Sabancı University Faculty Member and Corporate Governance Forum Director Melsa Ararat was reelected to membership of the board of governors of ICGN (International Corporate Governance Network), a community that brings together asset managers and investors representing USD 26 trillion of capital.

Melsa Ararat continues to be the first and only academic sitting on the ICGN board of governors, which has the power to influence investments and financial markets, particularly in the UK and US, through publishing guidances, discussion papers and surveys.

Sabancı University faculty member and Corporate Governance Forum Director Melsa Ararat was reelected to the Board of Governors of the ICGN (International Corporate Governance Network) in the General Assembly held in London. Melsa Ararat continues to be the first and only academic sitting on the ICGN board of governors.

As the Director of the Corporate Governance Forum established by Sabancı University and TÜSİAD in 2002, Melsa Ararat developed recommendations to capital markets for implementing regulations that will attract international investors, and worked with the Istanbul Stock Exchange management for the creation of the BIST Sustainability Index. Ararat is among the leaders of the implementation of the Climate and Water programs of the Carbon Disclosure Program in Turkey, and is a member of the Climate Bond Initiative (CBI) Board of Overseers.  Ararat has been the president of the Academic Council of the Corporate Governance Association of Turkey since 2013.

Discussing corporate governance in the Turkish market, Melsa Ararat said, "If we were to define corporate governance as a system of direction and management for investors in publicly-traded companies to obtain reasonable returns on their investments in an economic manner, two main elements come into play: corporate investors through the markets, and boards of directors. Unfortunately, neither element is effective in Turkey. Lack of depth in capital markets and low rates of public offerings prevent corporate investors from being effective. The market cannot fulfill its function of disciplining companies. On the other hand, boards of directors are no more than figureheads in many companies, or since their members are controlled by large shareholders, they either lack adequate competence or are not independent enough. The only way that remains is through rules and regulations. This is why companies in Turkey always complain about regulations and sometimes succeed in thwarting or delaying the imposition of new regulations."

Melsa Ararat noted that the members of ICGN include international corporate investors who hold the lion's share of the stocks traded on BIST, arguing that continued expectations of low growth in Europe for the near future may bring emerging markets back into the radars of corporate investors.  Ararat pointed out that representatives of the Capital Markets Board were invited to the ICGN annual conference in San Fransisco for the first time this year. Ararat continued, “In these exigent circumstances, I recommend companies to maintain good relations with their long-term corporate investors and be open about how they will manage the risks facing them.  For those companies that have not held their general assemblies so far, I believe that empowering their boards through foreign independent directors who are recognized worldwide will send messages to corporate investors that risks will be managed better."

Sabancı University School of Management Dean Professor Füsun Ülengin commented, “I congratulate Melsa Ararat for an achievement that advances the international success of our school one step further. I am proud that Melsa Ararat became the first and only academic member of the International Corporate Governance Network Board of Governors at a time when we must work with diligence on issues like women's empowerment and climate change today if we are to provide better living conditions to future generations."

About the International Corporate Governance Network
ICGN is a nonprofit entity founded in London in 1995. ICGN brings together corporate governance professionals led by asset managers and investors representing USD 26 trillion in assets, and issues guidelines, statements and papers to influence investors and financial policies towards better corporate governance. ICGN is an active member of all platforms related to global capital markets and the finance sector.

Students who will take the ELAE on August 31st, 2016:

1. Students who have studied in School of Languages during 2015-16 Academic Year Summer School. (Petition is not required.) 
2. Inactive students who have given in a petition to take the ELAE on August 31st, 2016.
3. Graduate students who have received approval from their faculties
4. Undergraduate students who are transferring from Turkish-medium universities

The list of students who will take August 31st ELAE will be put up on the doors of the School of Languages building and be announced on the SU web page on Monday, August 29th.

Location and Times:

WRITING & LISTENING            09.30 - 12:00 

READING                                  13:15 – 15:00

DATE                                         Wednesday, August 31st, 2016.

For the identification check to be done in time, we ask that students who will take the exam be at the exam hall half an hour before the exam starts and that they bring some official identification which includes their photograph (such as a passport, identification card, driver’s license) with them.

Students should also make sure that they bring a pencil, eraser and any other necessary pieces of equipment with them. 

Students are asked not to bring their mobile phones into the exam hall. Students are kindly reminded that if they bring their mobile phones, they will be collected.

The results of the ELAE will be announced on the external web page of Sabanci University on Friday, September 2nd at 7pm.

Graduate students will be informed of their ELAE results by their faculties.

No results will not be given out over the telephone to avoid any misunderstandings.

There is no make-up for the ELAE.

Detailed information about the ELAE and a sample of the exam is available at the link below. We recommend that all students who will take the exam check this link.

http://sl.sabanciuniv.edu/students/elae

We wish you every success in the exam.

School of Languages

For the 17th August 2016, ELAE RESULTS click here.

To the attention of students who took the ELAE on August 17th, 2016

Exam result code explanations are as follows:

SL (Satisfactory in the ELAE): indicates students who have received the required grade or above in the August 17th ELAE  and who have gained the right to start their faculty studies as Fall (regular) Freshman in the 2016-2017 Fall Semester.

UL (Unsatisfactory in the ELAE): indicates students who have not been able to obtain the required grade in the ELAE on the 17th August, 2016.

NA (Non-attendance): indicates students who did not attend the exam and is equivalent to a “UL” grade*.

Grade bands are as below:

We wish you success in your studies,

The School of Languages Directorate

Sabancı University FENS Member Dr Devrim Gozuacik was invited to serve as an Associate Editor of the Autophagy Journal.

Autophagy is:
- The top specialized journal in the autophagy field (2015 Impact Factor = 9.1).
- Among the top 20 journals out of 850 journals in the field of cell biology (Top 3%),
- Published by Taylor Francis Publishing, USA.

Dr. Gozuacik will directly work with the Editor-in-Chief Dr Daniel J. Klionsky (University of Michigan, USA) and handle peer-review processes of submitted articles.

Dr. Gozuacik is considered among the international experts of the autophagy field.

Please click for editorial board.

See Gozuacik Lab Website.

The second semester of the sixth Summer High School held by Sabancı University concluded. 428 students from Turkey and other countries attended the second semester of the Sabancı University Summer High School.

Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences member Associate Professor Murat Çokol led a joint study with Tufts University which proved that very young and very old tuberculosis microbes respond differently to antibiotics. The study was published in the world-famous Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, while another article summarizing the study was published by Nature Reviews in Microbiology.

We discussed his latest article with Murat Çokol:

Can you explain your work briefly?

The bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for the onset of tuberculosis in over 10 million patients every year, and leads to the loss of 2 million lives. The standard treatment for tuberculosis includes taking various antibiotics together and lasts for a year. In this study, we observed in real time and under a microscope how mycobacteria are affected by the antibiotic Rifampicin. We used microfluids to conduct the experiment where we cultured a single mycobacterium in its natural habitat long enough for it to split 4 or 5 times, and then we exposed the bacteria to the antibiotic Rifampicin for 6 hours. Cells did not divide in the antibiotic medium. In the last stage of the experiment, we discovered that when antibiotic was withdrawn from the cell medium, some cells resumed dividing. This allowed us to conclude which cells were sensitive to Rifampicin, and which were resistant. 

Did these bacteria gain antibiotic resistance?

No. Antibiotic resistance as we know it occurs through DNA mutations as a result of long antibiotic treatments and is passed on to the offspring of the bacteria for this reason. The cells that we observed spawned from a single bacterium as a result of 4 or 5 divisions and were exposed to antibiotic for only 6 hours.  This does not provide for the genetic diversity that causes antibiotic resistance.

Our explanation goes like this: One peculiar aspect of mycobacteria, known since 2012, is that cell division is asymmetrical - two cells that are the result of the same division differ in size, shape and physiology. Further, smaller cells take longer to divide than larger cells. Which means that the 20 or so cells resulting from the 4 or 5 divisions in the study show considerable diversity in age, size and other parameters. An in-depth study of approximately 200 cells revealed that the youngest and oldest cells are more sensitive to the antibiotic Rifampicin.

What does this mean for tuberculosis treatment?

First of all, it explains why treatment is difficult and takes so long. Since microbes in different phases are affected by antibiotics differently, some microbe subpopulations can always avoid the antibiotic. Every mycobacterium population has to contain young, mature and old cells, and the mature cells are not sensitive to antibiotics. These can continue to divide and repopulate.

Going forward, we intend to use this information to develop rational synergistic antibiotic combinations. We will discover antibiotics that are more effective in killing mature bacteria, and combine this with Rifampicin so that the treatment is effective across all subpopulations. As an outcome, we hope to increase tuberculosis treatment effectiveness, reducing treatment duration and costs.

Your study speaks of zombie cells - what does this mean?

This is one intriguing aspect of the study; in fact, the review in Nature Reviews in Microbiology features a cartoon of a zombie-cell. Zombie cells are a phenomenon that we discovered for the first time in this study, and named accordingly. Some very old mycobacteria stop dividing when antibiotic is introduced, and do not continue to grow when antibiotic is withdrawn.  In other words, they die. But these cells divide one more time, and both resulting cells are born dead. They keep dividing even though they were killed by the antibiotic, so we called them zombie cells. These and other observations allow us to develop new strategies to better understand and control tuberculosis.

FENS PhD student Seçil Erbil's (Gözüaçık Lab) article that was published on August the 3rd in the prestigious "The Journal of Biological Chemistry reached 550 reads in only 2 months. The team received a special congratulation letter from the Editor-in-Chief Prof. Lila M. Gierasch ( University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA).

The article describes for the first time a previously unknown autophagy protein. Autophagy disorders play a role in a number of diseases from cancer to Parkinson's disease. The discovery may lead to novel diagnosis and treatment methods for serious public health problems.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry is published by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and its is the second best journal in the Biochemistry filed according to Eigenfactor score. 

The article is entitled:

Erbil S, Oral O*, Mitou G*, Cenk Kig, Durmaz-Timucin E, Guven-Maiorov E, Gulacti F, Gokce G, Dengjel J, Sezerman OU, Gozuacik D. RACK1 is an Interaction Partner of ATG5 and a Novel Regulator of Autophagy. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2016.

To read the article:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27325703

Gozuacik Lab web site:

http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/dgozuacik/

As a ritual of Sabanci University, Visual Arts and Visual Communication design students, taking VA 204 Language of Drawing II, VA 324 Advanced Drawing, VA 502G and VA 399, are exhibiting their works on FASS. In these two important courses given by Wieslaw Zaremba, students use both modern and traditional techniques. 

In both of these courses students’ aim is to create compositions inspired by their memories and dreams, so they create their compositions with their own drawing styles accordingly. During their processes of drawing, they observe real models, objects and textures.Since anatomical analysis of live models are severely important for their works, they also reflect the photographs of the models on their canvases.Also in VA 204 they observe their own photographs and draw their self portraits with the same methods.  

After sketching the first drafts of their works, students continue with water colour for outlining and later on they use ink,dry pastels and acrylic paint.Apart from the appreciated realistic styles, creative and experimental styles in drawing are also welcomed in these courses.So it can be said that there are no limitations for the students. 

In these courses, talent and experience are not compulsory.The only motto is to work hard and experiment.Even the students who have no paintingbackground at all can create masterpieces.It proves that, practice and working hard can compensate the lack of experience and talent.Also, since the timing is really important in these courses, students become more ambitious to be on time and with their hard work to achieve their goal they get experienced during the process of the works. 

VA 399 and VA 502G courses are taken by the students that have completed the previous sketching and painting courses and approved by Wieslaw Zaremba to continue their further studies in his supervision to take their talent to a higher level. 

Participants: 

VA 204: İpek  Ganiyusufoğlu,  Lara  Kalecik, Hüseyin Ç. Karaoğlu, Aslı  Koray,  Berkin Özbatır, Işınsu  Özkan, Elifnaz  Sağlamkaya, Özgün N. Sümer, Osman S. Üçer,  Deniz Cündoğlu,Yaprak B. Çağlar, Sadullah  Dinç, Gunash  Garibli, Mercan Hepiş,  Eda  İmre, Esra Karabece, Gözde Karaoğlan, Leyla Kefeli, Nesli Malkoç, Ece Tarhan,  Sinan  Usta, Özgecan  Yalçınoğlu

VA 324: Ecem Güleç, Duygu  Güneşli, Buse  Haberal,  Elif  İyigün, Ayçe  Kelleci, Dila N. Kılıç, Mustafa Y. Okudan, Çiğdem  Özkan,  Syed F. Shah,  Jasmine T. Teber

VA 502G: Ahu Akgün,  Berke Doğanoğlu, Münire B. Gezeroğlu

VA 399: Ilke Alkan 

Curator: Wieslaw Zaremba  Co curator: Ilke Alkan 

Assistants: Gözde Karaoğlan, Hüseyin Ç. Karaoğlu, Lara Kalecik, Mercan Hepiş 

The billion-Euro FET Flagship Project completed its 30-month first phase and entered the Horizon 2020 phase. Sabancı University is the only Turkish partner in this groundbreaking scientific project. 

The 30-month first stage of the Graphene Project, an EU 7th Framework Program project in ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) endorsed by the Commission of Europe as its first 10-year, 1 billion-Euro FET Flagship Project, was completed on March 31, 2016.

Sabancı University is the only Turkish partner in this groundbreaking scientific project consisting of 11 different work packages. Sabancı University worked in the energy applications of graphene work package, covering significant ground in the use of graphene in fuel cells.

Associate Professor Selmiye Alkan Gürsel, the implementer and national contact point of the project in Turkey, presented the outcomes of the first phase at a meeting in Chalmers University on June 1, 2016. The first phase of the project entailed the development of graphene-based electrodes to achieve high levels of efficiency in fuel cells using only low quantities of catalysts (platinum, Pt).

Associate Professor Selmiye Alkan Gürsel

The second phase of the project continues successfully

The Horizon 2020 phase of the Graphene Project began on April 1, 2016.

Sabancı University is the only Turkish partner of this phase of the project. Furthermore, Sabancı University contributes to both the fuel cells and technology up-scaling work packages in this phase, and is the implementer of the fuel cells package. Outcomes of the project in fuel cells promise great contributions to the scientific and technological development of Turkey in this area.

The second phase of the Graphene Project aims to modify graphene-based electrodes and achieve maximum performance and power ratings in the fuel cell with the use of minimal quantities of platinum.

The Graphene Project will continue until 2023, and when complete, graphene is expected to enter active use in Information and Communication Technologies, Energy and Healthcare.

About Graphene and the Graphene Project

Graphene has a history of less than fifteen years, and its applications in life sciences and medicine are expected to surpass even those in electronics. Graphene has some properties that makes it suitable for biological applications as well.  A large surface are, chemical purity and ease of activation are good opportunities for the production of drugs.  Its unique mechanical properties call to mind tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Its properties of thinness, conductivity and rigidity combined mean that it can be used to visualise biomolecules in electron microscopes.  Chemically-activated graphene has a potential to play a role in the development of fast and ultra-sensitive measurement devices that detect glucose, cholesterol, hemoglobin and DNA.

The working group focuses specifically on the use of graphene in photovoltaic cells, batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen storage, offering basic and technological expertise in graphene to the benefit of manufacturers of energy conversion and storage devices, which will help to better meet energy needs.

Sabancı University works in the use of graphene in fuel cells. Outcomes of the project in fuel cells promise great contributions to the scientific and technological development of Turkey in this area. The project contributes to the existing work of Sabancı University on graphene and assists in the creation of a center of competence as well as new partnerships on the subject. Sabancı University also leads cooperation between graphene-based consortia in Turkey with project partners in Europe, ensuring that Turkey has a more prominent place on the international level.

Among the main uses of graphene are fast electronic and optical devices, lightweight functional components and advanced batteries. New products that can be possible with graphene are fast, flexible and robust consumer electronics such as electronic paper and bendable personal communication devices, and highly energy-efficient aircraft. In the long run, graphene is expected to enable new computer paradigms and groundbreaking medical applications such as artificial retinas.

To the attention of new entry students who will take the August 2016 ELAE Stage-1,

Information about which rooms students will take exam will be posted on the doors of faculty buildings and will be announced on our website on Friday August 12th 2016 at 9:00pm.

STAGE ONE EXAM DATE AND TIME.

Monday, August 15th, 2016 / 09:30 am – 11:00 am

Important Reminder:

For the identification check to be done in time, we ask that students who will take the exam be at the exam hall half an hour before the exam starts and that they bring some official identification which includes their photograph (such as a passport, identification card, driver’s license) with them.

Students should also make sure that they bring a pencil, eraser and any other necessary pieces of equipment with them.

The results of the Stage 1 will be announced on the external web page of Sabancı Universityon Monday, August 15th, 2016 at 9:00 pm.

Students who receive  an unsatisfactory grade (UL) will be placed in the Foundation Development Year at either Route 1, Route 2 or Route 3.

Students who do not take the exam (NA) will be placed in the Foundation Development Year at Route 1.

Therefore, even if an ELAE candidate feels that their English level is not high enough, they are still advised to take Stage 1 and to answer as many questions as they can so that their English level can be measured accurately.

Students who will take stage 2:

• Those who receive satisfactory grade (SL grade) from ELAE Stage 1

IMPORTANT : Exam details for gaduate students, FDY Summer School students and whose status is inactive/prepared outsidewill be announced later.

Exam location information: Information about which rooms students will take Stage 2 of the exam in will be posted on the doors of faculty buildings and will be announced on our website on Tuesday, August 16th 2016, at 15:00 

 STAGE 2 DATE AND TIMES:

Wednesday, August 17th, 2016, 09:30-15:00 (details below)

9:30 – 11:00 Writing

11:00 – 12:00 Listening

12:00 – 13:15 Lunch break

13:15 – 15:00 Reading

Important Reminder:

For the identification check to be done in time, we ask that students who will take the exam be at the exam hall half an hour before the exam starts and that they bring some official identification which includes their photograph (such as a passport, identification card, driver’s license) with them. Students should also make sure that they bring a pencil, eraser and any other necessary pieces of equipment with them.

The results of the second stage will be announced on the external web page of Sabancı University through the SU web-page. These results will be announced on Friday, August 26th at 9:00 pm.

No results will not be given out over the telephone to avoid any misunderstandings.

There is no make-up for the ELAE.

ELAE results are announced as letters of the alphabet.*

SL – Satisfactory from the ELAE,

UL-Unsatisfactory from the ELAE; 

NA- Non-attendance, 

As stated in our regulations, no results are released as numeric values.

*SL and UL scales are only available for the second stage of the ELAE

SL (Satisfactory):  ‘A-SL, B-SL, C-SL’,

EL  (Exempt from the ELAE),

UL (Unsatisfactory): D-UL, E-UL, F-UL,

NA (Non attendance/ evaluated as UL)’

Scales are as below:

Students who receive less than 65% (UL) will be placed in the Foundation Development Year at either Route 3 or Route 4.

Students who are successful in Stage 2 of the exam, those who receive SL, will be eligible to start Faculty classes in the 2016-2017 Academic Year.

We recommend that all students who will take the exam check this link.

We wish you every success in the exam.

School of Languages