Acıbadem University opens 2024-2025 academic year with science and art

World-renowned scientist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Canan Dağdeviren offered golden advice to students for their career journeys during the traditional 'First Lecture' address.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Canan Dağdeviren, a 39-year-old Physics Engineer who has written her name in the world of science in golden letters, gave golden advice to students in her speech at the opening of Acıbadem University's 2024-2025 academic term. Stating, "We should have dreams instead of excuses," Dağdeviren noted that young people today have countless advantages, and that using social media and being able to contact people thousands of kilometers away in seconds is very valuable. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dağdeviren advised young people to make the best use of this and to use the global world to get in touch with everyone relevant to build their dreams.

Acıbadem University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Şahin also stated that they are mobilizing all available resources for the younger generations to rise in the light of science, emphasizing that they provide students with all the equipment they will need in the developing and transforming medical world and that they continue to follow innovations in the fastest way and turn them into practice.

She is Turkey's pride... Assoc. Prof. Dr. Canan Dağdeviren, who made her mark on the world scientific community at the age of 28 with her invention of a 'wearable pacemaker' and was the first Turkish scientist to be elected to the Harvard University Young Academy, is also on the BBC's '100 Inspiring Women' list. Continuing her work at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, Dağdeviren is working at full speed on a wearable electronic bra that can detect breast cancer early. Having earned an important place in the scientific world with her inventions, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dağdeviren, who is both a scientist and a mother of a 1.5-year-old child, came for the Acıbadem University 2024-2025 Academic Year Opening Ceremony. She gave the traditional 'First Lecture,' for which experts in their fields are invited as speakers, specifically for the opening. Starting her speech, which she titled "A Path from Silk," by sharing the words of her late grandmother that she will never forget, Dağdeviren said, "My grandmother's name was İpek (Silk), but unfortunately, her life did not pass as beautifully as her name. My grandmother was a woman who suffered many difficulties and much pain in her life, but during her illness, she said a sentence to me that impressed me deeply: 'I have suffered much pain and many difficulties. But what you have done and will do for people, for humanity, has made me very happy. I will die very happy.' I know and feel that I will always keep my grandmother alive with the devices I make and the work I do, and she will always watch over me; I am aware of this."

"WE SHOULD HAVE DREAMS INSTEAD OF EXCUSES"

Stating that the path to success is to dream, chase your dreams, work hard, ask many questions, get up from where you fall and work again, and never give up, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dağdeviren continued her words by saying, "We should have dreams instead of excuses!": "They often ask me, 'Professor, what did you do to come up with such different ideas and make such unusual tools?' I always give the example of the famous poet Robert Frost's poem: 'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.' Actually, what I do with my students is a bit like that. We do work that is different, unthought-of, unimagined, or imagined but not dared to be pursued."

Furthermore, creating your own style and your own standard is extremely important. I always tell my students, 'Create your own style and your own standard in such a way that people see that in this short time, in your short life, you have a style, a trace you left on this world.' On the other hand, being 'yourself' and becoming an expert in the work you can do instead of comparing yourself to others is also of great importance. Stating that young people today have countless advantages, and that using social media and being able to contact people thousands of kilometers away in seconds is very valuable, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dağdeviren advised young people to make the best use of this and to use the advantages of being able to reach the global world to build their dreams.

"I LIVE IN THE USA BUT I COME TO TURKEY FOR MY TREATMENT"

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dağdeviren stated that although she lives in America, she comes to Turkey for her treatment, and that there are very successful doctors in our country. Saying that she was very impressed by both the technological infrastructure and the knowledge and skill levels of the students during her visit to Acıbadem University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dağdeviren said, "The education and research opportunities are definitely at world standards, and in some areas, even above these standards." Pointing out that research on women's health has been in the background for years in the world, and that she and her team are rapidly continuing their research on women's health, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dağdeviren said, "We need to close this gap." Assoc. Prof. Dr. Canan Dağdeviren spoke as follows:

"We are currently conducting human trials of the device we launched last year for breast cancer. This electronic bra technology also works very efficiently for monitoring other organs and other types of cancer. It also allows for the monitoring of kidney cancer and bladder problems on the underwear. We are working to use a similar technology this time with a platform on the face to ensure that drugs are absorbed without needles and painlessly."

PROF. DR. AHMET ŞAHİN: "WE ARE ALWAYS STRIVING TO BE BETTER"

Acıbadem University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Şahin, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the new academic year, stated that they set out with the goal of bringing qualified health professionals to our country and being among the best in the world in education and research at the establishment of the University, and said, "We are proud of the work our students do; we are open to innovations, criticism, and development. We strive to be better by constantly improving ourselves." Stating that the number of students has approached 7 thousand this year and that they are mobilizing all available resources for the younger generations to rise in the light of science, Prof. Dr. Şahin emphasized that they provide students with all the equipment they will need in the developing and transforming medical world and that they continue to follow innovations in the fastest way and turn them into practice. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Şahin said that they aim to provide support at every level to entrepreneurs and businesses operating in the fields of health and technology with the Technology Development Center (TEKMER), which they established within the university in 2022 with KOSGEB support.

In the ceremony held in the light of science and art, Sudenaz Öner, a student at the Acıbadem University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, gave a piano concert to the participants. At the ceremony, certificates of appreciation were presented to donors who did not spare their support for the University. In addition, plaques of appreciation were given to academic and administrative staff who have completed their 10th year at the University.

News Source: 12punto