Their Route is ‘Space’

Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Department of Aerospace Engineering graduates Özge Öztürk and Cengiz Yıldırım have been accepted for master's programs at two world-renowned universities in Italy. Achieving the success that millions of young people dream of, Öztürk qualified to study at Sapienza University of Rome, which has a 723-year history, while Yıldırım was accepted to Politecnico di Milano, a university prominent in the field of engineering. Completing the evaluation process with high grade point averages, successful projects, and reference letters, the young IUE graduates will have the opportunity to advance themselves in space engineering and work to represent Turkey in the best possible way on the international stage.

“AS A CHILD, I WOULD HANG STAR POSTERS IN MY ROOM”

23-year-old Özge Öztürk, who also made great use of the double major opportunity provided by Izmir University of Economics to graduate successfully from Software Engineering, stated that she has had a great interest in space and aviation since childhood and even covered her room with posters full of stars. Öztürk said: “Getting accepted by a deeply rooted university with a strong international presence like Sapienza University of Rome was a source of great happiness for me. With the master's education I will receive in Italy, I want to further develop myself, especially in space systems and next-generation technologies. My goal is not only to advance academically, but also to become an engineer who takes part in international projects and contributes to the development of new technologies. With the knowledge and experience I gain, I want to contribute to our country's efforts in the field of space.”

THE ITALIANS WILL PROVIDE A SCHOLARSHIP FOR EDUCATION

26-year-old Cengiz Yıldırım, who graduated at the top of his department, expressed that studying at Politecnico di Milano is an important turning point for him. Yıldırım said, “Politecnico di Milano’s educational approach, which relies especially on project development, applied engineering, and interdisciplinary collaboration, excites me very much. Going there after winning the special scholarship called ‘Invest Your Talent in Italy’, granted by the Italian government, is also a particular source of pride for me. My classes will start this month. Working in the same environment with students and academics from different countries will enable me to look at things from a broader perspective. During my master's studies, I want to combine my theoretical knowledge with real projects and be involved in efforts that produce solutions to current engineering problems encountered in aerospace technologies. Working on Mars' moons and asteroids and contributing to humanity's progress in this field is one of my biggest goals. By gaining international experience, I want to contribute both to my profession and to our country's development in this area through the projects I develop.”

“THEY TRULY DESERVED IT”

Stating that both of his students deserved this success to the fullest, Asst. Prof. Dr. Fabrizio Pinto, a faculty member in the IUE Department of Aerospace Engineering,said, “For an academic, the greatest happiness is seeing their students step-by-step approach their dreams. It is a great source of pride for me to witness Özge and Cengiz’s journey of success extending to the world's respected universities today. I have closely observed their perseverance, curiosity, and work discipline. As engineers who can think differently and generate innovative solutions, I believe Özge and Cengiz will be very successful and make a difference in international working environments.”