High school students from across Türkiye join researchers on country’s 5th Arctic Scientific Research Expedition
Three Turkish high school students recently had the opportunity to conduct research in the Arctic Ocean as a part of Türkiye’s fifth National Arctic Scientific Research Expedition (TASE V) this year.
Finalists in the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Institution’s 2204-C and 2204-D projects attended the Arctic expedition, organized by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency.
Burcu Ozsoy, researcher and expedition coordinator, told Anadolu that students from the provinces of Kocaeli, Kastamonu, and Afyonkarahisar were taken to the Arctic region to “evaluate the measurements that they developed for their projects in the region.”
“They will implement these projects, get their results, and translate them into scientific publications,” she said, noting that the work of these students reminded her of her own past as a student in 2007.
“One of these students was not even born in 2007, so it’s really amazing to see that young people are in the Arctic years later. I dreamed of this happening 18 years ago when I went to the Arctic — to see Turkish scientists and Turkish youth in this region,” she added.
Rukiye Asli Kilci, one of the students in the expedition, said she first analyzed polar drawings made by explorers in 1811-1927, and she created a graphic novel as an awareness campaign. “I conducted various field studies in Norway to make my project known nationally and internationally,” she said.
Kilci noted that the drastic change in climate — with ice melting and human intervention showing its effects — drove her to be more aware of these issues. She drew the Arctic wildlife, scientists on the expedition, and the sea ice during the trip.
Elif Berra Demir, another one of the project’s high school students, said she tested her project on renewable bioplastics from agricultural waste. “I obtained bioplastics from onion peels, walnut shells, and macroalgae from seas — these prevent bacterial growth, change color depending on pH levels, and are biodegradable in water and soil,” she added.
Demir stated that she plans to create a new project with the data she collected from the Arctic region.
Kaan Yusuf Odaci, a high schooler from Türkiye, said his project is aimed at measuring the air quality in the poles using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify the gas parameters most affected by climate change.
Odaci said he was inspired by the wind turbine at his school and that he hopes to see his project enable air quality measurements in any location to enhance air quality.
“Let’s keep our environment as clean as possible and bring air pollutant levels to zero to prevent the effects of climate change, especially in the poles,” he said.
