The 2nd Zeugma Health Research Symposium Science Festival was held by the Hasan Kalyoncu University Faculty of Health Sciences.
The symposium brought together researchers pursuing postgraduate education in the health sciences, as well as academics and clinicians, and addressed current and guiding topics such as thesis topic selection processes, web-based scientific research, artificial intelligence support in thesis writing, thesis proposal forms and ethics committee procedures.
The opening of the symposium, held at the HKU Law Amphitheatre and chaired by Prof. Dr. Yavuz Yakut, was attended by HKU Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Kezban Yiğiter, heads of departments, faculty members and postgraduate students.
In her opening speech, Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan noted that this scientific gathering, organised for the second time after the first symposium held in 2018, is an indicator of institutional stability and academic development, and said: “‘Zeugma’, which gives this symposium its name, has for centuries been a meeting point of civilisations, one of the important centres of knowledge, trade and cultural interaction, a bridge. Today, here, we are building a bridge between academia and practice, and between traditional research methods and new approaches supported by artificial intelligence. Technology may advance; however, especially in the field of health, human beings are always at the centre of science. Science requires patience; it requires work. It is extremely important to support our young researchers who will present at the symposium today on this journey of theirs; this is our mission. Because your success, young academics, is the success of our university. Every thesis you write, every article you publish and every project you develop will be not only an academic output but also a great contribution to our country’s health system.” Küçükerdoğan also thanked those who contributed to the organisation of the symposium, particularly Symposium Chair Prof. Dr. Yavuz Yakut, the academics on the organising and scientific committees, and the secretariat team.
Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Kezban Yiğiter, in her speech addressed to aspiring young academics, emphasised that research in the field of health has undergone an important transformation in scope and method. Yiğiter said: “The scale of research has changed today. Artificial intelligence applications, web-based systems and advanced technologies have been integrated into research processes. Therefore, the work you will carry out will proceed on a very different ground from ours. I am fully confident that research in the field of health will be taken to a more advanced level with you. We trust you.”
Symposium Chair Prof. Dr. Yavuz Yakut, in his assessment, stated that 28 oral presentations were given at the first symposium held in 2018, that the number of presentations has doubled this year, and that the increased participation and scientific output are gratifying.
Head of the Department of Nursing Prof. Dr. Ayla Yava, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Prof. Dr. Yasemin Beyhan, and Head of the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan Usgu also thanked those who contributed to the organisation of the symposium.
In the panels held during the symposium, the main stages of the postgraduate research process were discussed in detail. In the first panel, academics evaluated thesis topic selection processes, web-based research and search methods, and the use of artificial intelligence support in thesis writing. In the second panel, the preparation of the thesis proposal form, ethics committee application procedures and the academic criteria to be observed in thesis writing were shared with the participants.
As part of the programme, Young Researchers Sessions were also held in three separate halls in the afternoon, giving postgraduate students the opportunity to present their scientific work.
