We will hold the 17th session of our “Learn & Connect: 5.40 Lecture Series” on Thursday, March 12, 2026. In this session, one of our faculty members from the Economics Department Dr. Çınla Akdere will be with us with her presentation titled “The 250th Anniversary of Economics and Its Relationships with Other Fields.”

Published in 1776, “The Wealth of Nations” is considered the foundational work in economics. Many economists, most notably its author Adam Smith, have contributed to the development of economics by creating different schools of thought. The seminar will focus on the contributions of various economists to this 250-year theoretical evolution and the relationships they have established with other fields throughout this process.

After the seminar, we will hold the “Connect” part of our event in the small foyer area, accompanied by refreshments.

We will hold the 16th session of our “Learn & Connect: 5.40 Lecture Series” on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. In this session, one of our faculty members from the Psychology Department Dr. Dilay Z. Karadöller will be with us with her presentation titled “The Visual Face of Meaning in Sign Language Acquisition.”

How does a child learn language? By hearing, by seeing, or through interactions established with the body? Language is not formed only through sounds; the body, hands, and the space we are in are also part of meaning. Sign languages are among the most systematic examples of this visual-spatial communication and often construct meaning through visual pathways. In this session, we will begin with a brief overview of what sign languages are and how they are learned; then we will address the importance of timing in language acquisition and examine sign language acquisition processes-which share many common features with spoken language acquisition-in the context of the effects of early and late language input on linguistic, cognitive, and emotional development. We will then share how the visual face of meaning in sign languages contributes to learning and memory processes, drawing on Dr. Karadöller’s work supported by national and international grants and awards.

Following the seminar, we will hold the “Connect” part of our event with a cocktail reception in the main foyer area.

We will hold the 15th session of our “Learn & Connect: 5.40 Lecture Series” on Thursday, January 8, 2026. At this session, Prof. Dr. Mecit Halil Öztop, faculty member of the Department of Food Engineering, Research Coordinator, and Advisor to the President, will join us with his presentation entitled “Food Myths.”

During the “Learn” segment of the seminar, which will take place at the Kemal Kurdaş Hall of the Cultural and Convention Center, food myths will be examined in depth through data and underlying mechanisms. Topics will include food additives, food processing methods, traditional products, and the role of alternative proteins in sustainable food systems.

Following the seminar, we will host the “Connect” segment of our event in the main foyer area, accompanied by a cocktail aligned with the seminar theme.

As part of the “Learn & Connect: 5:40 Lecture Series,” we will host a special session on December 18, International Migrants Day, focusing on migration through Türkiye’s historical and social experience. In this session, Dr. Besim Can Zırh, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at METU Faculty of Arts and Sciences, will be with us with his presentation titled “Türkiye: A Country between Gurbet (Unhomely-) and Sıla (Homely-Place) in the Age of Migration.”

At the “Learn” part of the session will approach migration not merely as a matter of statistics or policy, but as a phenomenon with deep cultural, social, and human dimensions. Türkiye’s evolving role within regional and global migration dynamics, as well as the layered meanings of gurbet (unhomely place) and sıla (homely place), will be discussed from a sociological perspective.

Following the lecture, the “Connect” part of the event will take place in the main foyer, featuring a musical performance by ODTÜ Trio, accompanied by a new year cocktail reception.

We are cordially celebrating the first anniversary of our “Learn & Connect: 5:40 Lecture Series” event together on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 17:40, in the Kemal Kurdaş Hall of the Culture and Congress Center.

The “Learn” segment of our program will feature Assoc. Prof. Şeyda Ertekin, a faculty member of the Computer Engineering Department, METU Faculty of Engineering, and Vice-Chair of the METU BİLTİR Research Center. Her presentation is entitled: “From Prediction to Generation — and Back Again: The Evolving Landscape of Artificial Intelligence.” Artificial Intelligence has undergone a fundamental paradigm shift in recent years. This seminar will explore the transformation of predictive learning into generative reasoning and how this convergence is subsequently redefining the frontiers among inference, creativity, and comprehension.

For the “Connect” segment of our program, we will hold a raffle to present 50 students with tickets to the METU Big Band concert, and we will also mark the first anniversary of our “Learn & Connect: 5:40 Lecture Series” event in the grand foyer with a musical interlude by ODTÜ Trio, accompanied by refreshments.

We are pleased to announce the twelfth event of our “Learn & Connect: 5.40 Lecture Series,” which will take place on Thursday, 23 October 2025, at 17:40 in the Kemal Kurdaş Hall of the Culture and Convention Center. In this session, Prof. Dr. Meryem Beklioğlu, faculty member of the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Director of METU Ecosystem Research and Implementation Center (EKOSAM), will deliver a talk titled “Impacts of Land and Water Use, and Climate Change on Lake Ecosystems.”

The conversion of natural ecosystems into agricultural land, intensive water use, and climate change are making lake ecosystems increasingly fragile. These multiple pressures affect many aspects, from water quality to biodiversity, driving ecosystems toward difficult-to-reverse states. Prof. Dr. Meryem Beklioğlu will share reflections on how these changes impact Turkish lakes and ponds, as well as approaches to ecological restoration, drawing on various methods and international research projects.

Following the seminar, at 18:40, the “Connect” segment of our event will continue with a cocktail reception in the Culture and Convention Center foyer.