High school students competed with the projects they developed at the 11th Science and Idea Festival, organized by Üsküdar University in cooperation with the Provincial Directorates of National Education of Istanbul, Bursa, Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Yalova.
In the organization, which holds the distinction of being Turkey's first science and idea festival, approximately 3 thousand students from 188 schools participated this year with 750 scientific projects prepared as teams. The festival was held at the Ibn-i Sina Auditorium of the Üsküdar University NP Health Campus.
Within the scope of the festival organized with the motto “Invent for Us”, students presented their projects prepared in the Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences categories to the jury members. The projects underwent a two-stage evaluation process involving 185 expert academics in their fields and 15 teachers appointed by the Provincial Directorates of National Education.
At the award ceremony, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Assoc. Prof. Safa Koçoğlu Gürsoy, Istanbul Deputy Governor Hasan Gözen, President of Üsküdar University and Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Üsküdar University Vice Rector, BFF Coordinator Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel, and Asaf Emir Özdemir, the student who won first place in the Science and Technology category last year, each gave a speech. Ümraniye District Governor Yüksel Çelik also attended the ceremony.
Assoc. Prof. Safa Koçoğlu Gürsoy: “When young people are given opportunities, they achieve significant successes”
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Assoc. Prof. Safa Koçoğlu Gürsoy stated that projects supporting young people's thinking, production, and problem-solving skills are of great importance for Turkey's future, and that young people achieve significant successes when given opportunities.
Koçoğlu stated that they find it very valuable that the Science and Idea Festival, organized by Üsküdar University, has been successfully sustained for many years, saying, “Starting something is not easy, and sustaining it is even harder. Being together at the 11th edition of the festival today is truly very meaningful.”
Koçoğlu noted that the festival brings together youth, teachers, and academics from different cities in a shared excitement, saying, “It is very valuable that students and teachers from different cities, from Istanbul to Bursa, Kocaeli to Sakarya, and Yalova, are part of this excitement.”
“Our youth want to produce, think, and contribute”
Minister Koçoğlu, emphasizing that the projects featured in the festival are not just technical works, said that young people also develop a sense of hope, ideas, and responsibility.
“Our youth want to produce, think, and contribute. As long as opportunities are given to young people, they are trusted, and resources are provided,” said Koçoğlu, drawing attention to the importance of transforming knowledge for the benefit of humanity.
Koçoğlu said, “Not only projects are being prepared here. At the same time, ideas, hope, and responsibility for the future are being generated. Young people see a problem and present studies focused on its solution.”
Koçoğlu, who also touched upon Youth Week in his speech, stated that they visited Anıtkabir in the morning with the Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak. Koçoğlu used the expressions, “In the presence of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, we once again remembered our responsibility for the future of this country, which was entrusted to the youth.”
Koçoğlu, recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s words, “The Century of Turkey will be the century of youth,” said that as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, they support not only the academic but also the social and productive aspects of young people.
“We are also trying to strengthen our youth's capacities to contribute to society”
Koçoğlu said, “We are striving to strengthen not only the academic success of our youth; but also their capacities for generating ideas, solving problems, developing projects, and contributing to society.”
Koçoğlu, who also touched upon the Ministry's work for young people, explained that comprehensive support is provided to young people through youth centers, DENEYAP workshops, youth offices, volunteering activities, and youth camps within the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Koçoğlu, also drawing attention to the ÜNİDES program which supports projects of university student communities, used the expressions, “Our youth centers, sports facilities, and youth camps exist for you. We want the number of young people benefiting from these opportunities to increase further in the coming years.”
Deputy Governor Gözen: “Project-based learning culture will shape Turkey's future”
Istanbul Deputy Governor Hasan Gözen stated that guiding young people towards science and idea production is of great importance for social development, and that a project-based learning culture will shape Turkey's future.
Gözen, who began his speech by conveying the greetings of Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, stated that it is very valuable for the Science and Idea Festival to bring university and high school students together on the same platform. Gözen said, “Today we are together at a very beautiful event here. The coexistence of science and idea festival is quite meaningful. In addition to this, the meeting of university and high school students in the same project is also a very important achievement.”
Gözen, noting that many social problems experienced in Turkey stem from the inability to offer a strong ideal to young people, explained that as the Istanbul Governorship, they carry out projects that guide young people towards scientific, cultural, and social activities.
It is important for young people to direct their free time towards productive areas
Gözen, drawing attention to the importance of young people directing their free time towards productive areas, said, “We want to guide our youth towards an ideal and turn them into individuals who don't have free time. Because people whose free time remains uncontrolled can, over time, be drawn into different activities that could harm society.”
Gözen, stating that artificial intelligence and digitalization can provide great benefits when used correctly, but also pose risks, said, “While artificial intelligence and digitalization can be used for very beneficial purposes in a university environment, measures must also be taken to prevent their harmful consequences.”
Gözen, stating that artificial intelligence now plays an active role in combating crime and criminals, drew attention to the digital tracking systems used by the Istanbul Police Department. Gözen used the expressions, “Artificial intelligence has now reached a level where it can track crime and criminals. Thanks to the program named ‘Avcı’ (Hunter) used by the Istanbul Police, detections can be made on many issues, from crimes committed in the virtual environment to drug use and addiction.”
Gözen, also emphasizing that scientific development should be supported by spiritual values, used the expressions, “If we can add remembrance (dhikr) and gratitude (shukr) alongside science and ideas, we can walk towards the future with much firmer steps.”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “At the core of the festival lies a brain-based education approach”
President of Üsküdar University and Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Nevzat Tarhan narrated the emergence story of the Science and Idea Festival, stating that the idea of the festival was born from the quest to make science production enjoyable and lasting for young people.
Prof. Tarhan, stating that a “brain-based education” approach lies at the core of the festival, said, “Neurobiological studies on how the human brain learns show this: if a person both enjoys a subject and works disciplined, the information is permanently stored as a chemical record in the brain.”
“We continue to sustain the Science and Idea Festival with the same enthusiasm”
Prof. Tarhan, stating that they considered how to make science production attractive to young people, said, “We researched the literature on how to make science production and idea development enjoyable for students. There was no study in Turkey that brought together the concepts of science and festival. Globally, we only saw a similar example at the University of Utah in the USA. Upon this, we said, ‘Let's organize a Science and Idea Festival.’ We made the decision in 2013 and held the first one in 2014.”
Prof. Tarhan said, “Muammer Bey, the Provincial Director of National Education at that time, seeing students participating in projects with great enthusiasm, said that this could be done nationwide in Turkey. It was written to the Ministry. After that, a bigger development than we expected occurred, and Teknofest began. Teknofest also created great excitement by synthesizing science and festival. We also continue to sustain the Science and Idea Festival with the same enthusiasm.”
“Artificial intelligence is transforming not only professions but also human behavior and social structure”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that artificial intelligence is transforming not only professions but also human behavior and social structure, adding that the most important factor that will make a difference in the future will be “strong character.” Prof. Tarhan, noting that technological transformations have changed humanity throughout history, said, “The printing press transformed humanity, electricity transformed it, and now artificial intelligence is transforming it.”
Prof. Tarhan, explaining that the development process of artificial intelligence emerged through the persistent efforts of scientists, stated that artificial intelligence is rapidly changing life. Prof. Tarhan, emphasizing that character has become more important in the age of technology, used the expressions, “Last week, I came across a post by Elon Musk. He said, ‘Intelligence has become very cheap, character has become very expensive.’ It’s truly a very accurate statement. In the coming period, some professions will transform, but humanity will also transform. Artificial intelligence will very quickly distinguish between people with strong character and those without.”
“We are talking about concepts such as digital dementia, digital autism”
Prof. Tarhan, drawing attention to the fact that intense screen exposure can create serious psychological effects on young people, said, “We are talking about concepts such as digital dementia, digital autism. Artificial intelligence has now created a new realm of reality that alters the boundaries of truth and identity.”
Prof. Tarhan, drawing attention to the fact that the speed and convenience offered by artificial intelligence can lead to serious risks if not used correctly, said, “Artificial intelligence can disrupt the perception of reality in some young people. For this reason, maintaining character in the age of artificial intelligence has become the most important issue for every young person today. In the past, wisdom was associated with older ages. Now, it is necessary to strive to be wise at a young age.”
Prof. Tarhan, expressing that he was impressed by the projects exhibited within the scope of the festival, stated that the works presented by the students have the potential for patents, utility models, and academic articles. Prof. Tarhan said, “This year's projects truly surprised us. There are very strong works. In many projects, I saw the potential for patentability, utility models, or transformation into academic articles. Science is a journey. You have also embarked on this journey. Continue with the same enthusiasm. Opportunities you never expected will open up before you.”
Prof. Ergüzel: “The aim is to create an ecosystem for young people who have a passion for project development”
Üsküdar University Vice Rector, BFF Coordinator Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel emphasized that the festival aims to create an ecosystem that supports young people's passion for project development. Prof. Ergüzel said, “The purpose of our Science and Idea Festival is to find many Asaf Emirs among us and to create an ecosystem for young people who have a passion for learning and project development in health, engineering, and social sciences, and who need support.”
Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel drew attention to the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs” report, stating that approximately 63% of existing professions are expected to transform by 2030.
Ergüzel, stating that different competencies will come to the forefront alongside technical knowledge in the future business world, said, “By 2030, in transforming professions, skills such as teamwork, creative thinking, positioning technology, converting ideas into feasible solutions, and systematically addressing and projecting problems will come to the forefront.”
Ergüzel, emphasizing that one of the main goals of the Science and Idea Festival is to enable young people to effectively use their time, skills, learning capacity, and available resources, stated that the festival aims to disseminate the project development culture.
The touching MS story from a young inventor
Asaf Emir Özdemir, a student of Atatürk Science High School and the first-place winner in the Science and Technology category last year, who spoke at the 11th Science and Idea Festival organized by Üsküdar University, explained in his opening speech that they contributed to the early detection of MS disease in a child with the artificial intelligence project they developed.
Özdemir, stating that Üsküdar University supported them during the international patent process of the project, said, “I thank Üsküdar University and all faculty members for providing us unlimited support for the international patenting of our project as a result of the award we received last year.”
Özdemir, stating that the artificial intelligence they developed is aimed at detecting neurological and orthopedic diseases, said, “Approximately a year and a half ago, we developed an artificial intelligence. This artificial intelligence could detect neurological and orthopedic diseases. To understand if the artificial intelligence was working, we created an experiment with two control groups consisting of healthy and unhealthy people.”
Özdemir, relaying that during the experiment, the artificial intelligence indicated MS disease in a 7-year-old child, said, “In a 7-year-old child whom we had defined as healthy, the artificial intelligence had diagnosed MS disease. At first, we thought this was an error of the artificial intelligence. But just in case, we informed the child's parents. Later, it turned out that this child indeed had MS disease.”
Özdemir, stating that the thank you message he received yesterday from the child's mother deeply affected him, shared the message with the audience. Özdemir used the expressions; “It’s a good thing we took you seriously instead of dismissing you then. The doctors said the disease has been largely overcome. No amount of thanks to you is enough, because you can never understand a mother's reunion with her child.”
Özdemir, calling on young people to do projects, said, “If you want to bring society to a better level of welfare, touch people’s hearts, and produce solutions to problems, I recommend only one thing: Do projects, do projects, do projects.”
Awards…
Projects competed in three categories at the Üsküdar University 11th Science and Idea Festival: Health Sciences, Social Sciences, and Science and Technology. The projects that ranked in the festival were awarded. A total of 600,000 TL in awards was given to the projects that ranked within the scope of the 11th Science and Idea Festival, to which students from 188 schools across Istanbul, Bursa, Kocaeli, and Yalova applied with 750 projects as teams. Of this, 400,000 TL was allocated to students, and 200,000 TL to mentor teachers. For the top 3 projects in each category, “Patent support” will be provided by Üsküdar University.
Among the students who ranked in the top 3 in each category separately, for those who list Üsküdar University's paid, 25% and 50% discounted programs in their first five preferences and are placed in one of these preferences, their discount rate is increased to 75%.
Winners in the Science and Technology category…
In the Science and Technology category, Istanbul Atatürk Science High School students came first with the project BİYO-MİHA; TÜBİTAK Science High School students came second with the project “Seed Coating in Drought Conditions with Biomass-Based Kaolin and Carbon Quantum Dot Doped Biopolymer Hydrogel”; and Istanbul Atatürk Science High School students received the third-place award with the project “FROSTGUARD - Bio-based and Mobile Artificial Intelligence Supported Smart Cold Chain Alert Label”.
Projects that ranked in the Health Sciences category…
In the Health Sciences category, Istanbul Fuat Sezgin Science and Art Center students came first with their project “Design and In Vitro Evaluation of Controlled Release GelMA-NCQDs Based Microneedle Wound Dressing Scaffold”; Validebağ Science High School students came second with their project titled “Patient Health Trajectory Prediction with Multi-Modal Deep Learning”; and Istanbul Atatürk Science High School received the third-place award with their project titled “In Silico Simulation of Cortical Spreading Depression (CSD) and Synthetic EEG Signal Generation”.
They ranked in the Social Sciences category
In the Social Sciences category, Halil Rıfat Paşa Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School students' project “What’s Behind the Screen? AI-Supported Cyberbullying Awareness and Guidance Model” came first. TÜBİTAK Science High School students came second with their project “The Unifying Power of Being Together: Prosocial Harmony”, and 75th Year Republic Commercial Vocational High School and Technical Anatolian High School students came third with their project “My Finance Guide: The Effect of AI-Supported Mobile Application on High School Students’ Financial Literacy Levels”.
Sustainable Project Award
On the other hand, projects ranked between 6th and 10th across all categories received the “Good Idea, Original Method, Sustainable Project” award. All participating students received a certificate of participation, and all participating schools received a plaque or a certificate of appreciation.
The ceremony, broadcast live on Üsküdar University Television (ÜÜ TV) and Üsküdar University's official Youtube account, ended with participants taking a souvenir photo together.
