Hi everyone,

In this episode my guest is Prof. Selcuk Sirin. He is a professor of applied psychology in NYU. He has also made a big impact outside of academia, serving on the U.S. National Academy of Sciences' Board for Children, Youth, and Families. On top of these, he’s committed to making science accessible to the public, especially in Turkey. He has authored several prominent books on education and societal issues in Turkey.

If you're interested in specific parts, you can skip to those parts here:

01:15 → Did you have an ideal about your older self during childhood?

04:26 → Choosing a university and field of study

05:51 → After graduation: Working in the banking sector

08:00 → Fighting against the odds? Not giving too much power to structural barriers

10:18 → How do diverse educational and field experiences shape your academic perspective?

12:20 → Academic journey: Staying in the same field or shifting directions?

16:26 → Getting funding for research

23:27 → If you had unlimited funding, what would you try to answer/explore?

26:56 → Who is your favorite researcher or role model inside or outside academia?

27:59 → Who is Selçuk Şirin beyond his professional life?

28:58 → Balancing science outreach, research, and teaching — What does your typical day/week look like?

30:54 → Getting inspired to write fiction and non-fiction — How do you find your words?

33:11 → How do you hope people will remember you?