With the support of Üsküdar University's Department of Health, Culture, and Sports, the STEM Club organized the 'STEM Congress' as part of the ÜNİDES program affiliated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The two-day congress, attended by expert academicians, industry professionals, and young entrepreneurs, covered various fields from artificial intelligence to athlete genetics, cybersecurity to biotechnology. The opening keynote, titled “PSYCHOLOGY 5.0 – Human and AI Algorithms,” was delivered by Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, who emphasized that individual intelligence has been replaced by collective intelligence. Highlighting the transformation of matter into information, Tarhan stated, “The Phoenix is the bird of knowledge. It is a powerful literary symbol representing the transformation of knowledge. The Phoenix of this era is artificial intelligence.”
The opening keynote speech of the congress, held at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall on Üsküdar University’s Main Campus, was delivered by Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, President of Üsküdar University. Asst. Prof. Mehmet Kaan İldiz from the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Software Engineering (English), and Merve Sena Çınar, Co-Founder and President of the STEM Projects Club, also gave opening speeches.
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “Individual intelligence has been replaced by collective intelligence”
Emphasizing the prominence of collective intelligence in the 21st century, Tarhan stated that young people aiming to capture the future should become talent scouts. “There are numerous talents out there. Discovering these talents, paving the way for them, and directing state projects accordingly is one of the areas we feel most responsible for. A study conducted in the USA revealed that 70% of young people want to start their own business. Especially Generation Z and the new generation want to undertake their own projects in management. However, only 5% of this 70% succeed. To be successful, they need to be part of an ecosystem. If they remain outside this ecosystem, their efforts quickly fade away. Therefore, establishing a research and development ecosystem is essential as it requires significant support and a strong network. In the past century, individual geniuses like Edison were the stars of the era. Now, in the 21st century, collective intelligence is at the forefront. Individual intelligence has been replaced by collective intelligence. Thus, those who work in teams and produce together will be successful in this era,” he said.
Tarhan: “Without mental transformation, social transformation does not occur”
Providing examples from Silicon Valley, Tarhan noted that without mental transformation, social transformation cannot occur. “Mental transformation is a critical issue. For instance, we often talk about Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley is a mindset, not just a physical location. People working with that mindset can achieve the same success without being there. Therefore, Silicon Valley represents a way of thinking, an understanding. Innovation also begins with mental change. If you want to innovate somewhere, changing machines is easy, but changing people's mindsets and prejudices is more challenging,” he explained.
“Artificial intelligence did not emerge by chance”
Tarhan emphasized that artificial intelligence is the result of long-term accumulation. “Artificial intelligence will have an impact on human history similar to that of the printing press. Last year, we referred to this as Psychology 5.0. Last year, the physics award was given to two individuals: one a geneticist, the other a cognitive psychologist. There were objections within the physics community, but the justification was solid. The geneticist works on genetic algorithms, while the cognitive psychologist from the University of Toronto focuses on artificial neural networks. One deals with biologically-based computations, the other with cognitive models treating the mind like a computer. These two fields form the foundation of artificial intelligence. What they introduced is fuzzy logic, that is, the computation of fuzzy logic. In Newtonian physics, everything was black or white, operating with classical logic. Now we've moved beyond classical physics. Artificial intelligence did not emerge by chance; it is the culmination of all these studies. The current state of artificial intelligence is the product of this long-term scientific accumulation,” he said.
“We must define the meaning and purpose of life ourselves”
Tarhan stated that artificial intelligence should be used as a tool. “Another area where artificial intelligence algorithms can be applied is psychotherapy. Currently, some software has emerged where individuals type their problems on a screen, and artificial intelligence responds. This has caused some psychologists to worry, wondering if they will become obsolete. Artificial intelligence can synthesize existing information, but its accuracy is not always guaranteed. Therefore, we should not blindly trust artificial intelligence and shape our lives accordingly. We will use artificial intelligence as a tool. We will determine the goal. Artificial intelligence can only accelerate us on this path. We must define the meaning and purpose of life ourselves. Because humans are greater than artificial intelligence. Yes, the human body consists of elements like oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, but what makes a human is far beyond these. When a person dies, not a gram is lost from the body, but life departs. Therefore, viewing humans merely as mechanical or robotic beings is a significant mistake,” he expressed.
“The phoenix of this era is artificial intelligence”
Emphasizing the transformation of matter into information, Tarhan stated: “We know the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Now, a new state has been discovered, which is the information state of matter. Everything begins with information. Then comes mathematics; everything has a calculation, computability. This is where artificial intelligence comes into play. It emerged because it is computable. Then comes design; everything is designed. After design, energy, or physics, comes into play. The fourth step is chemistry. The fifth step is again chemistry, but now matter forms. The sixth step is biology, and life begins. Thus, we can consider existence in the universe in six scientific layers. At the very beginning is information. Accessing information is therefore crucial. This concept also exists in mythologies. In Iranian mythology, there is the Simurgh bird. In Turkish mythology, it is called Zümrüdüanka or Tuğrul (phoenix). This bird is the bird of knowledge. It is a powerful literary symbol representing the transformation of knowledge. We also use this Phoenix metaphor in psychology and therapy. Because even if a person experiences an event and is devastated, they can rise again from their ashes. Knowledge does not disappear. No matter how many storms occur, knowledge revives. The Phoenix of this era is artificial intelligence. Computers, artificial intelligence... They find knowledge, make mistakes, then find it again. They make mistakes again and find it again. This cycle continues. We should view artificial intelligence from this perspective. We should see it as a tool to develop ourselves and achieve our goals,” he concluded.
Asst. Prof. Mehmet Kaan İldiz: “I firmly believe they will continue on their path with determination”
Asst. Prof. Mehmet Kaan İldiz from the Department of Software Engineering (English) at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Üsküdar University, delivered the opening speech of the program. İldiz stated: “When the STEM Club first approached me, I saw a parallel with my own areas of interest. They all came from different fields and wanted to establish an interdisciplinary domain from various working groups. The projects they developed and the activities they conducted required a discussion environment where different areas of expertise and students could share their views. This was an exciting aspect for both my career and my students' careers. By participating in projects, Teknofest, and our professors' research, I have full confidence that they will continue their work with the same determination, belief, and self-confidence, addressing their shortcomings and improving themselves along the way.”
Merve Sena Çınar: “STEM is a community that builds the future”
Merve Sena Çınar, Co-Founder and President of the STEM Projects Club, spoke at the opening of the organized event. Çınar said: “I would like to thank our management and supervisory members, project directors, and project members who worked tirelessly day and night to make this congress happen. I also sincerely thank our stakeholders who did not withhold their support in realizing this valuable organization. The sponsorship support provided under the ÜNİDES program affiliated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports greatly contributed to our congress reaching wider audiences. I extend special thanks to the Üsküdar Kırkambar Art Center, which will host our marbling workshop activities, our esteemed academic professors who always support us, and our President Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, who supported us here today not only in the opening speech but throughout. STEM is a community where science, technology, engineering, and mathematics come together to build the future. We are not only talking about this approach but also striving to produce, share, and grow.”
Presentations on the First Day of the Congress
On the first day of the congress, the following presentations were made:
Asst. Prof. Vedat Kamer, Co-Founder of Mono Bilişim and faculty member at Istanbul University: “Philosophy of Free Software”, Tansel Akgül, CTO of ArVis Technology: “Quantum Computing Methods in Artificial Intelligence”, Cybersecurity Expert Süleyman Güneş: “An Overview of Cybersecurity”, Emre Savcı, Tech Lead at Trendyol Group: “AI Agent”, Sultan Gül, Co-Founder of Microhibist Biotechnology: “Possible: Enterprises Flourishing with Women's Touch” .
Project Presentations
As part of the congress, the following project teams shared their presentations with participants: The Complete Robot Project Team, System Admins Project Team, Strategic Innovation in Air and Sea Systems Project Team, Cybersecurity Project Team, Software Key Project Team.
Workshops Following Project Presentations
After the project presentations, various workshops were held: A marbling workshop was organized at the Üsküdar Kırkambar Art Center. Other activities included a storytelling workshop and 3D printing painting.
The Congress Continued for Two Days
On the second day of the congress, the following presentations were made: Prof. Korkut Ulucan, Director of KİMER and faculty member at Marmara University Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Basic Medical Sciences: “Athlete Genetics”, Asst. Prof. Tayfun Gözler, Deputy Director of KİMER and Expert at Üsküdar University Medical Genetics and Diagnostic Laboratory: “Laboratory Animals”, Prof. Tunç Akkoç, faculty member at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences: “Regenerative Treatments and Rejuvenation”, Prof. Haydar Sur, Dean of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine: “The Future of Health Professionals in the 21st Century”.
Turkish Music Recital
A unique music recital was performed by Instructor Tolgahan Üsküdarlı, Instructor Ümit Atalay, Research Assistant Tarık Duman, and Eda Öztemur from Haliç University Conservatory.
Presentation by Clinical Psychologist Betül Erdoğan
Following the music recital, Clinical Psychologist Betül Erdoğan shared her presentation titled “The Hardware and Software of the Human Brain: A Journey on Development and Attachment” with the participants.
Additional Project Presentations on the Second Day
On the second day of the congress, the following project teams presented their projects: Medigene Project Team, Biochem Project Team, Mind Research Alliance Project Team.
Closing Speech and Conclusion
The closing speech of the congress was delivered by Prof. Haydar Sur, Dean of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine. The congress concluded with a group photo session.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)