In SAYZEK-ATP (Defense Industry Artificial Intelligence Talent Cluster-Academic Thesis Program), carried out in cooperation with the Presidency of Defense Industries and YÖK and bringing together Turkey's brightest minds with the sector, two master's graduates from Üsküdar Üniversitesi drew attention. Hilal Öztemel and Melisa Güler stood out among 119 universities with their innovative theses, were invited to the final event at ASELSAN, and presented their projects to the industry giants.
SAYZEK-ATP (Defense Industry Artificial Intelligence Talent Cluster-Academic Thesis Program), launched to discover artificial intelligence talents in Turkey's defense industry, achieved great success in its first year. In this prestigious program, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Science Institute of Artificial Intelligence Engineering graduates Hilal Öztemel and Melisa Güler made a name for themselves with their theses.
They stood out among 119 universities and reached the finals
Hilal Öztemel and Melisa Güler, who completed their theses under the supervision of Dr. Nuri Bingöl, Head of the Artificial Intelligence Engineering Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, were selected from among 356 applications and, with their innovative theses, stood out among 119 universities to become one of 181 successful students nationwide in Turkey. The students, who flawlessly completed the challenging three-stage reporting and evaluation process, received full marks from the committee consisting of defense industry representatives.
These achievements opened the doors for them to the "From Thesis to Technology: Final Meeting" event. The meeting, which was the final event of the SAYZEK-ATP 2024-2025 program, was held on July 10 at the ASELSAN Gölbaşı Campus Event and Training Center.
They made one-on-one presentations to ASELSAN executives
At the final event, 45 different thesis projects with evaluation scores above 75 met with industry giants. Hilal Öztemel and Melisa Güler had the opportunity to present their projects one-on-one to ASELSAN executives, engineers, human resources, and R&D units through poster presentations. This allowed them to receive direct feedback on their projects and establish important connections for their future careers.
Dr. Nuri Bingöl: "A great pride for our university"
Dr. Nuri Bingöl, Head of the Artificial Intelligence Engineering Master's Program Department and also the students' advisor, expressed his pride in his students' success, stating, "It is extremely gratifying for our students to stand out in such a comprehensive and competitive program, attended by 119 universities from all over Turkey, and to be invited to the final with their advisors, as it demonstrates our university's educational quality and potential in the field of artificial intelligence."
They shared their experiences with a Vlog and became an inspiration
Successful graduates Hilal Öztemel and Melisa Güler, who immortalized their post-event experiences with a vlog, shared their excitement and valuable feedback on social media, becoming an inspiration for other students aiming for a career in artificial intelligence and the defense industry.
The SAYZEK-ATP program continues to be a critical bridge for young talents who will shape Turkey's technological future by bringing academic production together with the needs of the sector.