As the Director of Graduate Studies, I aim to do everything I can to help our students flourish during their time here at Bilkent and develop the professional skills necessary for a career in philosophy. The door to my office is quite literally always open, so that students can come to see me any time they want help or guidance. I also regularly organize workshop events to discuss such topics as best practices for conference presentations, the ups and downs of getting a piece of work published in a strong journal (as well as tips for success), as well as general time-management and work-life balance. These workshops allow the students, not only to hear advice from myself and other faculty members, but to share their own experiences and advice with one another.
In my capacity as a supervisor, I work carefully with my supervisees to help them develop the skills necessary for independent research – e.g. the ability to craft their own research programs, keep up to date on relevant literature, and make steady progress in their own writing. I also dedicate significant time to helping them craft their submissions to international conferences and journals, as well as applications for external funding and (in the case of MA students) PhD programs.
It’s hard work, but one of the greatest pleasures I get from working at Bilkent is seeing our graduate students thriving and becoming skilled, professional young philosophers.