Message from the Head of the Department
According to Britannica, engineering is “the application of science to the optimum conversion of the resources of nature to the uses of humankind.” ChatGPT’s definition of engineering is “a field of study and practice that involves the application of science, mathematics, and creativity to design, develop, and improve structures, systems, machines, devices, and processes that solve practical problems and meet human needs.” While these definitions are accurate, the factors that must be taken into consideration when carrying out these activities should also be included in education.
Although engineering has not been analyzed and conceptualized in sufficient depth by sociology and philosophy, it is a well-known fact that there are various ideologies that shape the way production is carried out. For example, from a Fordist perspective, the benefit of engineering can only lie in reducing costs. At İSTUN, we are trying to implement an education system that aims to raise individuals who are morally responsible, human-centered, honest, prudent, and who prioritize social benefit in production, and who will shape not only the present but also the future. As a result, once our candidates become engineers, they are expected to demonstrate an attitude that allows them to use critical reasoning and a questioning method, examine problems from a broader perspective, and reach a synthesis by evaluating and discussing societal issues on legal, ontological, epistemological, and engineering-ethics grounds. For this attitude to develop, in addition to building foundations in mathematics and the natural sciences, it is an indispensable necessity throughout their education for students to gain an interdisciplinary perspective and to broaden it with the social sciences, such as art, philosophy, sociology, history, politics, law, international relations, economics, and communication. We aim to instill awareness of this necessity in our students at every level of their education.
Due to a shortage of qualified candidates in the fields of transportation vehicles (automotive, aircraft, ships, and rail systems), defense, home appliances, energy systems, health technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation, interest in graduates with the title of “Mechatronics Engineer” is growing with each passing day. Those who study at the undergraduate level at our university, with a professional perspective blended with the integration of current scientific and technological knowledge and an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education system, are expected to stand out more in job applications. In addition, with its Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, its strong connection with Neutec İlaç, and its national and international network, İSTUN aims to focus more on the fields of biomedical and health technologies in particular.
We believe that not only İSTUN students but all of our students are the future, the hope, and the ambassadors of goodness and beauty who will paint a better picture of humanity. We are confident that our students will strive to demonstrate knowledge sharing and solidarity in every field, and will showcase an education grounded in love and tolerance that sets an example for the whole world.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Furkan DÜNDAR
Head of the Department of Mechatronics Engineering