Alumni Success Stories

I entered the Psychology Department in 2010, a field that I had dreamed of and worked hard for since my childhood. It was important for me to receive a high-quality education both in terms of theory and practical application, to develop myself in the best possible way, and to contribute to my language skills. After graduating in 2015, I realized how accurate my decision was in terms of vision and educational quality. The fact that the education was 100% in English and that my university also contributed to my second foreign language proficiency was very valuable. I believe that I have made great progress in developing myself by applying the theoretical knowledge I learned at university into practice. In 2016, I completed my master's degree in Family Education and Counseling as the second top-ranking student in my department at Dokuz Eylül University. Later on, I improved myself by completing Pedagogical Training to obtain a teaching certificate. The courses I took at my university and the contributions they made to me, as well as the individual impact of all the valuable professors who supported us, were a great privilege for me. Immediately after graduation, I had the chance to start my professional career and worked as a psychologist at a private school. Later on, I continued to develop myself as an assistant alongside a mentor whom I highly valued. Thanks to the internship and job opportunities provided by my university, I had the chance to develop myself with different experiences in various fields of my profession. When I was in university, the longing for the professional life always seemed like indulgence and exaggeration to me. I am very happy to currently work as a Specialist Psychologist and guidance counselor at a private school, where I integrate all that I have learned with a love for children. Throughout my time at Izmir University of Economics, I gathered beautiful memories, formed meaningful friendships, got to know many esteemed professors who were not only mentors but also friends, enhanced my work and vision, matured in every aspect, and it has become an unforgettable place that fills my eyes with longing whenever I look back on it or visit it. It is a cherished home that I say "thank goodness" for.

I took my first step towards the psychology department, which I had wanted to study since middle school, at Izmir University of Economics, my third choice, in 2008. After a successful five years of education, I graduated as an Honors Student from Izmir University of Economics in 2013 with a full scholarship. On the first day I entered the school's gates, I thought to myself, "What am I doing here?" Because I had always looked at private schools with a different perspective, and until the last day of preference, I had never even considered studying at a private school. It was my guidance counselor who introduced me to Izmir University of Economics. When I entered through that door, I couldn't predict how much my life, perspective, and horizons would change and develop. Izmir University of Economics offered me a university life that was both very different and more than what I had imagined. The English language of instruction was like a gift bestowed upon me, considering the research in the field of psychology. Because most of the studies were conducted in English, and if I had studied at another university with Turkish as the language of instruction, I could have lost a lot of time in my career. I realized in the first introductory psychology class that my knowledge about the Psychology Department was very limited. The university provided me with the opportunity to develop my knowledge through its professors, psychology laboratory, psychology experiments, and applications it allowed us to conduct, in other words, the opportunity to become a "Good Psychologist." I was able to put into practice the knowledge I acquired at the university immediately after graduation. All the knowledge and experiences I gained at Izmir University of Economics seemed normal to me. However, when I saw the reactions of people who heard about the knowledge and experiences I obtained, I realized that they were all privileges. The place where I currently work is a place where I said while I was studying, "I can work in such a place within five or six years," and I reached this place within two years thanks to the education I received at Izmir University of Economics. I am very grateful to Izmir University of Economics and my professors for enabling me to reach this point. I now understand better that I made a good and right choice. To fulfill your dreams, to be different from others, and most importantly, to discover yourself, all you need to do is to choose Izmir University of Economics!

Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Psychology graduate Selin Ersoy is conducting research on the adorable inhabitants of the Kalahari Desert called meerkats, located thousands of kilometers away from Izmir. Serving as the first and only Turkish female scientist at the research station situated in the Kuruman Riverbed of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, Ersoy sets out every day at 5:30 am with her research equipment to search for the meerkats she will be studying. Ersoy stated that during her education at the IEU Psychology Department, she had always dreamed of studying animal behavior, and now in the Kalahari Desert, she measures the biological and behavioral aspects of meerkats within a 20-kilometer research area.

Ersoy mentioned that her research on meerkats started when she participated in the Erasmus exchange program and went to the United Kingdom. She said, "In the UK, I met Professor Tim Clutton-Brock, a behavioral ecologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Cambridge. Dr. Clutton-Brock established a research station in the Kalahari Desert in the Republic of South Africa in 1993 to study ecological and evolutionary determinants of reproductive systems and social behavior in meerkats (Suricata suricata). The research station includes scientists from various countries, mainly from the UK and the US. When my project proposal to join the research group was accepted, I started my assignment at the Kalahari research station after graduating in 2013."

First and Only Researcher from Turkey

Selin Ersoy focuses on topics such as the meerkats' unique behavior of "sentry/guard duty," "collective offspring care," and "the reproductive privilege of dominant males and females." She investigates the relationship between personality factors in meerkats and their reproductive and defense behaviors. Ersoy mentioned that scientific studies have been conducted at the research center in the Kalahari for approximately twenty years, and no researcher from Turkey had been there before. She also emphasized that her time at the center is filled with activities, stating:

"The nearest settlement to the research station is a 6-hour drive away. There are around 25-30 people at the station. For me, the day starts with the morning shift, and I head out to the field at around 5:30 am. Currently, my task is to locate the meerkat groups one by one, which are spread over an area of approximately 20 square kilometers. When they see me, they surround me. These are the moments when I feel the safest. In a way, I am protected from dangers like scorpions and snakes when they are around. Meerkats feed on these animals.

An Eventful Life in the Desert

Ersoy explained that she weighs the meerkats in the morning, checks the reproductive status of the females, and conducts behavioral observations during the evening shift. She mentioned that after the work is done, the researchers spend their time playing football in the dusty area illuminated by the headlights of the pickup truck. Ersoy stated that she will complete her research in the Kalahari within one year and then aims to continue similar studies in the future

Meaningful Support for a Brave Scientist

Ersoy explained that she received significant support from her community, saying, "The excitement of being the first Turkish scientist in this research in the Kalahari Desert, combined with the pride of having the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. at a prestigious university like Cambridge, made it easier for my family to embrace this idea. My friends and the faculty members at the Izmir Ekonomi University Psychology Department have always been supportive. I received both the academic and personal support I needed from our Department Chair, Prof. Dr. Hakan Çetinkaya. In short, everyone around me has shared in my excitement and provided me with meaningful support."

2011, I graduated with high honors from the Psychology Department at Izmir University of Economics. The opportunities provided by my department, including working as an assistant in the IEU Psychology Laboratory and assisting influential academics in their courses, prepared me well for post-graduation life. Immediately after graduation, I was accepted into the Cognitive Science master's program at Middle East Technical University, where I graduated in 2013. Through a full scholarship, I had the chance to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. After receiving my doctoral degree in 2017, I continued my postdoctoral research at the same university. Since 2018, I have been working as the Science and Technology Director responsible for Cognitive/Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience at Unilever UK & Ireland. I firmly believe that the strong theoretical and practical education, extracurricular activities, and support from the faculty at Izmir University of Economics played an undeniable role in my acceptance to master's and doctoral programs, as well as in my current professional career.