed education. Our third president Tezcan many projects, I couldn’t get them Yaramancı institutionalized our NGO, off the ground. At a meeting I was something we vastly needed. Our approached by Mr. George Livanos, current president got more people to the biggest Greek shipping magnate at environment. Public awareness was adopt the idea that our seas, lakes, the time. He said “I founded HELMEPA low. We started by educating primary and rivers need to be kept clean. (The Hellenic Marine Environment school teachers; then we moved onto Our governments and bureaucrats Protection Association) in 1982. students. realized the severity of the situation, You should start TURMEPA (Turkish appreciated our efforts and helped us. Marine Environment Protection Both our studies and the work of the Association), and let’s cooperate.” International Maritime Organization I remember a story: Forty years ago, When I got back to Istanbul, I brought showed that water transport my friend Ayşegül Nadir saw that trash together 80 of my friends, all devoted contributed to sea contamination was being thrown in the sea and that to the sea. They agreed to be founding only by 20%. The real culprits were the municipality was not collecting members. We established DenizTemiz household waste and untreated trash. Some of us got together and on April 8, 1994. industrial and agricultural waste. That hired a truck to collect the trash. We is why we later moved our focus there. thought the truck was taking the trash Where have you made the most to the waste area. We soon realized impact? How are you educating youth and that the driver was collecting the trash, Our main objective was to keep our the general public? passing our neighborhood and just seas clean, our lakes uncontaminated, We produced countless films, posters, throwing the trash in the sea further and to take care of our rivers. Soon organized conferences. We contacted down the coast at Üsküdar! It took us we realized that the subject was vast, municipalities, restaurants, hotels and 40 years to transform that mentality. education was needed, and discipline many other organizations. Over time around this issue had to start from we realized the scale of the problem. We all have to face the sea and not an early age. Twenty-seven years No one NGO can solve this problem turn our back to it. Sea is life, sea is ago no one really cared about the alone. bread, sea is tourism. 44 cover story
Taner Aksel RC 87 Spearheads Permaculture in Turkey “We need a design process to quickly regenerate nature that we have polluted and destroyed.” Taner Aksel is the founder of Belentepe in November 2010. The teachers of From 2013 onwards, we started Permaculture Farm. He has also this course were two Australians: Bill accepting volunteers. Word got around founded the Permatürk Foundation, Mollison, the founder of permaculture, and more people wanted to visit and along with some of his classmates. and Geoff Lawton, a world-renowned learn what we were doing there. I permaculture consultant and designer. started giving permaculture courses. What is permaculture? The first day they showed that I was Until Covid, we organized many such Permaculture is the conscious design totally illiterate on how life and nature courses and sustainability workshops and maintenance of agriculturally works. I started with composting, at the farm. productive ecosystems which have the mulching, natural gardening, and I diversity, stability, and resilience of did the permaculture design of my What is the RC connection in all of natural ecosystems. We need a design land. Then I started living on the land these activities? process to quickly regenerate nature and implementing the design. In 2013 In spring of 2014, two RC geography that we have polluted and destroyed. Belentepe Permaculture Farm was teachers, Necla Sönmezay and Ferdağ established. Sezer, visited Belentepe. When they got In permaculture design we initially back to RC, they started small gardening observe natural patterns and processes projects and asked me to speak at a and collect local information. These seminar. We held an introduction to become our guides. We define all permaculture course at RC and about components of our design, and then 120 students and teachers from various we try to establish multi-benefit schools attended it (see RCQ 47, p. 15). relationships among these components Following the course, sustainability and – which eventually would increase the permaculture clubs were founded at the resilience of the whole system. attending schools, and many gardening projects sprouted. We started working How did you get involved in with and hosting schools at Belentepe, permaculture? How did you found including RC. Belentepe, and what are your activities there? Word got around and a group of my In 1998 my wife Ece Tümer Aksel RC friends from RC 87 spent a weekend 86 and I bought a 1.5-hectare piece of at Belentepe. Some of my friends from land on the outskirts of Uludağ. It was this group asked me how they could a fallow wheat field. We planted 700 be involved. I told them that the only grape vines and about 80 fruit tree way we can make a bigger impact is if saplings. It took years for the grapes we worked together and helped each and fruit trees to establish. Yet once other. We started meeting, discussing they started fruiting, we could not numerous issues and finally founded obtain much produce. We lost much Permatürk Foundation. Among the 29 of the harvest to disease or drought founders are some of the teachers we most years. By 2010 I had come to a worked together over the years, my crossroads; either I would quit this wife and I, and five of my RC friends. dream or I would learn natural farming and then practice it on my land. We would love to host our RC family at our foundation and discuss how we I started looking for courses on can support each other and grow this natural farming and living. Fortunately movement further, together. a permaculture design certificate course was being given in Istanbul For more details visit permaturk.org cover story 45 Gülin Yücel RC 88 Pours a Decade of Experience into New Book “We need to realize our impact and take responsibility.” Gülin Yücel worked at IBM for consumers, respectively. If we use many years before she turned bridges and roads, there will be more to sustainability consulting. She of them. If we buy overpackaged recently published a book with Prof. goods that come from the other side Levent Kurnaz, Yeni Gerçeğimiz: of the world, there will be businesses Sürdürülebilirlik (Our New Reality: and intermediaries who will serve us. Sustainability; Yeni İnsan Yayınevi), edited by Zeynep Karaarslan Başaran How did your experience at RC 88. RC prepare you for a career in sustainability consulting? Why did you decide to publish this I was strolling around Gould Hall one book? weekend. My mind was busy with We have been active in the field of whether I should pursue my shining sustainability for over a decade. We career in global environments or dare write regularly for “green media” and in to start all over again, to do something our blogs. We decided that our ideas more impactful, for society and the We are transgressing planetary needed to be documented and shared planet. I noticed a message on the wall: boundaries –using a lot more of with greater audiences. That’s how the “Our teachers strive to develop the earth’s resources than we should. We idea to publish a book came about. skills and talents of each student and need to realize our impact and take to instill in them a passion for lifelong responsibility. We cannot put the learning.” It was a turning point. I took What are some of the practical blame on governments or businesses a different route and dared to dwell in actions we can take today for a more – no government or business can the unknown. sustainable future, particularly in risk popularity by losing votes or terms of the environment? Raşit Bilgin RC 94 Teaches Ecology and Conservation “We should work together to learn about the impacts of our lifestyles on nature.” Raşit Bilgin is an Associate Professor of species diversity in marine regions. of Biology at Boğaziçi University’s This is important, as without these Institute of Environmental Sciences, baseline data, we cannot properly focusing specifically on ecology and study how species’ compositions are conservation. altered by climate change.
What does your work at the Institute How has RC impacted the path you of Environmental Sciences entail? have chosen? My work focuses on wildlife research. I was always interested in nature and I use genetic methods to gain a better conservation, and probably my first understanding of biodiversity and actions in this regard were taken at to help with species conservation. I RC, through recycling. I was part of focus on bats (my personal favorites the Explorers Club, and our camping since when I was an undergraduate), trips were my first steps towards dolphins, corals, and marine appreciation and excitement for doing invertebrates. My research group has fieldwork in nature. In a more general been using a relatively new approach, The effect of climate change varies sense, one of the most important tools called environmental DNA (eDNA) among different individual species; for a scientist in doing their work is metabarcoding, to help characterize some species will be able to adapt critical thinking, and RC’s integration marine biodiversity in Turkey and to changing climate conditions or of critical thinking into both our Antarctica. We capture traces of DNA modify their ranges, while others education and our world view has from sea water samples and analyze will go extinct, and some may even helped me significantly in the path I them to learn what species live in benefit. The eDNA work we do will have chosen. these regions. help to create baseline assessments 46 cover story
Çağan H. Şekercioğlu RC 93 Draws Attention to Biodiversity “RC nature was my inspiration.” environmental sciences or related fields are probably the best, followed by a graduate degree in ecology, environmental sciences or conservation biology. You also need a good education in social sciences and preferably volunteering experience in working with local communities. If you are passionate and good at what you do, you can also find a job with an environmental organization without any scientific training.
Can you tell us about your non- profit organization KuzeyDoğa? I first came to Kars in 2001 while leading a butterfly expedition from Trabzon to Hakkari. I fell in love with eastern Turkey and decided to establish eastern Turkey’s first ornithological (bird) research station here. That expanded to mammals and other organisms and led me to found KuzeyDoğa, a research-based, non-profit, civil society organization. Its mission is the conservation and Prof. Dr. Çağan H. Şekercioğlu is a lobbying the government and working promotion of the rich biocultural biology professor at the University with all stakeholders to get new areas diversity of northeastern Turkey where of Utah, a visiting professor at Koç effectively protected. the Caucasus and Iran-Anatolian University, the founder of KuzeyDoğa global biodiversity hotspots meet. Society, and a conservationist, How did RC support your interest in We created a community-based focusing on the preservation and the environment? research, education, and capacity appreciation of the unique plants and Studying in the most beautiful high building framework that emphasizes animals of Anatolia. school campus in Turkey was crucial the creation of sustainable livelihoods, for me. RC nature was my inspiration. while focusing on preservation and What does being a conservationist Our amazing library where I checked appreciation of the unique plants and mean? out and read 54 books in Lise 3 alone animals of Anatolia. Biodiversity and ecosystems are was instrumental in my becoming a threatened by climate change, habitat scientist. I had amazing, passionate, Since its establishment in 2007, loss, degradation and fragmentation, fun teachers. I am especially grateful to KuzeyDoğa became the only invasive species like feral cats, Mr. Altuğ and other biology teachers, locally-based and research-based exploitation of wildlife, pollution and our ECIS math team teachers, my environmental NGO in northeastern emerging diseases. photography teacher Aydın Ungan, Turkey, one of the best-known Being a conservationist means Mrs.Watrous who helped me write conservation NGOs in Turkey, and becoming aware of these issues, my college essays, and Mrs. Göksel a member of various committees on understanding how ecology works, who told me that I should apply to sustainable development, nature and realizing the complexity of the US colleges. I was lucky to get into cultural conservation in the region. problems threatening biodiversity, Harvard. It was selected as an International studying and publishing about those Union for Conservation of Nature problems, educating the public through What do you recommend to those (IUCN) Member with the nomination interviews, articles and documentaries who want to go into environmental of BirdLife International, National and taking action to actively protect studies? Geographic Society and Wildlife biodiversity and habitats, including In college, studying biology, Conservation Society in 2016. cover story 47 Orhan Yenigün RC 72 Witnesses Decades of Change in Environmental Sciences “We need academics especially in international affairs that require defending our nation’s rights.”
Prof. Dr. Orhan Yenigün was area due to students’ preferences. the manager of the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Boğaziçi What are the qualities necessary for University between 1999-2021. an academic career in this field? The student, preferably but not In the many years you spent at the necessarily, should have a master’s Institute of Environmental Sciences, degree in environmental sciences and what kind of changes in the interest have studied related subjects before of the students in this subject matter enrolling in a PhD program. We need have you observed? academics especially in international In the 70s and 80s sustainability was affairs that require defending our linked to development, and the main nation’s rights. We need more experts subject was sustainable development. with a good command of English and Recently we started to talk about who have specialized in environmental sustainable use of resources and sustainability and related subjects. sustainability in areas like energy, million. The waters of the Bosphorus agriculture, and tourism. Our students How has RC impacted the path you and the Sea of Marmara were not at the Institute of Environmental have chosen? yet polluted. We had no notion Sciences found these challenging During my RC years, all we knew about about “sustainable management issues more interesting in comparison our environment was limited to Rachel of resources,” since it seemed that to other environmental topics, and we Carson’s book Silent Spring, which Nature was resilient to incorporate started to offer more courses focusing was a summer reading assignment. environmental pressures. RC education on them. Eventually, thesis topics at During those years the population of was effective in gaining freedom of the master’s level were offered in this metropolitan Istanbul was less than 3 expression in all aspects of life. Ferit Arsan RA 62 Knows the Ins-and-Outs of Wind Energy “I would recommend to those interested in wind energy to join the multinational companies based in Turkey.”
Ferit Arsan is one of the first wind Where is wind energy headed? energy professionals in Turkey and has Up to this year, incentives for been consulting various companies for renewable energy generation were very nearly a quarter century. good in Turkey in order to promote local manufacturing. However, the What does your work entail? renewable energy incentive has ended I have developed a lot of wind projects. this year, so the increase of wind farms I am currently involved in developing will probably slow down. a wind farm on the Aegean coast. The most rewarding aspect of this work is to A lot of other countries around Turkey develop feasible projects and sell them have just started building wind farms. to interested parties at suitable prices. I think most of them will switch to Development is a long process; locating renewable energy in the coming years. they have the flexibility to work a good windy location for the project, The cost of wind turbines are now beyond Turkey. The wind turbines in choosing the most suitable turbine and about half the price they were 20 years Turkey have a capacity of about ten obtaining the required government ago, and developing even less windy thousand megawatts, and they all permissions all take time. Completing locations now seems feasible. need maintenance. Joining one of the the erection of the first turbine and companies who take care of periodical starting to generate electrical energy I would recommend to those interested maintenance on behalf of turbine according to the expectations are also in wind energy to join multinational manufacturers, or even forming one, very rewarding. companies based in Turkey so that are other interesting options. 48 cover story
Ömer Madra RA 64 Inspires Climate Activism “In climate activism the role of youth – and that of children – unfortunately seems to be essential and indispensable.” In climate activism the role of youth – and that of children as well – unfortunately seems to be essential and indispensable under the present circumstances. When 14-year-old climate activist Atlas Sarrafoğlu (a volunteer broadcaster at Açık Radyo) asks his 9-year-old counterpart from India, Licypriya Kangujam, if she thinks the responsibility of leading the fight against climate change should be on children, she replies briefly and eloquently:
“Not exactly. If children have to fight, then we have to give up many things like school, dropouts, etc., which is really not a good idea. One important question is why children came out on the streets instead of going to school. A former academic, writer and founder been following ever since. We crossed This is mainly due to the inaction of Açık Radyo, Ömer Madra is one of a Rubicon from which there was no of our leaders. They are responsible the earliest and most vocal climate turning back.” (The Patterning Instinct, for it. Children are smarter and more activists in Turkey. Prometheus) concerned for our planet and the future than our leaders.” (Yeşil Gazete, Why do you think it has been so According to writer and activist February 4, 2020) difficult for people to grasp that George Monbiot, “In a world that is there is a climate crisis? supposed to lack inherent value, but How has your RC education In order to grasp this almost in which many of us have lost our influenced you in your path? unconceivable failure in acknowledging belief in either the immortal soul or My RC education has had a significant the greatest threat humanity – and the sanctity of pure reason, we face a influence on my world outlook to the planet – ever faced, we have to void of meaning. We seek to fill it with this day. My schoolmates and I were turn our gaze some ten thousand a frenzy of consumerism. […] Lent has influenced and/or “raised” by the likes years back. As the cultural historian explained why, despite our knowledge of James Baldwin, Charlie Klopp, Floyd Jeremy Lent states, the ancient and even our intentions, we continue Couch, Asa Barber and other public Mesopotamian myth, the Epic of to follow our path to the precipice. intellectuals of the time. They taught Gilgamesh, contains deep insights into To solve a problem, we need first to us the huge significance of critical the most profound transition in human understand it… We cannot change the thinking, freedom of expression, of history. “For millions of years, foraging destination until we change the path.” peace-loving, of “the importance of was the only way our ancestors could (The Guardian, “Stepping Back from being earnest,” and the rest. We had satisfy their hunger from one day to the Brink”, January 2018) the opportunity of studying Dante, the next. Then, about ten thousand Cervantes, Shakespeare, Dostoyevsky, years ago, a radically different way of What is the role of youth in climate Proust, Fikret, Salinger, Orhan Veli, relating to the natural World emerged activism? How do you work with Nazım Hikmet, and the other greats in and set humankind on a course we’ve youth, regarding climate activism? the span of three short years! cover story 49
Selin Gören RC 20 Shows That Youth Are Leading the Way “Climate education doesn’t end in the classroom, and it was really important to me that RC recognized that.” understand all the intricacies of initiatives and activist groups around the climate crisis. I’m interested in the world is a perfect way to discover working on novel carbon-capturing which aspect of climate justice technologies, sustainable energy interests you the most. plans and solutions to biodiversity loss. Whatever I end up doing after Who supported you in this path in RC? graduation, environmentalism and I started practicing permaculture climate activism will be at the core of at RC, an important catalyst of my work. my climate journey. My geography teacher Necla Sönmezay made me What are some of your realize how crucial learning earth recommendations to RC students sciences is at this moment in time. interested in the environmental Mr. Oliver’s support enabled me Selin Gören became a climate activist movement? to balance my schoolwork with my during her time at RC, and started The environmental movement is open activism. Climate education doesn’t the Fridays for Future movement in to all talents and backgrounds. Being end in the classroom, and it was really Turkey for high school students. She creative is a lot more beneficial for the important to me that RC recognized is now studying at Yale University and movement than following the herd. that. Ms. Oğuz introduced me to recently received the Diana Award for My other recommendation would be Ashoka Turkey, connecting me to her humanitarian and social work. exposure to opposing views regarding social entrepreneurs. Ömer Madra the climate crisis. Try to meet people RC 64 became an important mentor What are you studying at Yale, and where they are at, not where you are at. in my life. Nil Sarrafoğlu RC 89 is why have you chosen this path? Small actions make all the difference if a big inspiration and one of my I plan to major in biology to millions do them. Following ongoing greatest supporters. Kerim Baran RC 89 Facilitates Learning on Solar Energy “Solar plus batteries will be a major piece of power infrastructure in the world in a decade.” Kerim Baran has been working in the as well as to exchange energy with solar energy field for the last decade. neighbors. Solar plus batteries will be He sold his company CivicSolar in a major piece of power infrastructure 2019 and is now working on his new in the world in a decade or so. passion project. What aspects of your experience at What is SolarAcademy? RC influenced where you are now? It is a social learning platform for Being around people most of whom the solar energy industry to create were much smarter and more more efficient flows of information, competitive than me, I learned pretty solutions, and capital. Its goal is to fast not to compete on terms that increase human consciousness about others defined for me, but to create solar energy and to elicit change. my own unique lane and follow my own path. That usually meant listening What are the challenges with solar to my heart as much as my mind. I energy? What is the outlook? also following a similar cost trend. My invite the RC community to have a look Solar panels have gotten 200 times expectation is that by 2030 solar and at the content on SolarAcademy.com. cheaper in the last 40 years. Batteries batteries will be cheaper than the cost If you cannot find answers to your are the last frontier to enable of maintaining the grid. We will still questions, reach out to us at team@ mainstream solar use, and they are use the grid for baseload and backup, solaracademy.com. 50 cover story
Emre Turanlı RC 97 Leads the Transformation of a Global Energy Player “Robert College always provides a vision ahead of the times.”
Emre Turanlı has been working at Turkey’s first liquefied natural gas Shell in various leadership roles and (LNG) filling station. Currently, we countries since 2003. As of June 2020, have 3 EV charging facilities on the he is the CEO of Shell&Turcas. Istanbul - Ankara and Istanbul - Izmir highways and continue investment in How is Shell involved in this area. environmental sustainability? What are your plans going forward? What is Shell doing to protect the The world is going through an intense environment in Turkey? energy transformation, and the key In Turkey, we have our first Shell issue at this point is to dramatically Turkey Forest with 3,100 trees. With reduce carbon emissions worldwide this forest, we aim to neutralize for a better future. Shell supports approximately 105 tons of carbon the most ambitious goal of the Paris dioxide, equal to the amount emitted Agreement on climate change to limit from more than 1,300 cars every year. the global temperature rise to 1.5° Celsius. Shell’s target is to become a Shell is a founding member of the net-zero emissions energy business by Alliance to End Plastic Waste and we 2050. manage our waste with an approach to change. In Great Britain, we provide “consume less, reuse and recycle”. For Becoming a net-zero emissions energy hundreds of thousands of homes with instance; Our Derince Lubricant and business means that we are reducing 100% certified renewable electricity. Grease Production Facility, exporting emissions from our operations, and We are meeting the growing needs to 65 countries, established the Zero from the fuels and other energy of electric vehicle drivers – offering Waste Management System and products we sell to our customers. It drivers access to more than 185,000 received the Zero Waste Certificate. also means capturing and storing any public electric vehicle charging remaining emissions using technology facilities in more than 35 countries and How did RC influence you? How or balancing them with offsets. We plan to increase the number of charge should education change in term of are transforming our business to points to around 500,000 by 2025. environmental issues? meet our target, providing more We also acquired the company named Robert College always provides low-carbon energy such as charging ubitricity, a European provider of on- a vision ahead of the times. My for electric vehicles, hydrogen and street charging for electric vehicles. years in RC have a massive impact electricity generated by solar and wind on my personality. I think there power. We are also working with our Additionally, we are exploring ways to should definitely be lectures around customers as they make changes too, produce hydrogen using offshore wind environment at school. However, this including in sectors that are difficult power. Solar is key in our portfolio. boils down to leadership more than to decarbonize such as aviation, Our first solar project in the Middle environment knowledge. Most Turkish shipping, road freight and industry. East is helping to power a smelting people think that they should have company in Oman and cutting its the convenience of energy usage at its What is Shell’s approach to carbon emissions in the process. We extreme but expect someone else to renewable energy? Are you taking are also testing 100% sustainable save the world. Unfortunately it does steps to diversify away from fossil aviation fuel. not work that way, and at the end it fuels? is governments and societies who can We are an energy provider and a In Turkey, we have solar-powered make a big change. key partner of our stakeholders for sites which will increase. We opened cover story 51
Jan Nahum RA 67 Believes Electric Vehicles Are the Future “Nobody involved in the industry can be immune to the EV revolution.” Over the past five decades, Jan an overall systems approach to the Nahum has been at the forefront of supply of power. EVs are the future, automotive design and production. and major auto brands have ambitious As the co-founder of Hexagon Studio, deadlines for switching completely to an R&D, design, engineering and EV production by 2030-2035. consultancy company specialized in the automotive field, he and his “Turkey is a major global auto producer company are pioneering electric and an important EU supplier. Turkey vehicles in Turkey. Nahum offers RCQ will profit through this global industry readers a glimpse into the future: transformation and can catch up with worldwide competition by introducing “Electric Vehicles (EV) have been its local brand. While the technology around for decades with controversial level of vehicles produced will be at reviews particularly as to their impact par with worldwide competition, the on the environment. Instead of positive contribution of EVs. If the challenge will be building a recognized hydrocarbon fuel tanks, these vehicles increase in the need for power were to brand which will take time and rely on batteries which need recharging. increase production of plants burning necessitate a Blue Ocean strategy. The power recharging draws from the dirty coal as opposed to clean coal grid needs to be supplied to the grid or clean energy alternatives, then “Nobody involved in the industry can and transported (energy consumption the overall impact would be harmful. disregard, or be immune to the EV itself) to charging outlets. The source Now, finally these issues have been revolution. Having spent half a century of this energy needs to be clean and overcome through advances in battery, in it neither could we; we are fully renewable in order to maximize the motor and control technologies and involved in our research center.” Ersagun Elaçmaz RC 10 Works on Clean Energy Systems “Clean energy systems will be an integral part of our future.” Having studied mechanical What does your work as a product engineering, Ersagun Elaçmaz is now a development engineer on the design product development engineer at fuel of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell cell producer Ballard. modules entail? These fuel cells generate electrical Why are clean energy systems current where the hydrogen is used so important for environmental as fuel and the only by-product that sustainability? comes out is water vapor. My job All our activities require energy in one entails designing new fuel cell modules form or another: We travel, we get that generate more power while they items delivered to our door, we watch a are getting smaller in size to be used video on our phones. Anything we buy mainly on trucks, buses, and trains. requires extraction of raw materials, and that process has an impact on the What has been RC’s impact on your environment. Clean energy systems career? can reduce and mitigate the negative Continuous learning is key in impact of our activities on the climate engineering, especially working on a and environment. They are becoming technology that is novel, but immature increasingly competitive in terms of like hydrogen fuel cells. I have to be efficiency and cost; therefore clean open and alert to new information. RC energy systems will be an integral offers so many tools, curricular or co- part of our future and reduce our curricular, assisted or self-directed, to the Destination Imagination club for dependence on fossil fuels. students to develop lifelong learning being a great program that enhances habits. I am also going to single out creative problem solving skills. 52 cover story
Zeynep Yalım-Uzun RC 86 Demonstrates Purpose-Led Marketing “Consumers are now looking for companies that not only create products and services, but also add value to their communities, as well as to our world.” As Chief Marketing Officer, Zeynep In line with our “Respecting the Yalım-Uzun leads a global marketing World, Respected Worldwide” vision, team and 14 brands at Arçelik, which we set our sustainability goals and spans the globe in 150 countries. In are currently following through. 2020, she was among the 20 women For the second time in a row, we AdAge selected in Europe as Women have been selected as the leader to Watch for being a catalyst for of our industry in the Dow Jones change within the marketing industry Sustainability Index. We were also by shaping attitudes and culture. named one of the Corporate Knights Global 100 World’s Most Sustainable What role do brands play in Companies. Our commitment to encouraging consumers to support doing sustainable business leads us climate action? to initiatives such as being carbon The key transformation always comes neutral in all our operations. from consumers. Consumers are now looking for companies that not only to do something to preserve our water How did your experience at RC create products and services, but resources. The filter captures up to 90% influence your life? also add value to their communities, of microfibers that would otherwise Being exposed to cross cultural as well as to our world. In order to end up in the oceans. We used experiences and languages at such an respond to the shift in demand, we recycled PET bottles in the production early age made me very comfortable are actively developing products to of washing machines, washer-dryer working across cultures and transform every household into a tubs, and air conditioners. We geographies later on in life. Robert more sustainable one. incorporated recycled fishing nets College also helped me evolve as an and synthetic yarns into our ovens, individual with a strong point of view, What has been your personal washing machines, and dishwashers. who can influence others. Through contribution to reaching Arçelik’s Our solar hybrid fridge is designed extracurricular activities such as the milestones, particularly in terms of to curb energy use in Africa where Debate Club and MUN, I learned to sustainability? resources are diminishing every day. be sharp with my views and to express I always believed and advocated that them in a convincing way. I especially marketing needs to serve a higher After joining the Arçelik team, I want to thank Mrs. Akgök who helped purpose than just selling more. initiated the work to align all of our me to overcome my fear of public My work at Arçelik centers around brands on their purpose journeys. For speaking, as well as Mrs. Işıl who transforming our brands on their example, on Beko, our largest global showed me how to motivate a team. purpose journeys as well as ensuring brand, we defined “healthy living” I also would like to recognize all my that our sustainability agenda as our overarching purpose. With teachers who instilled in me intellectual is translated into products that the aim to change the conversation curiosity, which I carried throughout contribute in a positive way. around this concept, we created our my life. The most common attribute global “Live Like a Pro” campaign. With for marketeers is our curiosity, so my As a global first, we created washing this campaign, we strive to improve education in Robert College influenced machines with built-in microfiber public health, especially the health of even my career choice. filtration systems. With fast fashion children and young people, as well as continuously rising, we knew we had the health of the world we live in. cover story 53
Ebru Güvenir RC 91 Promotes the Sustainability Perspective in Banking “Sustainability is now a driver behind innovation, evolution of new business, and risk management.” but its focus has evolved. The financing, increasing sustainable drivers behind this evolution are investment funds, and becoming a increasing awareness of climate carbon-neutral bank by 2025. change and inequality, regulatory requirements and the transfer of We are proactively working on capital to the millennial generation, becoming a more “sustainable who are “consciously invested” company” through measures such as in the concept of sustainability. “reskilling” our employees, reducing the This changing narrative promotes negative impact on the environment a much longer-term view of how and investing in communities. We also sustainability is becoming ingrained report our ESG (environmental, social into business and, as an extension, and governance) performance. into corporate culture. Do you have any memories from RC Do you have specific goals related to that have impacted what you do Ebru Güvenir is Senior Vice President of environment in your company? today? Investor Relations and Sustainability We are aware of the critical role RC imparted a sense of community and at Akbank. of the banking sector in creating responsibility. This is a major building a sustainable future and have set block behind my commitment towards Why is sustainability such a strategic specific goals to create meaningful sustainability and its inherent benefits area of focus for companies? positive change for the environment, for my firm and for greater society. Sustainability is not a new concept, such as providing sustainable loan Onur Göker RC 93 Directs Sustainable Investments to Create Change “Our environmental problems require a lot of innovative and cross disciplinary solutions.” Having worked in the finance sector a finance professional, and I failed at for many years, Onur Göker is all of them! However, the journey gave now Managing Director at Cowen me an appreciation for how different Sustainable Investments. specialties can be used to innovate and solve problems in different situations. Why sustainable investment? Our environmental problems require a We are now seeing a once-in-a-century lot of innovative and cross-disciplinary type of disruption happening in the solutions. technologies available, as well as in the demand from younger generations How has RC influenced you in your for change. We may have a window to career path? reverse some severe damage we have RC’s science education opened my done, and I wanted to be part of that eyes to connections across different momentum. fields and the challenges humanity agriculture sectors. We live in a world faces. I am grateful to my RC teachers What type of areas are of particular of hyper-specialty and we can create who unearthed my enthusiasm, interest to you? so much value by simply bringing which fueled me to explore unknown I focus on businesses that are in a cross-disciplinary approach. At worlds with less fear. That fearless disrupting the energy, transportation, different times in my life, I studied to sense of exploration has shaped my industrial efficiency, food andbe a doctor, an engineer, a linguist and career to date. 54 cover story
Ebru Debbağ RC 87 Leads Change in Textile Sector “Our clothes are a part of the climate crisis, and we have to reverse the narrative to make them part of the solution.”
A veteran of the textile industry, Ebru much more is integrated. Our clothes Debbağ also has her own platform are a part of the climate crisis, and we Indigofriends that advocates for a have to reverse the narrative to make healthier planet. them part of the solution. Turkey will need to accelerate its transformation How have you seen the textile to a circular business system, as one sector move towards environmental of the biggest suppliers to the EU. sustainability over the years? The textile industry exemplifies how How can RC alumni and students be we succumbed to capitalism, depleted changemakers in this field? limited resources and discounted Get to business on the field! We have an human labor to satisfy our desire for enriched educational and vocational more. When fast fashion began to rise, background, and this is where we the number of clothing manufacturers can work together. Some of us from increased twofold, while the use-time RC 87 recently set up Permatürk decreased by half. Annually, 70 million from textile to textile is only 1%, and Foundation - the first foundation to barrels of petroleum go into the the rest is down-cycled (12%) or left have permaculture systems at its core production of synthetic fibers, which to landfills. Cotton fields, soil health, and that shares best practices on end up as microfibers in the depths of ecosystems at work, the investment of sustainability. The RC community is a the oceans, in human placenta or in manufacturers, design work, human great resource, and we have to look for our lungs. The current recycling rate labor …it is never just a pair of jeans; so like-minded change-makers.
Seray Cengiz Sezer RC 00 Creates a Forward-Looking Brand “I placed sustainability and eco-friendliness at the heart of my brand.” her own brand Little Yucca, a baby them. We ship our online orders with and kids clothing label designed in re-usable cotton bags. collaboration with illustrators, and produced with Global Organic Textile How has RC impacted where you are Standard (GOTS) certified 100% today? organic cotton. The collections are also RC taught me two very important mostly gender-neutral. things: to question and to not settle. There were times when questioning How does Little Yucca relate to and not settling were a little painful, but environmental sustainability issues? I found what I want to do with my life I was well-aware of the harm of with these characteristics I developed textile production to the environment. in my high school years. I am really Therefore, I placed sustainability and thankful that they got me to create my eco-friendliness at the heart of my own brand and produce garments that brand. This is a necessity rather than I’m proud of. I should also mention the a choice. Sourcing certified organic alumni network who were always there cotton fabrics is our priority. A brand for me in my journey. Creating a brand has to do a lot more for environmental is a multi-stage process, and I had sustainability. As an independent the privilege of consulting a variety of label, we aim to shape our whole alumni friends in different professions process with sustainability in mind. during each step. We turn our scrap fabrics into baby Seray Cengiz Sezer worked in the accessories. We minimize the usage For more information visit corporate world for 10 years before of plastic polybags that are necessary www.little-yucca.com finally finding the courage to build for long distance transport and re-use cover story 55
Gökçe Günel RC 00 Explores How Climate Change Impacts Inequalities “Our questions should stretch beyond technological discovery.” Gökçe Günel is an assistant professor social transformation for everyone. of Anthropology at Rice University and Renewable energy and clean director of Undergraduate Studies. technology also further demarcate the boundaries between the haves and You focus on renewable energy and the have-nots upon whom the formers’ clean technology infrastructures lives are predicated. What are some in cities. Why are these issues so ways of reversing these trends? important for the future? Cities are spaces of inequality. My What would you recommend to RC academic research focuses on how students who want to study and climate change impacts these existing work in these areas? inequalities. Optimistic scenarios that Climate change adaptation and imagine green cities for the future mitigation might appear as an are perhaps helpful and inspiring engineering challenge, but it is also a in demonstrating that humans can social, political and ethical problem. overcome the medical, political and Our questions should stretch beyond economic crises that define our lives technological discovery. extensively and how to observe the today, but we should also keep in world closely. My life at RC also gave mind that innovation in renewable Has your RC experience influenced me the confidence to be persistent energy and clean technology does your work? and daring, and allowed me to follow not necessarily result in positive I learned how to focus, how to read a trajectory guided by my curiosities. Özlem Ayalp Ercolini RC 01 Designs with Circular Economy Principles “I cannot imagine designing a project without thinking about its impact on the world we live in.” What are circular economy • Principle 3: Regenerate natural principles, and how do they affect systems, favoring renewable energy your work? and materials, preserving and As defined by the Ellen MacArthur enhancing natural resources. Foundation, circular economy aims to create a system that is restorative I cannot imagine designing or and regenerative by design. The design managing a project without thinking of materials, products or business about its impact on the world we live models implements at least one of in and where my children will live in the three main principles of circular the future. economy, while remaining neutral towards the other two. What do you recommend to RC students who are interested in • Principle 1: Design out waste and architecture and sustainable design? Since 2011, architect Özlem Ayalp pollution. A mental shift is required When studying architecture, interest Ercolini has been working at the to consider waste as a design fault. in sustainable design is a natural independent consulting firm Arup Italy, • Principle 2: Keep products and consequence in this century. My as part of the project and program materials in use. It means extending recommendation would be to be management team. Her expertise is their lifespan through reuse, repair curious and continue looking in the retail projects. and remanufacture. ways RC teaches. 56 cover story Sargun Tont RC 59 ex Advocates a Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Sustainability “We have to let go of greed.” An esteemed academic and marine around matters like endangered ecology expert, Sargun Tont has species. The focus now is making do also authored many books, penned with less. If we do not overconsume magazine articles, and worked on in all areas of life, sustainability documentaries and popular science naturally follows. series for TV. Everything in nature is a gift to us. Why are oceans critical in Science alone cannot address the environmental sustainability? complexities of sustainability. It has Oceans constitute 75% of planet earth to be handled in a multidisciplinary and affect the planet’s climate. Also manner. That is why art and ethics phytoplankton, a form of microalgae have also entered this field. in the oceans, feed on carbon and produce oxygen, in fact, more than How do you view the future? even the Amazon forest. Turkey still ranks low in the amount my teacher Mr. Gilchrist particularly of academic research in ecology/ fondly. He loved Wordsworth and You have been involved in environmental studies. Yet I am recited his poetry with tears in his environmental sustainability issues hopeful. We have to let go of greed. eyes. I learned to love nature in for a long time. Has anything The upcoming generation is very literature first, and the library is of changed along the way? promising. course unforgettable. The father of ecology Alexander von Humboldt said in nature everything How did RC impact your life and Sargun Tont’s latest book, Odunluk affects everything else. Indeedcareer? Günlükleri, Darwin ve Doğa Üzerine sustainability has many different I published six books, and they are Yeni Denemeler (Odunluk Chronicles, facets. Previously environmental 80% about nature. The beginning of Darwin and New Essays on Nature, sustainability seemed to revolve this love is definitely RC. I remember Ginko Press), will be published soon. Murat Tapik RC 07 Farms Responsibly “RC has instilled self-responsibility in me to respect nature, farmers, and the consumers.” Murat Tapık left the corporate life multiple times through the decades, in 2012 to found a family farm, infrastructure for these farm fields is Datça Murat Çiftliği, which espouses not very effective. Water consumption local production and conscious is usually very high for a small area. consumption. Fuel use for the farmers for their own needs and for the logistics for their Why is it important to consume goods to be delivered to big cities is locally grown food? also a big sustainability issue. It is important to support local farmers. Also getting food from far distances How has your experience at RC creates additional carbon emissions. affected you? Moving edible goods is sensitive, so I remember vividly our biology classes that its logistics are both expensive As an owner of a farm, what are the and the time we spent outside. RC and not good for the environment. environmental sustainability issues has instilled self-responsibility in Fuel consumption for logistics and that you face daily? me to respect nature, farmers, and cooler needs are two of the highest Water consumption and fuel use the consumers all at the same time. carbon producers. Requirement of constitute the most important daily Creating healthy food for people with fertilizers and pesticides is also not sustainability issues for a farmer. the smallest carbon footprint is one of good for nature and the people who Since fields in Turkey and particularly the most important targets of Datça consume those foods. those of small farmers are divided Murat Çiftliği. www.zenpirlanta.com
En özel olmak uzun bir serüvendir. Mükemmeli bulmak için çıktığımız arayışta, her Forevermark pırlantası özenle seçildiği bir serüvenden geçer. İşte bu yüzden dünyadaki pırlantaların sadece %1’i güzellik, nadirlik ve sorumlu tedarik vaadimizin simgesi olan Forevermark mührünü taşıyabilecek kadar değerlidir. 58 ones to watch
Y. Berk Manav RC 14 Breaks Fresh Ground in Sustainable Investment Berk Manav studied mechanical engineering and economics, along with energy sciences at Yale University. He just received his master’s from Stanford University, where he received a scholarship to research the effects of climate change on energy investment projects. He became interested in this field because it provides an opportunity to make an impact on climate change by affecting capital deployment decisions: “If we are able to demonstrate that certain types of energy projects are not only better for the environment but are also the more attractive and resilient financial investment, that mindset shift will truly catalyze investment into sustainable infrastructure projects.” Y. Berk Manav RC 14 Manav underlines the interdisciplinary nature of assessing climate risks for they are to climate risks, with coal Manav’s recommendation to RC energy infrastructure: “It involves plants being the least sustainable and students interested in this field bridging the gap between engineering, also the least resilient. This finding is to reach out to the people who policy, and finance, since it requires indicates that not only do coal plants excite them: “I got involved with my an understanding of which physical affect climate change, but climate research by going up to the person climate risks pose a risk to a project change affects coal plants as well. who is now my research advisor, Dr. because of its engineering design, Therefore, solar and other renewable In, and introducing myself after an which transition and regulatory energy investments are not only information session. I had read about risks may have an impact on energy environmentally sustainable, but are her research and was very excited by infrastructure in the coming years, also more resilient to climate risks, so her work and asked if I could help. We and how we can perform financial they are also financially sustainable.” met later that week and I joined this modeling to simulate the impacts of project at the very beginning of my these risks on financial metrics that Following his graduation this summer, master’s, which has been one of the are meaningful and actionable for Manav started working full-time most rewarding experiences during my investors.” at Generate Capital, a sustainable time here.” Manav also recommends infrastructure investment company: to develop a multidisciplinary skillset His team’s research findings indicate “I’m excited to be joining a team and perspective, since there are many that solar power plants are more that furthers the mission I’m very ways to tackle the problem of climate resilient to climate risks than natural passionate about: providing large change, and an understanding of gas power plants and coal-fired scale investment into renewables how these approaches overlap and power plants: “We’ve found that the and other sustainable infrastructure complement one another may provide level of carbon emissions associated projects, and demonstrating to the an even better opportunity to make a with each type of energy project is business world that one can do well by positive impact. directly aligned with how vulnerable doing good.” ones to watch 59
Begüm Muştu L9 Soars at the International Young Researchers’ Conference to analyze the case, write a report, the one who is not the most skilled and deliver a presentation during the and have realized that people don’t conference as part of this competition. find it something to look down at. I They also created a video for their have gotten used to being one of the project, posted it on Instagram and good ones in the room so much that tried to get votes for it. needing the help had started to make me feel bad, and the help that I got Begüm’s team came in first place for from my four international teammates the video and in second place for made me look at this attitude from a the social media post categories. The different perspective.” team explored how one can ensure to live well so that one dies well. They Begüm was chosen to be a Vision researched this question under the Scholar, which means she will both guidance of utalitarianism. start on a new project and get Begüm Muştu was one of over 300 mentorship. Her participation in the students to participate in this year’s At the conference, Begüm worked conference came about when she International Young Researchers’ with team members from the US and attended the Harvard Global Health Conference (IYRC) and in the IYRC’s Hong Kong. This diversity meant and Leadership Conference last case study competition in March many late night Zoom calls. She also year where she met one of the IYRC 2021. This year’s case was built on made an important discovery: “My founders who invited her to be a case Dr. Lydia Dugdale’s book The Art of teammates were a lot more familiar study participant in the IYRC. She Dying. Students from around the with researching and writing a paper. plans to study psychology after RC. world worked in international teams I have learned to be okay with being Lise 10 Student Defne Duru Arat Wins International Poetry Contest On the heels of the first place she herself as a writer first, and even in her received at the Demirkan Aşetey Art art she tries to incorporate writing. Competition, Lise 10 student Defne Duru Arat also won the Columbia In her winning poem she wanted to Granger’s World of Poetry 2021 write about something that provided Student Poetry Contest with her profound thoughts and feelings: poem, “The Lost Supper”. “’Silence’ by Marianne Moore didn’t inspire the form but rather the “I read Mehmet Tüfek RC 19’s winning foundation of the idea behind the poem ‘Hamburger’ last year and I poem. The quote I use in my poem is wanted to reach his eloquence and the actually a quote from my father as she way he was able to create a powerful uses one from hers. I could definitely aura with simple sentences. There was name Sy Hoahwah as another only one way to know if I have achieved inspiration.” that, so I took the opportunity and sent my poem when Mr. Foxall shared Defne Duru wants to study the link.” comparative literature abroad and would also love to publish a book. Defne Duru says writing has been an Her winning poem can be viewed at essential part of who she is since she www.columbiagrangers.org/static/ learned to write her name. She defines poetrycontestwinners2021 Defne Duru Arat L10 60 around the world Raising Awareness of the World’s Endangered Species
Burak Doğansoysal RC 96 started taking photos in 1995 during his RC years and went professional in 2007. He began filming wildlife and nature documentaries in 2009. His work has taken him around the world and has been published and shown in 68 countries. Through his vast body of work which revolves around documenting wildlife, Doğansoysal aims to raise awareness of the world’s endangered species so they may be protected and preserved. The RCQ asked him about his impressions from his travels.
Elephants in Masai Mara, Kenya. There are only 400,000 elephants left in the wild.
Burak Doğansoysal RC 96 around the world 61
Why did you decide to be a wildlife How does your work help raise cats, and the jaguar is a very unique documentary filmmaker? awareness about environmental one, basically living in a swamp and It was actually a process, rather than sustainability issues? obtaining most of its food from water. a decision. I’ve always loved taking We cannot protect something of which As with all apex predators, jaguars are photos and being in nature. In time, we are not aware. The primary objective important to keep the prey populations my passion for photography in general of conservation documentaries is to at a certain level, providing ecological has evolved into wildlife photography make people know about the species, stability. When the balance shifts and in particular. In 2008, full HD video habitats and problems they face. one species thrives in numbers, the was introduced to DSLR cameras, and Once the problem is defined, then entire system is affected, so a healthy I started filming as well. Adding motion we can successfully find solutions predator population means a healthy and sound to my wildlife images was and protect the ecosystem. I mainly ecosystem. very captivating, and I learned editing highlight habitat protection in my to make promotional videos for my documentaries. Like it or not, there I’ve been to Pantanal three more times business. The rest is history; I found are some animals people don’t or since my first visit, and I have plans myself chasing jaguars and leopards, can’t sympathize with such as snakes, for a bigger and better documentary making wildlife films for TV channels scorpions, spiders, hyenas, vultures or in the future. I’ve seen and filmed a all around the world. sharks. It’s hard to make people care lot of jaguars, but I still haven’t seen about animals that they are afraid of, a large enough green anaconda, which Which parts of the world has your so a broader sense of awareness and is another trademark species of the work taken you? protection is necessary. That is only Pantanal. Some individuals are known My work has taken me everywhere but possible through protection of the to grow more than 6 meters, weighing Australia and Antarctica. I filmed my habitats, ecosystems the animals or almost 200 kg! first documentary in Pantanal about plants live in. I am currently filming jaguars, so Brazil holds a very special a nature documentary in Turkey, Are there any other species that are place in my heart. And of course, sub- produced by Fırat İşbecer RC 98, of particular interest to you? Saharan African countries! I keep highlighting the effects of climate I have a special interest in scavengers. going back to Africa and I can’t get change and habitat loss, while I filmed a couple of documentaries enough. While on assignment, I spend showing the amazing biodiversity of in East Africa where the scavenger several months on end in Africa, but our precious geography. numbers are declining due to the dream is to move there for good. I poisoning and habitat loss. Although would love to live in Rwanda, Namibia What brought you to Pantanal in their role in the ecosystem is very or South Africa someday. Brazil for your first documentary, important, they are not loved by and what role do the jaguars play in many people. Spotted hyenas and that ecosystem? vultures are probably some of the Pantanal was always on top of my most misunderstood creatures on the “must visit” destinations, but 13 years planet. People would feel differently ago there were a lot of logistical if they knew how important these issues. I’ve always been animals were to prevent some nasty fascinated by big diseases from spreading. They are nature’s cleanup crew. 62 around the world
planet. Rwanda is a very small country packed with a lot of people. Namibia, however, is a vast country, larger than Turkey, with a population of only around 2.5 million people. It’s a place of contrasts. Namibia has a coast, but the Namib Desert starts immediately where the waves hit the beach. It has many rivers, but most of them have been dry for thousands of years. It has a forest which died 900 years ago, yet still erect but mummified due to intense heat and lack of moisture. Most of the country is covered by the Namib desert, yet it boasts an amazing wildlife. Despite the harsh desert conditions, it has rich water sources Red fox photographed in Montana, USA. The red fox has the widest geographical range of any of the carnivores. hidden underground and out of reach for many living creatures. Within these Most people are probably unaware, Rwanda is still frowned upon by many contrasts lies the perfect harmony of but we have four species of vultures people due to the civil unrest that life, which I love. and a hyena species (striped hyena) led to a genocide 27 years ago, which living and breeding in Turkey as well. shook the entire world. However, the How has RC influenced your path? country has long paid its dues, learned Are there any particular teachers, You said you want to live in Africa. its lessons, and now is a magical and clubs or events that spring to mind? What is the pull there, particularly peaceful place to visit. It was one of Film & Literature and Photography of Rwanda or Namibia? the first countries in the world to ban classes helped to lay the foundations When I first stepped foot on Africa 17 the use of plastic products, and they of my filmmaking for sure. More years ago, I suddenly felt different. It’s do incredible work to protect their importantly, RC has taught me that hard to explain but I felt like I’d already wildlife. Another fun fact: with nearly anything is possible once you set your been there. Since then, it is calling me two thirds of its seats held by women, mind to it. Teachers, advisors and the to go back non-stop, and I happily Rwanda by far holds the record for most school culture in general made me oblige. It feels like home, my happy numbers of female representatives in a believe that I can achieve whatever I place, my comfort zone. Africa has parliament. For me, it’s the rainforests, dream of. Classes, clubs and events its problems, conflicts and difficulties mountain gorillas, and the friendly gave me the necessary tools to pave for sure, but those are part of the people in Rwanda. It’s probably also my path going to that dream. experience. one of the safest countries on the
Leopard photographed in in Masai Mara, Kenya. Due to their secretive nature and adaptable lifestyle, leopards still thrive in Africa and Asia. rc reaches out 63 A Sustainable Future in Bünyan By Candan Turhan RC 87
Ever since I graduated in 1987, and migration; and that sustainability RC has never left me, especially our can only be achieved by people living lovely campus. It was one of the most happy, productive, progressive local influential features of the school for rural or non-urban lives. me, and my classmates can definitely remember me running to the Plateau In addition to regularly conducting on every break or flying between the a myriad of cultural activities geared trees on a swing. So it wouldn’t be to enhance the lives of local children surprising for anyone to see that I and young girls, Anka Foundation ended up a naturalist, working for a focuses on agriculture as a means greener and more sustainable future. of sustainable production and development. Naturalist, traditional, regenerative, permacultural ways of I’ll admit that the medium-sized family Candan Turhan RC 87 business in Kayseri, manufacturing farming are researched, re-discovered, steel shots from iron scrap, essentially Turhan Anadolu Kültür ve Kalkınma experimented and shared with locals, up-cycling scrap, was not my idea Vakfı (Turhan Anatolian Culture and a majority of whom essentially make and that I came into it by chance. My Development Foundation) - Anka their living as farmers. father had started the business in the Foundation - was founded in Bünyan, 1990s, and in 2010s it was my turn Kayseri, in 2017 by the Turhan family In this aspect, my friend and classmate to step up. However, the rest is all and is headed by me. Its aim is to Taner Aksel, founder of Belentepe me and my earth-friendly ways: Zero- make Bünyan, its hometown and Farm in Uludağ, Bursa, is a great waste grounds, regular recycling and mine, a better place to live, through support and inspiration to us as one of composting, responsible consumption cultural and economic development the first and few permaculture experts policies, food production for self- and a sustainable way of life. The in Turkey. Following his teachings and sustainability, conservation of rural foundation reflects my belief that the examples, the 46,000 square meters lifestyles, and ultimately a foundation greatest vice of today’s development of land owned by the foundation will based on sustainability. policies is centralization, urbanization be host to sustainable food forests and community gardens serving the Bünyan area, as well as a culture village designed by the world famous Emre Arolat Architects.
Until the 4,000 square-meter, multi- functional culture village is built, our foundation’s and company’s facilities are more than enough to host an annual national open air sculpture competition (third is happening this year), de-centralizing the arts and installing it in Bünyan’s daily life. We are also excited to have designed full-day workshops on nature and agriculture to benefit young and old urbanites who want to master the language of nature - this of course as soon as pandemic conditions allow.
One area of focus for the Anka Foundation is agriculture as a For more details visit www.anka.org means of sustainable production and development 64 books
Nuri Çolakoğlu RA 62 Invites Readers to Follow the Footsteps of Atatürk Prolific writer Nuri Çolakoğlu has co- and September 29, 1922, are dispersed authored a book with Zeki Saruhan: throughout the book. September 29 is Paşa’nın Rotası (On the Footsteps of the date Mustafa Kemal Paşa finally Atatürk, Kırmızı Kedi Yayınları). The returns from the battlefields to his book was designed as a travel guide new capitol Ankara, where he goes for those who would like to follow into the second phase of liberation, the footsteps of Mustafa Kemal Paşa with pen and paper to work on lasting as he sets out to launch the War peace treaties and a new constitution of Liberation and founding of the to replace the 600-year old imperial modern Turkish Republic. The book sultanate with a modern democracy starts on Sirkeci quay on May 16, fit for the twentieth century. Paşanın 1919, as Mustafa Kemal Paşa boards a Rotası is based on the four-volume small boat which will take him to the history of this period by Zeki Saruhan old, dilapidated steamboat Bandırma and was planned as an easy-to-read set to sail to Samsun where he will coffee table book. The writers are arrive on May 19 to start the incredible now working on a pocket-sized travel march to liberty. Historical maps, book which readers can take along on pictures, and chronology of events their trips following the footsteps of that took place between May 16, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Paşa.
Metin Ar RA 69 Curates World’s Best Restaurants in New Book Alongside his illustrious career, Metin I liked and enjoyed. There were no Ar has been reviewing restaurants places with negative reviews; if I did from around the world for the not like a restaurant I did not include magazine CEOLife for more than 10 or mention it in the article.” The book years and also posting his reviews to offers a wide range of establishments his blog www.metinar.com. He first from street food to pizza shops to published his collection of reviews three-star Michelin fine dining spots. in 2019, but has now updated it with new reviews: World’s Best Restaurants Ar explains the reasons behind his 2021 (Cosmo Publishing Company). recommendations and also gives tips. The book boasts more than 200 He views food as a component of restaurant recommendations in over culture and also of leisure travel. That 30 cities, spread over five continents. is why he opts for a spectrum of venues from casual to fine dining. As such, the Until the pandemic, Ar spent 170 days culture of the city and country of the out of a year traveling and was thus venue also seeps into the book. Ar able to cover so many different places. hopes to get back to traveling after the Ar states, “Every single one of these pandemic and continue to expand his restaurants was an establishment coverage. books 65
Özdemir Nutku RC 50 Remembered Through Posthumous Memoir Özdemir Nutku’s two-volume memoir of Turkish art and theater, as well Suda Ayak İzleri; Anılar ve İzdüşümleri as Turkish art academia through the (Footprints in the Water; Memories recollections of Nutku. and Projections; İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları) is an illuminating book Nutku credits RC for letting him about the life and works of a true discover his own personality and Turkish intellectual. First and foremost self-confidence at an early age a theater academic, throughout his and teaching him to speak out and long life, Nutku wrote and translated articulate his opinions freely. And he seminal books on theater, founded does precisely that in the memoir: magazines, established a fine arts “Unless society recognizes that theater university with a theater department is a necessity, the sacrifices and well- in Izmir and was working on Ben intentioned efforts will be like writing Jonson and Shakespeare translations on sand. This indifference can only be before he passed away in 2019. The overcome by one thing: education.” book, therefore, offers a panorama
Doğan Gürpınar RC 97 Explores the History of Names in Turkey A professor of Ottoman history at the one and a half centuries of Istanbul Technical University and modern Turkey: “These names not author of several books on Turkey’s only perfectly reflect and reveal social and political history, Doğan the intriguing dimensions of these Gürpınar explores the meaning of transformations but also allow us to personal names in his latest book, see niceties which otherwise would Türkiye’de Özel İsimlerin Tarihi not be visible to us. Every year (History of Personal Names in Turkey, thousands of parents give the very Telemak). same name to their precious children showing the appeal of certain names. From the Tanzimat to today, the book Yet these fashionable names rise and sheds light on the historical events and decline in less than a decade and personalities that inspired everyday inevitably vanish. Our names have people to name their children, thereby their own lives. Why do thousands displaying the zeitgeist of different of parents change their minds in less periods. Looking at names from this than a decade? I delved into these perspective demonstrates the desires reasons and pursued the stories of and dreams of Turkish people over the certain cohorts of names as well as span of 150 years. their inevitable decline.” Gürpınar also traced the stories of certain Gürpınar states that he used personal names since their birth at a very names as a good marker of social, specific conjecture and rise as well as cultural and political change through eventually decline. 66 books
Photography Book by Cem Yılmaz RC 07 Takes Readers Around the World Memleket, Travels Through Seemingly and photography started in RC. My Unconnected Places is a photographic passion for photography started when journey around the world and brings I was introduced to the Photography together Cem Yılmaz’s three interests: Club. We learned about the nuts-and- travel, photography and reading. bolts of cameras, black-and-white Yılmaz got the travel bug in his junior printing, went on photography tours year in college: “My close friend Sinem around the city. That toolkit served RC 07 suggested going to Singapore as the foundation of my photography for an exchange term. It all began with practice. I am glad to have picked up that move. Now that I look back, that this universal medium so early in my was one of the best decisions I have life. As for reading, the sheer volume ever made.” and quality of the literature we were exposed to early on and consistently, Yılmaz kept traveling over the years, along with the discourse we had in and the book is a record of these class, created a mindpath for me, and various journeys: “The adventures embedded reading as an important that I have been on after that point part of my learning process.” serve as the base of the book, from a theme and visual/written content Yılmaz has been living in Seoul for standpoint. The more I traveled, the the past five years and continues to more I realized that there was simply RC has been influential in Yılmaz’s be fascinated by Asia. The book is an unlimited amount of experiences to path: “Both my passion for reading available on gumroad.com be had, places to be seen.”
Seda Aksoy Evren RC 95 Writes Children’s Book Seda Aksoy Evren has her first book Aksoy explains that Kırmızı Balon out for pre-schoolers: Kırmızı Balon Uçuyor is a book about a standard Uçuyor (The Red Balloon Flies, Uçan red balloon who will be happy if he is Fil Yayınları). Evren always had a purchased by a child: “However, things passion for writing and was enticed by don’t go the way he wants, and the children’s books through her children: wind separates him from his friends. “I have always carried a small notebook That is when the red balloon starts to and a pen in my bag since I was four rise and have a big adventure along years old. My passion for writing the way. There is a nice surprise at the has never faded away. When my first end of the book not only for the red daughter Derin was born, I discovered balloon but also for the readers.” the magical world of picture books which I admired. Then, I decided to tell stories not only for my girls but for all children.” books 67
Buğra Giritlioğlu RC 89 Publishes New Poetry Collection Buğra Giritlioğlu’s latest poetry died some thirty years ago. There are collection, ben seni kolye gibi var four poems inspired by time spent in ya (oh come on you damn necklace, and around mountains. There is a five- Obiçim Yayınlar), continues the page section of unrelated couplets, eclecticism of his previous book, iki organized in alphabetical order by göz sıvı (two eyefuls of liquid, Pan the first letter of the first line. There Yayıncılık). Photographs and QR codes is one “meaningless” poem I wrote by to audio/video recordings accompany simply combining words that occurred a number of poems in both volumes. to me at random, in a stream of consciousness. (I promised two free Giritlioğlu explains there is no books to the 50th reader who could real common thread between the identify this poem.)” poems: “They mainly represent my reactions to recent encounters and Giritlioğlu maintains that anything situations, drawing, of course, on can count as a poem if the poet feels in my latest collection.” The poems are past experiences in the process. One excited enough about it: “Poetry is dedicated to various people, including notable exception—in the sense that short enough a form that a sufficiently RC classmates and teachers, while the the inspiration for it is firmly rooted in witty title is all it takes, even if the body book itself is dedicated to Bilgi Haner, the past—is “Muhabbet Kızım,” a poem of the poem comprises, say, merely Giritlioğlu’s Turkish language and I wrote for my beloved parakeet, who URL links, as is the case with one poem literature teacher at RC for two years. The Latest Book from Orhan Pamuk RA 70 Has a Pandemic as Backdrop Contributed by Pınar Gönen RC 88 The 2006 Nobel Prize laureate Orhan conflicts within the community, and Pamuk’s latest book Veba Geceleri political power struggles, as well as (Plague Nights, Yapı Kredi Yayınları) marriages, affairs, and friendships. was published in March 2021, after Territorial losses and political turmoil five years of meticulous hard work and during the dissolution of the Ottoman research. The novel caused quite a stir Empire is also an essential part of after Pamuk’s introductory videos on the setting. The merging of historical the social media, especially for being facts with fictional events through released during an actual pandemic. the unique narrative of Pamuk blurs the line between the imagined and The book is set in 1901, in the East the real, while the book cover and the Mediterranean on the Ottoman detailed map of the island, both drawn Minger Island and tells the story of a by Pamuk, create a vivid picture. plague outbreak based on the letters Reading the internationally acclaimed of Pakize Sultan who arrives at the Veba Geceleri, you will feel like you island with her doctor husband. It have actually strolled around the elaborately portrays the political winding streets of Minger Island and tensions between the island and the witnessed the dramatic events. motherland, quarantine management, 68 memories The Legend of the Maze
Basketball in the Maze in the 1920s
One of the main gathering But did you ever wonder how it got “We heard of a large property for sale points on campus, the Maze has its name? In her book The History of at Arnavutkeui, on the European shore been used for performances, sports Robert College Old and New, former of the upper Bosphorus, extending activities, graduation and other key RC librarian May Fincancı revealed one from the heights, down to the water’s school assemblies over the years. version of the legend. edge, with shady walks, and planted with rare trees and shrubs. This estate had belonged to a distinguished family for about a century. At the Bosphorus entrance to the property was a small ‘konak’ or lodge. A winding road led to the park above, where a second dwelling was occupied, at the time of our purchase, by the British consul general. Built over the gate, as one entered the upper park, was a tiny circular room with a lounge around the wall, where guests were taken for cups of Turkish coffee after climbing the hill, before undertaking a further few steps to the second lodge, on the hill. Among other groups of trees on the estate was a large chestnut grove; farther on was a labyrinth of trees called ‘the Maze’ planted in the form of a Sultan’s cypher around a circular Graduation Ceremony in 2008 spot of green. Beyond was a plateau memories 69
Opening Day in 2018
had all failed, a certain jeweler was summoned to the Palace who was reputed to have a telepathic gift as well as being a skillful jeweler.
Legend has it that this jeweler did indeed fashion a ring like the one that had been haunting the Sultan for so long. The splendid ring pleased the Circassian girl and made her so happy that it finally brought a smile to her lips. As his reward, the jeweler was rowed up and down the Bosphorus in the royal boat to select property on which to have a palace built for himself. The estate which the jeweler chose was many years later to be A group of students in the Maze, 1920-21 purchased for the campus of the directly overlooking the Bosphorus The sultan had chosen as his bride a American College for Girls. and furnishing one of the finest views young Circassian girl of singular beauty of Constantinople.” * but proud, defiant, and unhappy In “The Maze”, shrubs and trees despite the grandeur and the riches were cleverly planted and trimmed There are several versions of the legend of the Palace. One night, the Sultan to resemble the ring that the jeweler connected with the Maze, which has had a fantastic dream; he dreamed of Düz had designed like the Sultan’s lost its original labyrinth appearance a beautifully fashioned ring which he cipher. It has since lost its original and is now used for school-wide was convinced could make his bride appearance and was used for outdoor gatherings and outdoor performances. happy if only he could find a jeweler performances such as the graduation who could visualize the design. The exercises for a long time. One of the more colorful versions is as Sultan had the best jewelers in the follows: land summoned to undertake the task * Mary Mills Patrick, Under Five of making this ring. Finally, when they Sultans, pp. 196-197 70 alumni news
Book by Muallâ Mezhepoğlu ACG 61 Sparks Interest in Family Histories Six years since Muallâ Mezhepoğlu’s mentioned the photos taken by her Dün Takvimde Biter - Bir Cumhuriyet grandmother H. Şahiye Hanım around Ailesinin Tarihçesi (Yesterday Ends on 1890, which place her as one of the a Calendar, The History of a Republic first few Muslim Ottoman women to Family, İş Bankası Yayınları) was take photos. published, the book continues to draw attention due to the many interesting “This book opened many windows details of Istanbul life revealed in it. for me,” says Mezhepoğlu. “Writing family histories is very rare in our Muallâ Mezhepoğlu was aware that culture. If a single book like mine people were interested in the book can reverberate like this, just imagine but she was not expecting it to what various, colorful details can draw attention from different areas come to life if others share their family like TV programs, film producers histories.” She hopes her book and and invitations to share family her experiences will encourage others memorabilia in exhibitions by the to share their families’ stories. Vehbi Koç Vakfı. For example, she Elçin Yahşi RC 79 Discusses Streaming Media in Weekly Newspaper Elçin Yahşi has been appointed to be the publication had primarily set as in charge of the screen and cinema one of its goals to be the newspaper pages of the new independent of streaming platforms, which are an weekly newspaper Oxygen. Launched indispensable part of our lives. in January, Oxygen Weekly is prepared by a team that believes in Elçin Yahşi, the founder of Ekranella weekend journalism, all of whom are - the first television commentary site experienced journalists and have long in Turkey - is responsible for these been away from the current media. pages of the newspaper, which cover the content of popular platforms Aiming to be the voice in print media such as Netflix, BluTV, Digitürk and of the digital world, which resembles Apple TV, in an unprecedented way. a big forest and where people get lost, Alparslan Sukan RC 83 Launches Food e-Commerce Site Alparslan Sukan is a veteran in the Sukan says, “My work on this site culinary business, which he entered allowed me to understand different 38 years ago at Bizim Tepe. His latest health benefits of products.” Sukan’s addition to his successful catering vision is to turn the site into a platform, company is an e-commerce site where small producers can sell their that focuses exclusively on natural, own products. mostly organic, food and drinks: dogalolanhersey.com. Sukan states he would not have been able to do most of what he has done, if There are over 400 products on the he hadn’t obtained the RC philosophy, site, including freshly-made, all natural based on analytical thinking, resilience cakes, quiches, and tarts. Special flour and creativity: “RC infused me with the mixes are also in the works. courage to articulate and act on what I imagined.” alumni news 71
Pekin Bayar Mizrahi Celebrates 75th Year Şefika Pekin (RC Board of Trustees 1995- 2016) and Selin Bayar RC 86 celebrate the 75th year of their law firm this year. Ergin Mizrahi RC L12 04 joined them as a name partner in January 2021 and the firm’s name became Pekin Bayar Mizrahi. Mizrahi had previously worked as a partner on the dispute resolution practice team of the firm. The firm is now being co-managed by Bayar and Mizrahi. Selin Bayar RC 86 Ergin Mizrahi RC L12 04 After graduating from RC, Bayar from the University of Cambridge welcomed Mizrahi’s promotion to studied finance and investments at (First Class). name partnership: “We are confident Babson College and subsequently that, with his experience, energy, received a law degree from the Pekin Bayar Mizrahi is a full-service law eagerness and resolve, Ergin will Université de Genève. Mizrahi holds firm, with core practice areas in M&A, continue to contribute very positively a law degree from Koç University capital markets, banking & finance, to our culture and success”. (valedictorian) and a master’s degree energy and dispute resolution. Bayar Yeşim Özsoy RC 90 Opens Digital Performance Space Despite the detrimental effects of the as Vice President. Tiyatro Kooperatifi pandemic on theaters, Yeşim Özsoy works to enrich the artistic production has been very busy. Her theater group of private theaters in Turkey, to GalataPerform said good-bye to their strengthen them economically, space of 17 years in Galata due to legally, and socially, with the vision the pandemic. They applied to the of rendering them sustainable. The Goethe Institute Covid Relief Fund theater groups represented in the and were chosen over 400 projects cooperative increased from 24 to 64 to launch YeniPerform. YeniPerform is during the pandemic. now live and boasts workshops, plays, production. Finally, Özsoy’s latest and even a bookshop, all available in In addition, a TV series Özsoy wrote play Kum Zambakları ve Mümkün a digital space. Özsoy is also on the was the winner in the NEM TV Writing Dünyalar is being prepared for the Executive Board of Tiyatro Kooperatifi Contest, and talks are in place for 2021-2022 theater season. Emine Noyan RC 93 and Moris Abravaya RC 94 Join Forces in Juno London Emine Noyan worked for international advertising agencies and big brands in Istanbul, until she moved to London in 2016 to found her own small studio. Meanwhile, one of her best friends from RC, Moris Abravaya, had moved to Barcelona in 2013 and started MACS which designs and produces merchandise for various sectors. They merged their expertise in Juno London: “Juno London was founded on the idea that each project deserves a bespoke team because each client’s creative needs are unique. We only have a core team of people and work with a pool of freelancers, pulling in the best people for outstanding results. Juno mostly focuses on branding, web build, digital marketing, advertising, and with MACS’ expertise, merchandise/product and packaging design.” Both Noyan and Abravaya underline that the most important impact of RC, apart from the first-class education, is the great friendships forged there: “RC is like one Moris Abravaya RC 94 and Emine Noyan RC 93 big extended family with members all over the world.” 72 alumni news
Melis Öngün RC 98 Launches Digital Marketing Solutions Company Melis Öngün started her career at the the corporate side for so long, she was communications conglomerate WPP, ready to kick start her own business. spending nine years across NYC and MOU Digital Marketing partners with London. She led the WPP global digital a broad network of specialists to solve advertising business for Microsoft. clients’ digital marketing problems. She established the digital marketing This method ensures that the right team at Avon focusing on digital skillset is matched to the clients’ transformation, launching augmented business needs. reality and multiple digital platforms. Öngün is passionately committed to MOU was established in 2020 when making a difference in the world. She is personal and professional contacts a founding member of MarketingKind approached Öngün for digital and an animal rescue advocate. Learn marketing solutions. Having worked on more @fortheloveofhd
Aslı Südor RC 98 Appointed as Şölen Marketing Director
Aslı Südor has been appointed as marketing director of Şölen, a Turkish snack company. In her role, Südor manages Şölen’s marketing activities for Turkey.
After graduating from Boğaziçi University in mechanical engineering, Aslı Südor started her started her career at P&G in 2004 as assistant brand manager of the Prima brand. She has served in leading marketing roles at Atasun Optik, Koton and Gilan, and for the Joker and Soobe brands. Aslı Südor is married and has one child.
Yasemin Hacıkura RC 00 Owns Blooming Business Five years ago, Yasemin Hacıkura Featuring unique designs that are founded A! Ne Hoş Paper Flowers non-allergenic and environmentally with a fellow architect: “We collected friendly, the business has gone beyond leftover materials from interiorbouquets to garlands, wreaths, cake construction projects and pondered toppers, backdrops, mom-daughter how to upcycle them. In time our hair bands, hair accessories, brooches, focus shifted towards paper, a familiar wedding bouquets. Hacıkura medium with architects. We started credits RC with her sensitivity to with paper flower bouquets in wooden the environment and emphasis on vases, bringing a new approach to gender equality: “We were urged to office and special day gifts. The name take personal responsibility. We were “A! Ne Hoş” just popped in our minds. encouraged as women to aim high and That’s how we want people to react to refuse bias against women, which led our work, by saying “A! Ne Hoş!” me to my entrepreneurial journey.” alumni news 73
Can Kağıtçıbaşı RC 02 Brings Fresh Produce to Your Doorstep Can Kağıtçıbaşı launched Mevsimi, underlines that with the Mevsimi after observing that the food supply system, customers don’t have to think chain is a problem in Turkey, with about what to purchase every week. producers having a hard time making a profit, and consumers paying high Kağıtçıbaşı credits RC with the social prices for fresh fruits and vegetables. responsibility dimension of his Removing middlemen in the chain business: “Entrepreneurship means and improving inefficiencies along the solving problems. Social responsibility way, Mevsimi aims to redesign the is a core value we learn at RC. This way people purchase fresh produce, desire to touch people’s lives has offering high quality seasonal fruits triggered me to concentrate on solving and veggies in standardized boxes what really matters for our society.” that change weekly. Kağıtçıbaşı Oya Nuzumlalı Schooley RC 02 Founds Education Consultancy Oya Nuzumlalı Schooley works as a as often as as often as she should college counselor at an independent have (RC College Counseling Office high school in the US, the Pembroke has since grown with an office of Hill School, and founded the company five college counselors today.) Her Yelkovan Eğitim where she provides hope now is that the students and college counseling to students in families she works with are much Turkey who are interested in applying better informed about the admission to international universities. Harkening process. Oya regularly visits colleges, back to her experience as an RC is fascinated by the changing trends student and later as an undergraduate in admission, reads extensively and at Dartmouth College, she confesses writes about recent developments in that she didn’t know much about US college admissions on her website different types of institutions and yelkovanegitim.com. didn’t seek out her college counselor Ceylan Kolat RC L3 04 Founder of Colorful Lifestyle Brand Illustrator and designer Ceylan Kolat The brand is now in over 20 countries. launched her brand Fonfique in 2015: Fonfique has many functional “It was my dream to build a colorful products such as clutches, keychains, and fun lifestyle brand. I studied organizers, and phone bags. The fashion design and illustration in common thread is the lively prints. Milan. After having enough experience Kolat says they add several new in the field, I launched Fonfique. Miss prints to the collections each season, Fonfique (Fonfik Hanım) was the with some prints being part of the family nickname given to me by my permanent collection. Kolat credits mother when I was born. I decided RC as a source of inspiration: “I to use it as it felt harmonious to the believe being surrounded by the most general style of my prints.” beautiful environment for seven years has made a great impact on my work.” 74 alumni news
Aysu Farbiarz RC 05 Flourishes in the NYC Technology World Aysu recently started working as the Head of Analytics, Customer Operations at Squarespace, a technology company helping individuals build beautiful websites. As a member of the senior leadership team, Aysu is building a data team that will uncover opportunities for the growth of the business. Aysu says that RC taught her the importance of a curious culture that brings out the true potential of individuals. She uses the lessons she learned to build productive and happy teams. (She frequently reminiscences about the magical days of RC.) In her free time, Aysu enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters (Alev Bella, 6 and Asya Stella, 3). She has also developed a serious baking hobby. You can connect with her and also view her cakes at aysufarbiarz.squarespace.com. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, so if you’re in the New York City area, she’d love to hear from you! Pelin Lemons RC 09 Welcomes Baby Pelin and David welcomed their son, Pelin has received her BS and MS in Robin Sinan Lemons on April 30, 2021. Materials Science and Engineering Robin entered the world at the end of from Drexel University, and MBA a stormy night on a sunny morning, from Temple University. Pelin now and he has been his family’s sunshine works as a portfolio manager at DSM ever since. Robin is currently enjoying Biomedical, a biomedical device and snuggles with mom and walks with materials company, and lives with her dad. His favorite pastime activity is family in the Pennsylvania suburbs. cooing followed by tummy time. Burcu Yeşil RC 11 Translates Book on Food Waste Thanks to Burcu Yeşil, David Evans’ across hunger, environment, climate, book Food Waste: Home Consumption, business, household and consumer Material Culture and Everyday Life culture, economics, inequalities.” Yeşil is now available in Turkish as Sıfır is currently working on her second MSc Atık: Tüketim Kültürü ve Gıda İsrafı degree at Humboldt-Universität zu (Yeni İnsan Yayınları). While studying Berlin, on integrated natural resources Political Science and International management, while working part- Relations at Boğaziçi University, Yeşil time at a non-profit research institute attended a panel on “de-growth,” called Climate Analytics, helping and thus began her journey into policy makers and organizations make sustainability issues. She found smart and sustainable decisions for Evans’ book particularly interesting climate adaptation. because “it is cross-cutting the issue Dilşad Sağlam RC 11 Heads to Stanford Law on a Fulbright Dilşad Sağlam got involved with to acquire deeper insights as well technology right from the start of her as first-hand experience on the key career. After receiving her law degree legal challenges in the information from Istanbul Bilgi University, she technology sector.” After several joined the Information Technology years of professional experience, and Communications department of Sağlam applied and got accepted to Baker McKenzie Istanbul. She grew a Stanford Law School with a Fulbright particular interest in the field of law Scholarship for an LLM degree in and technology when she started to Law, Science and Technology: “I advise global technology companies. am incredibly thrilled to start this In February 2020, she joined the new exciting chapter in my career regional legal team of Google, which and looking forward to the new she describes as, “A unique chance opportunities that lie ahead.” alumni news 75
Aysu Farbiarz RC 05 Flourishes in the NYC Technology World Esra Demirhan RC 14 Works as Ecologist for Large Infrastructure Projects Esra Demirhan’s skills and knowledge at each phase. For birds and bats as an ecologist are put to good use the impact can come in the forms in large infrastructure projects such of degraded habitat, disturbance, as airports, highways and energy displacement and collision mortality. power plants, ensuring they meet With the rising demand, it is critical sustainability criteria and comply with to guide wind energy projects towards the highest international standards net positive outcomes for nature. The for protecting biodiversity. Recently consultancy I provide for ‘active turbine her work has focused on wind energy management’ is the first in Turkey and power plants: involves detecting migratory birds at risk of colliding with wind turbines “Sourcing energy from wind could have and shutting the turbines down on adverse impact on the environment if demand, through establishing a the projects are not managed properly protocol for this process.”
Do you have news to share with the RC Community? Send a short write-up along with a photo to [email protected]
faculty & friends news Prolific Writer Adil İzci Recipient of the First Oktay Akbal Literary Award Adil İzci, who taught Turkish literature sons. His final years were dedicated to at RC from 1980-2010, received the this area. This award is precious from very first Oktay Akbal Literary Award this perspective as well.” for his book Canım Ada (My Beloved Island, Oğlak Yayınları). İzci states, İzci also recently published Sabahattin “I have a passion for the islands. Kudret Aksal’a Armağan (A Gift to With my RC students we used to go Sabahattin Kudret Aksal, Ve Yayınları), to Burgaz. I lived in in Heybeliada in Edebi Bahisler (Literary Subjects, 2013-2016. Out of these years this Anima Yayınları), a collection of book was born, and it has 32 island the writings of Dr. Rıfkı Tercanlı, stories. Oktay Akbal wrote in different a children’s book Mine ile Efe’nin genres, but first and foremost among Defteri (The Notebook of Mine and them was the short story. He is widely Efe, İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları), and accepted as the successor of Sait Faik most recently Anılarda Sait Faik (Sait in Turkish literary history. Receiving Faik in Memories, Varlık Yayınları), a this award, therefore, made me very collection of essays on Sait Faik from happy. It strengthened my belief in 42 writers and three poems from Fazıl my own writing. I have also perceived Hüsnü Dağlarca. Akbal as one of Atatürk’s spiritual 76 obituaries
Fatma Gülseren Ülken ACG 46 Fatma Gülseren Ülken, born September compiling his articles on Anatolia 8, 1928, was the daughter of and arts. She edited and published philosopher and sociologist Ord. Prof. Türkiye’de Çağdaş Düşünce Tarihi by Hilmi Ziya Ülken and science teacher Ülken on modern thought throughout Hatice Ülken. She graduated from late Ottoman and Republican eras. Istanbul University’s Department of English Literature in 1950 and received After teaching English at a private her masters’ degree in 1951. She won a college, she married in 1953 and had Fulbright scholarship that same year. three children. She is survived by her Her research papers were published children Tuğrul and Fatma Artunkal in Şadırvan journal in 1949, and in RC 77. She is predeceased by her son Sosyoloji KonferanslarıYıllığı in 1979. Murat Artunkal.
She founded Ülken Yayınevi publishing Contributed by her daughter Fatma house in 1977, editing and publishing Artunkal RC 77 Hilmi Ziya Ülken’s major works and Yıldız Dağdelen ACG 48 Yıldız Dağdelen was born on March Cosi Fan Tutte, and sang many leading 1, 1929. When she passed away on roles in Germany as well as in Ankara March 14, 2020, Ismail Hakki Aksu and Istanbul. She was an outstanding wrote in Milliyet “The Turkish Opera interpreter of German Art Songs. Her sent off her Carmen on her last repertoire ranged from seventeenth journey.” She was my sister, my best century through the contemporary friend and my mentor. period. She performed extensively in Germany, Turkey and throughout Yıldız Dağdelen started her music Europe. She was a retired professor of studies with Alice Rosenthal at Istanbul voice from the Istanbul Conservatory Conservatory of Music, and continued of Music and the State Conservatory at with Prof. Paul Lohmann at Frankfurt/ Mimar Sinan University. Main Hochschule Musik in Germany. She made her opera debut in 1955 at Contributed by Gündüz Dağdelen ACG 56 Theater Lübeck as Dorabella, in Mozart’s İnci Başkurt ACG 48 İnci Başkurt grew up in Nışantaşı İnci Abla was 93 years old when she and graduated from the American passed away; she was survived by her College for Girls in Istanbul in 1948. brother Savcı’s family. She attended the École de Science Politique in Geneva and received her Contributed by Ahmet N. Taşpınar MA from the University of Florida. She RC ENG 56 prepared herself for public service by working at the United Nations in New York. On her return to Turkey she held some key positions in government service as press attaché in Washington and Paris, and as chief of staff to government leaders. She retired from a successful career with Shell Oil and passed away in early April, a few days after her younger brother, Savcı. obituaries 77
İskender Meriçli RC 49 Born in Beyoğlu in 1928, İskender years. He returned to Turkey in 1955 Meriçli passed away in Pittsburgh, for two formative years of military Pennsylvania on December 6, 2020. service, then settled permanently in Called Alex by his wife, Dad by his Pittsburgh, where he helped found an six children, and Poppop by his nine active Turkish American Association. grandchildren, İskender was proud Among many avocations, İskender was to have built a strong family with an avid gardener and numismatist. For the same care and dedication that his devotion, enthusiasm, and above he brought to his long career in civil all his sense of humor, İskender is engineering. After graduating from already greatly missed. As he said RC, İskender completed his MS at the about anything he liked: “Not enough!” University of Michigan before moving to Pittsburgh, where he fell in love with Contributed by his grandson Benjamin Mary Jane McDonald, his wife of 67 Meriçli
Engin Asal RC 52 Engin Asal passed away on June 20, of technology and his social skills 2021, following a bypass operation. enabled him to be a successful He was 88, and the pride of his family businessman and a loyal son to his and friends for his volunteer work alma mater, who kept his classmates and youthful looks. The son of our together by organizing events. Engin beloved teacher, İhsan Asal, He retired will be remembered as a gentleman as CEO of Ergo lnsurance company with a volunteer spirit. He is survived after 50 years as an insurance expert by his wife, Esin and daughters and executive. Engin graduated from Zeynep, Mine, son-in-law Murat the Wharton School of Business in Sarper and granddaughter Elif. Philadelphia and returned to Turkey after working in the insurance sector Contributed by Ahmet Taşpınar RC for two years. He excelled in pursuing ENG 56, Fikret Semin RC ENG 55, Emin interests in winemaking, olive oil Veral RC ENG 54 and Haluk Emiroğlu and photography. His knowledge RC ENG 56 Savcı Başkurt RC ENG 56 Savcı Başkurt entered Robert Academy Istanbul and in Saudi Arabia. He in September 1945. He graduated retired in 2018 to devote his time to from RC Engineering School with a his family and friends. He was admired BS in civil engineering, and from the by his colleagues and respected by University of Michigan with an MS all who knew him for his honesty and in 1958. Following two years with the loyalty to his family, to his friends and Wisconsin State Highway Department to his profession. he returned to Istanbul. While in the US he married his childhood Savcı is survived by his wife Ayla, his sweetheart, Ayla Denker. Savcı passed daughters Gulun and Banu and his away in early April, 2021. grandchildren, Sina, Sinan and Roksan.
Savcı had a successful career in Contributed by Ahmet N. Taşpınar engineering and project management, RC ENG 56 working for various companies in 78 obituaries
Ertan Başar Saner ACG 56 Ertan Başar Saner departed from us on proud to be her children and her March 28, 2021, at the age of 86. The grandson, and we believe she felt our multifaceted education she received great admiration and devotion. She at RC led her to pursue her career at was the light of our family, shining as various international companies such brightly and ‘blond’ as the sun. In the as Pfizer, Caltex and Shell, where she RC Record of 1956, her friends wished worked without pause, and finally at that “her serious face may never lose Kongresist until her late seventies. the happy glistening light of mischief She always remained independent in her eyes”. It remained there until and self-sufficient. As a person of the very last minute. serenity, she accepted and enjoyed life on life’s terms. We had fun; we Contributed by Turgut, Murat, Sevil laughed a lot together. We are very and Can Saner
Tuncer Cebeci RC ENG 58 Tuncer Cebeci entered Robert He also held academic posirions Academy in September 1947. He with California State University in graduated from Robert College Long Beach, and received numerous Engineering School with high honors awards for his work in cutting edge and a BS in electrical and mechanical technology. engineering in 1958, and from North Carolina State University with an PhD Tuncer is survived by his wife Silvia. in …Tuncer passed away in April, 2021. Tuncer had a successful career in Contributed by Mete Soyoğuz RC ENG 58 engineering with Boing, becoming a key manager leading high level research projects in aeronautics. Gülen Ramazanoğlu Soysal ACG 60 Our beloved Gülen passed away on January 29, 2021, mother of Gülin Soysal, Sıdıka Soysal, Tayyibe Soysal, and her granddaughter Selin. She is survived by her husband Erdoğan Soysal.
She was much loved by her friends with her modest and gentle attitude. She will always be remembered by her family and friends as an angel. Being her roommate for years , I will miss her sincere and gentle personality.
Contributed by Ender Panahzat ACG 60 obituaries 79
M. Hamit Fişek RA 60, RC 64 Hamit Fişek passed away on June 29, and 1998-2000. He retired as BU’s 2020. After graduating from Robert first Emeritus Professor in 2008. He College as an electrical engineer, is remembered by family, friends and Hamit went to Stanford University, students alike for his unpretentious where he received his MS and PhD and even-tempered nature, and his in Sociology, accumulating an MS “bıyık altından” sense of humor and in Computer Science along the way. warmth. He is survived by his wife Returning to Turkey, he taught at Güler Okman Fişek ACG 65, daughter Hacettepe and Middle East Technical Emine Fişek Türem RC 99, and son Universities from 1970 to 1977. In 1978, Mehmet Fişek RC 04. he joined the Psychology Department at Boğaziçi University, where he later Contributed by Güler Fişek ACG 65 served as Provost from 1992-1996
Özkan İncesulu ACG 60 Özkan İncesulu passed away on Özkan widened our horizon; through February 25, 2021, in İstanbul. After her and her large family we got to a heart surgery in her last year in know Adana, her hometown, and the prep school she had to stay home in sumptuous style of life in Anatolia. Adana for two years. Following her She is survived by her husband recovery she had to convince her Alaeddin, her sons Aydın and Adıl, a parents to come back to ACG, not an most devoted daughter Nazlı, and easy job! She came back, graduated, four grandchildren. got married and gave birth to three children. She was the symbol of We shall greatly miss our dear friend. determination. We were roommates all along our college years. The lovely, Contributed by Yüksel Rızvani blissful atmosphere of ACG nurtured Kılıçturgay ACG 60 long lasting, uninterrupted friendships for which we all are very grateful. Emel Kınacı Yolaçar ACG 63 We gather as freshmen at Gould Hall with Tomris, Günsel and Emel. She with the new students from various always preferred sitting at the big other schools. Among them, I notice round table with purple velour seats. a new girl with a British accent In her own words, she loved all that from English High School. With her glitters. Now, our angel-faced, angel- politesse, grace, and sensitivity, she hearted friend has gone to join the compels me immediately. Her name other angels. We’ll miss her a lot. We is Emel Kınacı. Emel manifests an send our condolences and wish her exceptional memory and a real gift children Yasemin and Muammer and for languages-even Japanese. Later, her husband Yalçın Yolaçar a lot of she would become the honorary patience. director of the Turkish-Japanese cultural center. I can’t forget the Contributed by Banu Engez Yılmazcan lunches we had at the Büyük Kulüp ACG 63 80 obituaries
Osman Göksu RC YÜK 66 Osman passed away on November 6, memories with Darlings Trips around 2020. An unexpected sudden death, a the world, shows at Bizim Tepe and heart attack. memorable events with friends that gave positive feelings of joy to their In 1966 he received his BA, and the circles. May he rest in peace. following year his MA, both from RC Yüksek. He later went on to be a Contributed by his loving wife Ferihan Trustee of Boğaziçi University. Göksu
Osman was a perfect example of a perfect being with his kind heart, pleasant personality, deep intellect, and concern for his surroundings, his friends and family. With his life partner Ferihan, they shared wonderful
Şükrü Taner RC 78 Dear Şükrü, you were the symbol of within his family) passed away on humanity, peace and friendship with October 25, 2020, due to a heart the expression on your face. We shared attack. We will always remember his a lot of things together with you, Tanju magnificent smile for the rest of our (Akçagüner), Haluk, Turgay, Selim lives. Rest in peace our friend. (Vidin) and İlknur during the years. With your math intelligence, analytical Contributed by Nur Birgen RC 78 way of thinking and calm behavior, you became a successful surgeon. At the same time, you were a good husband and a caring father. I believe that we will meet again somewhere. Our dear friend Şükrü Taner (known as Ahmet
To share news of a deceased RC community member please send a notice in English of no more than 150 words to [email protected] Longer notices will be edited due to space restrictions. Please include a high resolution (minimum 700 x 700 pixels) photo of the deceased.
SUMMER 2021 ISSUE 58
Evin Senin Dünyan RC QUARTERLY SUMMER 2021 ISSUE 58
Dünya Senin Evin
Dünyanın sanat ve tasarımla daha iyi bir yer olacağına inanıyor; sürdürülebilir bir dünya için var gücümüzle çalışıyoruz.
the environmental
KTSM, Kale Grubu tarafından desteklenen, disiplinlerarası paylaşımlara imkan veren üretim ve buluşma noktasıdır. Kale Tasarım ve Sanat Merkezi sustainability issue kaletasarimsanatmerkezi.org / kaletasarimvesanatmerkezi / ktsm_org