FEASS Hosts “Info-Day” on the Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities with TÜBİTAK
On October 13, 2011, FEASS, in collaboration with the EU Framework Programmes Coordination Office of TÜBİTAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), organized an info-day on the Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH). The SSH info-day was designed to inform researchers in Turkey about EU Framework Programme 7 (FP7) funding opportunities and the support TÜBİTAK provides, as well as to allow Bilkent social scientists the opportunity to discuss their participation in successful FP7 projects.
Following welcoming remarks by Bilkent University Provost Professor Metin Heper, the info-day was addressed by TÜBİTAK President Professor Yücel Altunbaşak, who is also a Bilkent alumnus. Professor Altunbaşak outlined TÜBİTAK's role in supporting social science and humanities research in Turkey and encouraged researchers to apply for grants. Seda Göksu, the FP7 SSH National Contact Point for Turkey, outlined the activities of the TÜBİTAK National Coordination Office. Simona Ardovino, Project Officer from the SSH Unit of the Directorate General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission (EC), spoke about the call for proposals for 2012 and upcoming FP7 research themes.
Four FEASS social scientists discussed their involvement in FP7 project applications, conduct and evaluation. Assistant Professor Tolga Bölükbaşı (Political Science) spoke about his work as a co-investigator in FP7 projects as well as a project evaluator for the European Commission.
Associate Professor Pınar Bilgin (International Relations) shared her experience as co-investigator and work package leader of the FP7 project "in:ex" (Converging and Conflicting Ethical Values in the Internal/External Security Continuum in Europe). In:ex is unique in being a university-based civilian project on security in Turkey, and is also a rare endeavor among EC-funded research projects in terms of adopting an ethical perspective on security.
Assistant Professors Dilek Cindoğlu and Saime Özçürümez (Political Science) related their experience as co-investigators in the GEMIC Project (Gender, Migration and Intercultural Interactions in the Mediterranean and Southeast Europe: an Interdisciplinary Perspective), a timely and policy-relevant research project of interest for Turkey and beyond.
This was the first SSH info-day to be held at a university location. It attracted attendance from universities around Turkey, and thus provided an excellent platform for the exchange of ideas. TÜBİTAK officials and Ms. Ardovino thanked Bilkent's FEASS for making the day a success.