I initially joined UNAM and the Contemporary Fiber Lab (CFL) as an intern in 2020 when I was in the last year of my undergraduate studies in the Mechanical Engineering department of Bilkent University. The outstanding academic standing and the rigorous novel research in various fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology made me to pursue my Masters studies in this renowned Turkish research institute. The current ongoing novel research at UNAM on Fibers, especially in area of photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) which have massive applications in fields of telecommunications and medical diagnosis etc. made me chose CFL to work in this area and contribute to the development of this field. The latest available research infrastructure, highly qualified team of supervisors, and well-designed set of curriculum courses have always helped me a lot to carry out this research work with full zeal and zest. The hospitable and beautiful Turkish culture with its attractive touristic beauty and delicious food have always made me to stay and study in this country as long as one can be.
Asfandyar Khan, M.Sc. student from Pakistan
Fotonik ve fiberler, bu konuda araştırma yapan herkese en başta karmaşık, hatta korkutucu gelecektir. Ben de bu sebepten bu konu ile ilgili çalışmayı hiç düşünmezken; pandeminin en sıkıcı ve bunaltıcı günlerinde karşıma tesadüfen çıkan bir fırsat sayesinde UNAM ve CFL ile tanıştım. Mustafa Hocamın destekleyici ve kesinlikle limit koymadan doğru yola sokan tavrı sayesinde; kısa sürede kendimi bu alanda daha rahat ve özgüvenli hissettim. Laboratuvarımızdaki diğer üyelerin de paylaşımı ve sempatisi ile sadece ana projelerim olan kompozitler ve aydınlatıcı fiberler konusunda değil; teşhis teknolojileri, giyilebilir elektronik gibi birçok alanda da teorik ve pratik bilgi sahibi oldum; hatta zamanla kariyerime de bu alanda devam etmeyi düşünür oldum. Kısa sürede yaşadığım bu dönüşümden de anlayabileceğiniz üzere UNAM ve özellikle CFL her şeyden önce insana umut ve özgüven aşılayan bir yer!
Türkiye’de de bu kadar kapsamlı araştırmalar yürütülebildiğini tahmin dahi edemezken, burada herkesin nasıl adanmışlıkla çalışıp ciddi başarılara imza attığını görmek, beni gerçekten çok şaşırttı, aynı zamanda da umutlandırdı. Siz kendinize bu alanda bir şeyler katmak isteyin, UNAM size destek verecektir.
Alper Furkan Koçak, long-term intern from Turkey
I have completed my BS in Textile Engineering from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Bangladesh. Undergraduate training in Textile Engineering introduced me to many fields. However, Fiber, Polymer, Nanotechnology and Composite intrigued me most. Contemporary Fiber Laboratory at Bilkent University UNAM has provided me the opportunity to work in this area. When I got the opportunity to work here, I chose this decision without any hesitation. Here, in the CFL, I am currently working on improving the mechanical property of glass fiber composite through Nanoparticle doping. Within a short period, I have learned equipment like SEM, NanoSEM, Optical Microscope, Zeta Sizer, Micromechanical Tester, etc. To be honest, like most Bangladeshi people, when I was preparing for my graduate study, I was not aware of such a world-class research institution in Turkey. Just after finishing standardized exams, one of my friends introduced me to the Bilkent University-UNAM. I went through the website of UNAM to learn more about the remarkable faculties and their research field. I was highly amazed by their research work and the output of the graduate of this institute. This made apply to in Bilkent University UNAM, and when they accepted me, I grabbed this opportunity to work in CFL.
Life at Bilkent University Turkey is hassle-free. For instance, we can live inside the campus in the dormitory at an affordable price, and the office is usually 5/10 min walking distance from the dormitory. Moreover, the cafeteria is not far from the workplace, and the students can have their meal for half of their usual price. One of the best things about this institution apart from the research is that the amazing faculties of UNAM allow you to maintain a work-life balance, i.e., we have weekly football matches in CFL, and some of the other faculties also join in the match. Besides world-class research work, we always have the opportunity to take time off visit the historical places in Turkey and enjoy the delicious Turkish cuisine.
In the coming days, I look forward to learning more things in CFL and visiting more places in Turkey to know their culture and cuisine.
Md. Kawsar Ahmed, M.Sc. student from Bangladesh
After completing my master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Middle East Technical University, I joined UNAM and the Contemporary Fiber Lab (CFL) as a Ph.D. student in fall 2021. Because of my strong interest in learning and comprehending material science and nanotechnology, I worked hard during my master’s degree to learn as much as I could about this topic. During my master’s program, I became acquainted with UNAM and the tremendous effort this famous institute expends to enhance and publish novel research in numerous nanotechnology sectors. Furthermore, UNAM provides an excellent research environment for students, with various rich laboratories specializing in diverse subjects. All of these factors combine to make UNAM a promising and successful institute in nanotechnology and materials science. CFL is one of these laboratories, and it concentrates on contemporary fibers and their optical and mechanical characteristics, which appealed to me.
Learning new things is always intriguing and appealing to me. CFL, under the supervision of Dr. Mustafa Ordu, not only provides an excellent setting for students to learn and explore new things, but it also has a friendly atmosphere that pushes students to work hard. As a young and newly founded laboratory, CFL can serve as an excellent starting point for anyone interested in conducting research in a developed and welcoming atmosphere. CFL is growing, and we are growing alongside it.
Ali Bagheri Behboud, Ph.D. student from Iran