Graduate Student Profile - Fulya Gokalp
Written by: Meghan Honerlaw, M.S. candidate in Statistics
Fulya GokalpFulya decided to study statistics after high school because of its broad applications in both academia and industry. In order to attend a university in Turkey, all students have to take a national exam called the OSS. This exam determines which universities the student is qualified to attend. Fulya's OSS test results allowed her to attend Hacettepe University, located in Ankara, where she majored in statistics.
After graduating from Hacettepe University, Fulya worked for four months at the International Airport of Turkey as a financier for an airline before she decided to move to the United States. Fulya took English classes at the University of Delaware's language school in Newark. She attended intensive classes for eight months before looking for a graduate program in statistics in the United States. When she began searching for the right program for her studies in statistics, her first step was the internet. She was instantly drawn to Purdue because their website had all the information she needed right at her fingertips. When she looked further into the Department of Statistics at Purdue, she found diversity in the faculty, research areas, courses, and lecture series. When comparing universities, Fulya found Purdue's Department of Statistics surpassed all the others. Before making a final decision, Fulya visited several universities. When she visited Purdue, Fulya was impressed by the campus and knew she wanted to come to Purdue.
In her first year, Fulya took "Intermediate Statistical Methodology" (STAT 52500) which included her favorite topic, regression. She found this course to be extremely interesting because of the depth to which regression was investigated, and the knowledge of SAS that she gained. Knowing that regression is such a large component of any statisticians skill set, she then looked for ways to use her new found skills and interest.
Fulya immediately took full advantage of the opportunities offered by the Statistical Consulting Service. Her training in statistical methodology and experimental design made consulting the obvious choice. She has been working as a consultant for the past two semesters. She says, "Consulting provides an opportunity for the students in the Department to apply their statistical knowledge to real life problems in a variety of areas."
Fulya is currently searching for a summer internship in industry. She hopes the experience will help her make a decision about continuing on for a Ph.D. in Statistics. After her studies, she would like to work in an industrial environment in the United States for a few years before returning to Turkey. Fulya had the following to say about being a graduate student in the Department of Statistics, "Although being a graduate student requires a lot of work and effort, it is also a special privilege to be a part of this reputable department…it is a dynamic program with distinguished faculty, students, and projects." Her advice to incoming students from somewhere outside the Midwest, "Bring a big coat and blanket!"
February 2009
