Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey
Major/Track: Biophysics
Lab/Group: Michal Zochowski Lab
Campus Organizations: Biophysics Graduate Student Council, Association of Multicultural Scientists
What classes have you most enjoyed? Complex Systems 535 (Network Theory), Math 559 (Computational and Mathematical Neuroscience)
What inspired you to major in Biophysics? In one of my biology classes in undergrad, we learned how the membrane of a neuron can be described as an electrical circuit. Being able to explain such a fundamental biological entity with physical rules inspired me and motivated me to learn more about the intersection of biology and physics.
What advice would you give to students considering a major in Biophysics at the University of Michigan? If they have a background in either biology or physics, they shouldn't hesitate to choose Biophysics, even if most of their experience is only in one of the two subjects. Graduate school is a really good time to learn new things.
What do you hope to do after graduating from Michigan? I haven't decided yet, but I definitely want to keep doing research, either in academia, industry or at a research institute.
What is your favorite place on campus? The Diag
What else do you want us to know? Leaving everything behind and coming to U of M for my PhD was one of the hardest and most important decisions in my life. Even though I sacrificed a lot, I feel like this was the best decision I've ever made.