Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Academic appointments, education, professional experience and recognition. Download CV (PDF)

Academic Appointments

  1. 2026– Associate Professor, Hacettepe University Department of Artificial Intelligence, Institute of Informatics
  2. 2022–2026 Assistant Professor, TED University Graduate School, Applied Data Science

Professional Appointments

  1. 2023– Founder and Director, NavigaAI Inc. Bilkent Cyberpark, Ankara
  2. 2022– AI Expert, UNDP SDG AI Lab United Nations Development Programme
  3. 2021–2023 Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Centre for Technology and Development
  4. 2011–2022 Economist, Undersecretariat of Treasury Macro-Economic Modelling Department

Education

  1. 2013–2017 PhD in Economics, Hacettepe University Institute of Social Sciences. Thesis: Computational Analysis of CBRT’s Policy Statements and Quantifying the Effects on Financial Markets. Advisor: Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özkan.
  2. 2019–2020 Master’s in Finance, London Business School London, United Kingdom
  3. 2005–2011 BSc in Computer Engineering, Middle East Technical University Faculty of Engineering, Ankara
  4. 2009–2010 Exchange Student in Informatics, Saarland University and Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Saarbrücken, Germany

Professional Experience

Work outside the university, in industry, international organisations and the public sector.

NavigaAI Inc. — Founder and Director

Bilkent Cyberpark

An artificial intelligence company founded to move research on generative systems into products that universities and firms can actually run. NavigaAI designs and commercialises LLM-based software: scalable architectures for natural language processing, machine learning and data-driven decision support, with R&D focused on educational technology and intelligent assistants. Products include Robomentor and DataMentor. I lead the technical work across the product lifecycle, from analysis and model development through integration and performance tuning.

From December 2023 · Bilkent Cyberpark, Ankara · registered as NavigaAI A.Ş.

Recognition: finalist at TEKNOFEST 2024 and the TechAnkara Project Market 2024 (Ministry of Industry and Technology) · exhibited at AI Tomorrow Summit 2024 and Girişim23

UNDP SDG AI Lab — AI Expert

United Nations

Research on AI-based data analysis, decision support systems and digital solutions for social impact, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The work applies natural language processing, machine learning and data modelling to analyses that support policy development, carried out through interdisciplinary collaboration. Related engagements include an assessment report on deep learning for the Lab’s Digital Solutions for the SDGs (DS4SDGs) programme, and jury membership for the UNDP Innovation Campus, delivered with Samsung.

From January 2022

Oxford Centre for Technology and Development — Senior Research Fellow

OCTD

Interdisciplinary research on artificial intelligence, data science and digital transformation, applying machine learning, natural language processing and data-driven modelling to socio-economic development, policy analysis and assessments of technological impact.

January 2021 – January 2023

Undersecretariat of Treasury — Economist, Macro-Economic Modelling Department

Public sector

Ten years in the Directorate General of Research, working on macroeconomic modelling, forecasting, data mining and the development of information systems. Responsibilities included analysis of economic indicators, construction of forecasting models, and the integration of AI-based methods into decision support processes, alongside internal research reports.

December 2011 – April 2022

Executive & Professional Training Delivered

  • TOBB — Artificial Intelligence Applications, within the E-Commerce Specialisation Programme of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye. Online, 2025–2026.
  • OSBÜK — Digital Transformation and New Technologies, for the Organised Industrial Zones Supreme Organisation. Online, July 2024.
  • Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry — seminar on the applicability of artificial intelligence for businesses. October 2024.

Awards & Recognition

  1. 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) — ranked 23rd worldwide Student Support and Engagement category, out of 1,350 universities. TED University credited my project A Revolutionary Chatbot for Enhancing University Engagement, the work behind ChatTEDU, as a contributor to the result. Reported by TED University and Karar.
  2. 2024 Seal of Excellence, TÜBİTAK

Service

  • Jury member — UNDP Innovation Campus, AI Applications and United Nations Applications. Istanbul, 2024.
  • Assessor — deep learning assessment report for UNDP Digital Solutions for the SDGs (DS4SDGs). Istanbul, 2025.
  • Member — IEEE, since 2024.