This section documents a rich portfolio of conferences, workshops, and symposia that I have (co-)organized, highlighting my active role in fostering interdisciplinary exchange and advancing discourse in Sociology, Science and Technology Studies (STS) and beyond. My organizational efforts span a range of themes from human enhancement technologies and digital health to the socio-political aspects of medical innovations, reflecting a commitment to shaping the future of healthcare and society.
Organization of conferences/ workshops/ reading and working circles
24.-26.1.2024: STS Türkiye „Science, Technology and Society Winter School 2024“ (co-organizer), jointly organized by Istanbul Bilgi University, Department of Media.
31.10.-2.11.2023: Conference: “STS meets Ethics” (co-organizer), jointly organised by METU Applied Ethics Research Center (UEAM), Science and Technology Policy Research Center (TEKPOL), Department of Philosophy and Turkish Scholarly Network for Science and Technology Studies (STS TÜRKİYE) and Bilkent University Faculty of Engineering, METU (Ankara).
6.6.-5.7.2023: Lecture Series: “Afette Toplum, Sağlık ve İnsan” (engl. “Society, Health and Human in Disaster”), Orient-Institut Istanbul (Turkey).
20.3.2023: Lecture “How to make a difference: Free 3D printed devices for earthquake victims” with Zeynep Karagöz, co-organized with Mara Mills (NYU) and Robert Stock (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), supported by Orient-Institut Istanbul, Center for Disability Studies, New York University (NYU) and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
30.-31.1.2023: STS Turkey „Science, Technology and Society Winter School 2023“ (co-organizer), supported by Orient-Institut Istanbul.
24.-25.11.2022: Conference: “Güncel Bir Soru: STS Nedir?”, STS Türkiye annual conference 2022 (co-organizer) jointly organized by Istanbul Bilgi University, Department of Media, supported by STS Türkiye.
7.4.-8.9.2022: “Disability And The Digital. Conversations Across Sociology, Cultural Studies and Disability Studies“, as co-organizer with Hanna Göbel (HafenCity Universität, Hamburg), Mona Sloane (New York University (NYU) / University of Tübingen), Mara Mills (New York University (NYU)), Robert Stock (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), supported by Digital Media and Dis/Abilities (Research Network, Funded by DFG), Center for Disability Studies, New York University (NYU), Waterfront e.V., HafenCity Universität Hamburg (HCU), NYU Institute for Public Knowledge, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 370 Jay Project. Online.
21.01.2022: Curated film screening “Modified (Hu)Man: Traditions, Vulnerabilites and Possible Futures” (co-organizer) and round table discussion “Science, Art and Communication – Meeting at the Crossways” with Arsev Umur Aydınoğlu, Yücel Günal, Merve Şahinol and Eser Epözdemir (moderation: Melike Şahinol).
20.-22.01.2022: Filmfestival “Iran at the Crossways: Documentaries and Dialogues on a Changing Society” (co-organizer), Science Communication Event, “Knowledge Unbound: Internationalisation, Networking, Innovation in and by the Max Weber Stiftung”, Orient-Institut Istanbul, Goethe-Institut Istanbul and Institut-Français Istanbul.
10.-12.02.2022: International Standing Working Group “Iran and Beyond” Closing Conference, “Performance of Culture, Religion, and Body: Processes of Socio-Cultural Change in the Islamic Republic of Iran”, a subproject of “Knowledge Unbound: Internationalisation, Networking, and Innovation in and by the Max Weber Stiftung”, Orient-Institut Istanbul (online).
10.2.2022: Panel “Perform_Factur_ing /Healthy/ Wo_Man: Iran, Turkey and Beyond” (co-organizer), as part of our internal IRSSC closing conference, 10.-12.2.2022, Orient-Institut Istanbul (online).
26.11. & 13.12.2021: Herbsttagung der DGS Sektion Soziologie des Körpers und des Sports “Verkörperte Gesellschaft revisited” (Fall Conference of the DGS Section Sociology of the Body and Sport “Embodied Society revisited”), mit Tobias Boll, Thomas Alkemeyer, Hanna Göbel (online).
22.-24.11.2021: STS TURKEY conference 2021: “Bir Disiplin Olarak Kimlik İnşası”, (co-organizer) jointly organized by Ankara University, Science and Society Studies Program, supported by STS TURKEY (online).
12.11.2021: Currated film screening “Modified (Hu)Man: Traditions, Vulnerabilites and Possible Futures” (co-organizer) and panel discussion with Başak Ağın, Sümeyra Buran, Claudia Liebelt, Nacim Pak-Shiraz and Christopher Coenen (moderation: Melike Şahinol).
12.-13.11.2021: Film Forum “Iran at the crossways” at the Film Forum (co-organizer), Documentaries and Dialogues on a Society in Transition, Orient-Institut Istanbul, Hamburg (online).
16.-17.9.2021: Workshop/Symposium: “Access and Tinkering: Designing Assistive Technologies as Political Practice with an Interactive Maker Session”, with Tom Bieling (HAW Hamburg), Anna-Lena Wiechern (University Lüneburg) and Robert Stock (HU Berlin), 3. DFG network meeting “Dis/Abilities and Digital Media”, Berlin (online).
9.8.2021: Panel „Is there a Middle Eastern Body?“, with Claudia Liebelt (Freie Universität Berlin), 9. August 2021, IUAES-Annual Conference of the Commission of the Middle East, hosted by Orient Institute Istanbul, 7.–9. August 2021, online.
3–4.2.2021: STS Turkey „Science, Technology and Society Winter School 2021“ (as co-organizer), Istanbul Bilgi University, Department of Media
21.1.2020 Workshop: „Technology and the Body: Care, Empowerment and the Fluidity of Bodies“, Orient-Institut Istanbul
14-16.1.2020 STS TURKEY Science, Technology and Society Winter School 2020 (as co-organizer), METU Design Factory, Ankara. Supporters: Bilkent Üniversitesi, ODTÜ Tasarım Fabrikası.
4.12.2019-4.3.2020 Lecture Series: „Human, Medicine and Society: Past, Present and Future Encounters“ program / „İnsan, Tıp ve Toplum: Geçmiş, Bugün ve Gelecek Buluşmaları”, Orient-Institut Istanbul
11.9.2019 Panel: “Türkiye’de Biyotıp ve Teknoloji Alanındaki Gelişmeler, Dönüşümler ve Yeni Düzenlemeler”, with Gülşah Başkavak, STS TURKEY 2019 conference 10-12 September 2019, Istanbul Technical University
10.9.2019 Exhibition Cyborg Encounters (as advisor), contributors: Ayşe Melis Okay, Beyza Dilem Toptal, Burak Kaynar, Burak Taşdizen, Umut Özöver, Öykü Sorgun, Pelin Günay, STS TURKEY 2019 conference 10-12 September 2019, Istanbul Technical University
10.-12.9.2019: Co-Organization of the STS TURKEY 2019 conference, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), hosted by ITU Master Program and the Department of Science, Technology and Society and the Department of Human and Society Sciences (ITU).
01/24-26/2019: Co-Organization of the STS TURKEY “Science, Technology and Society” Winter School, organized by STS TURKEY coordinators, supported by Orient-Institut Istanbul (Turkey).
10.12.2018: Workshop “Making Sense of the Studies of Science, Technology and Society in Turkey: Theories, Experiences and Cases” (orig. Bilim, Teknoloji ve Toplum Çalışmalarını Türkiye’den Anlamlandırmak İçin Bir Adım: Teoriler, deneyimler ve vakalar), Scientific Advisor, Galatasaray University in cooperation with STS TURKEY (Istanbul, Turkey).
27.11.2018: Co-Organization & one of the table hosts of the “WorldCafé: Quo vadis Human, Transhuman, Posthuman? Different Views on Different Dimensions” (orig. Quo vadis Human, Transhuman, Posthuman? Farklı boyutlara, farklı bakışlar), STS TURKEY with Middle East Technical University, Department of Philosophy and Applied Ethics (Ankara, Turkey).
21.9.2018: Organization & Chair of the panel “Science and Technology on the Silk Road: Past and Present Practices, Future Perspectives in Turkey” (main organizer, together with Arsev Aydınoğlu and Harun Kaygan, Middle East Technical University, Ankara and Cansu Guner-Birdal, Technical University of Munich), Turkologentag 2018: 3rd European Convention on Turkic, Ottoman & Turkish Studies (Bamberg, Germany).
10.-11.9.2018: Co-Organization of the first STS Turkey Conference “STS TURKEY 2018 Science and Technology Studies for Society Conference,” Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, jointly organized by METU Science and Technology Policy Studies and METU Industrial Design, supported by Orient Institute Istanbul (Turkey).
26.7.2018: Organization & Chair of the panel “Colliding theories, cultures, and futures. STS view(s) beyond the horizon. Or: STS diaspora” (main organizer, together with Arsev Aydınoğlu and Harun Kaygan, Middle East Technical University, Ankara and Cansu Guner-Birdal, Technical University of Munich), EASST 2018 conference “Meetings – Making Science, Technology and Society together” (Lancaster, UK).
4.10.2017: Organization & moderation of the lectures “Human Enhancement: The Social Consequences of Human Manipulation” (with German-Turkish simultaneous translation), Orient Institute Istanbul (Turkey)
- Prof. Dr. Armin Grunwald, (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, KIT-ITAS): Human Enhancement – an attack on the Human Nature?
- Prof. Dr. Hakan Hakeri, (Istanbul Medeniyet University, Law Faculty): Human Enhancement – Legal discussions in Turkey
- Discussant: Dr. Melike Şahinol
3-4.10.2017: Organization of the “STS TURKEY founding meeting”.
Winter term 16/17: Organization & Chair of the lecture series: “Designing Nature, Upgrading Human Life? Reflections on how Medicine, Science and Technology Transform our Lives,” Orient Institute Istanbul (Turkey).
17-18.6.2016: Organization, Chair & moderation of the international conference: “Upgrades of Nature, Future Bodies: Interdisciplinary and International Perspectives” (main organizer, together with ITAS-KIT), Orient Institute Istanbul (Turkey).
Winter term 13/14- winter term 14/15: STS-working circle RUSTS (co-founder, with Prof. Dr. Estrid Sørensen, Mercator Research Group 2 “Spaces of Anthropological Knowledge: Production and Transfer,” Ruhr-University of Bochum).
Winter term 11/12- summer term 13: STS-reading circle (founder) University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of Sociology.
Summer term 12- summer term 13: Methodology Lab “Qualitative Sozialforschung” (founder), University of Duisburg-Essen, Faculty for Social Sciences.
30.7.-31.8.2009: Organization of the international conference: “Human Nature and Self Design” (with other fellows of the DFG-postgraduate program on bioethics), Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities.
Winter term 06/07: Organization of the lecture series: “MENSCH_MASCHINE@SOZIALES_TECHNISCHES. Über robuste Werkzeuge, hybride Systeme und kulturelle Technologien,” for Visiting Prof. Dr. Jutta Weber, University of Duisburg-Essen, Campus Duisburg, Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.
4-8.6.2007: Organization of the interdisciplinary summer school: “Interdisziplinarität lernen: Autonome Roboter, Techniktheorie & der eigene Tellerrand,” for Visiting Prof. Dr. Jutta Weber, University of Duisburg-Essen, Campus Duisburg, Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.