B.A. Philosophy (Bilkent University, 2022)
1. Hi Gamze! Tell us a little about yourself. What have you been doing since you graduated from Bilkent?
Hello! I graduated from Bilkent in 2022. In my final semester at Bilkent, I worked as an intern researcher at the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK). After graduation, I continued working at TÜBİTAK as an Artificial Intelligence Ethics Researcher.
2. Where are you now, and what are you working on?
I am currently continuing my work on artificial intelligence ethics at TÜBİTAK. At the same time, I serve as an expert on the Turkish Standards Institute Artificial Intelligence Mirror Committee and participate in AI standards efforts led by the European Committee for Standardization/European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization and the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission. In addition, I lead a research team at an NGO (Center for AI and Digital Policy) that publishes an annual Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values Index by studying countries’ AI policies. Since I plan to continue in academia, I’ve recently started applying to graduate programs.
3. Why did you choose to study philosophy at Bilkent?
Bilkent Philosophy stands out among other philosophy departments in Türkiye due to the strength of its faculty and its success in research. When these strengths are combined with the curriculum’s flexibility and variety, it becomes an attractive option not only for those planning an academic career but also for those who intend to transfer the skills gained through a philosophy education into the professional world. In other words, it appeals to people with very diverse interests and expectations, and it doesn’t leave you with only one path after graduation; it allows you to acquire many skills that can lead you into various fields. I can say that this flexibility was the primary factor in my decision to study philosophy at Bilkent because I chose Bilkent Philosophy not as someone intending to pursue an academic career in philosophy, but as someone interested in applying theory to practice and curious about fields like ethics, politics, psychology, and economics. I was open to different post-graduation options, and for the reasons I mentioned, I thought Bilkent Philosophy could prepare me for multiple paths.
Let me explain what I mean more concretely. Philosophy, by its nature, intersects frequently with other disciplines. The curriculum, on one hand, requires you to take courses from different disciplines, allowing you to become familiar with them, and on the other hand, offers a large number of electives so you can learn the methods of other fields you’re interested in. At the same time, by combining elective courses with a minor, it allows you to gain a significant amount of knowledge in another discipline. As a result, it becomes possible to deepen your philosophical understanding with the knowledge you’ve acquired from other disciplines and to transfer the knowledge and skills gained in philosophy to other areas. That’s why I thought my undergraduate education could enable me both to have a solid academic career in philosophy and to succeed in another field. Moreover, the curriculum requires you to complete two internships and to write a thesis in your final year. This provided a good opportunity for me to gauge how well-suited I was for both academia and the professional world, and to make an informed decision.
4. What was it like to study philosophy at Bilkent?
I can say it was both a fun and a challenging experience. During my undergraduate years, the environment encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. In that respect, it contributed significantly to my growth—but of course, growth comes with certain challenges. I can’t say studying at Bilkent is easy, but our department’s professors cared not only about our academic success but also about our personal development and psychological well-being. In that sense, I must say I felt lucky and privileged because I never felt alone when facing difficulties. Having professors you can turn to when you have a problem, who understand you when it’s needed and guide you, is truly valuable, especially in tough times when uncertainties increase… I was continuing my undergraduate studies during the pandemic. During this period, our department’s professors managed to continue education without compromising quality while also treating us with empathy and prioritizing humanistic values.
Also, Bilkent offers an active environment in terms of extracurricular activities. Throughout my undergraduate years, I participated in various clubs and took part in different activities. The events I was personally involved in organizing were the ones I enjoyed the most. I organized the 3rd Bilkent International Undergraduate Philosophy Conference, I served as the president of the Bilkent Philosophical Society, and I was among the founders and on the editorial board of “Prokopton,” Türkiye’s first undergraduate philosophy journal of its kind. What I love most about Bilkent Philosophy is that you can be part of an existing culture and contribute to its continuation, and you can also pioneer new initiatives. Bilkent Philosophy brings together people who can create value together, and because it has professors who support you throughout this process, it provides an encouraging environment for you to accomplish these things. To illustrate, I can say that I was able to achieve much of what I mentioned thanks to Professor Tufan Kıymaz, even though I never actually took a class with him, which I think highlights how supportive the professors are. In short, studying philosophy at Bilkent was a fun and enriching experience for me because I could find intellectually nourishing environments and, with the support of our professors, help create such spaces alongside my friends.
5. How has your undergraduate philosophy education influenced your academic career or professional life?
Artificial intelligence ethics is an interdisciplinary field; it draws from many disciplines such as engineering, law, politics, sociology, psychology, and philosophy. It requires you to work with people from different fields, to have knowledge of these disciplines, to synthesize that knowledge and conduct analyses that consider various factors, to question assumptions, and to identify potential outcomes and relationships in a constantly evolving, dynamic environment. A philosophy education provides the skills necessary to achieve most of these things. Probably, the biggest benefits my undergraduate education has given me in my professional life are the abilities to think critically and to learn new subjects easily, even if they are from different disciplines. Throughout my undergraduate studies, I frequently practiced understanding complex ideas, conveying and discussing them with others, giving presentations, and academic writing, which are skills I need to use often.