After completing a B.Sc. (Ed.) with First Class Honours, Sila was awarded the only available prestigious scholarship from Turkish Ministry of Education covering expenses for a Diploma in EAP, an MSc and a PhD in science education, which she is currently a PhD candidate at the Epi-STEM National Centre in the University of Limerick, Ireland. Her PhD thesis focuses on the pre-service science teacher understanding on the role of economics of science and entrepreneurship in nature of science in Ireland and involves developing a framework aiming to explain how science works in society and illustrating the relationship between state, academia, market and industry (the SAMI cycle framework). Sila’s research background involves developing research instruments such as interviews (one-to-one and focus group), questionnaires and innovative teaching activities, and their administration. Research interests are mainly the applications of interdisciplinary perspectives on science and science education, including the perspective from nature of science, entrepreneurship, economics of science, STEM education, ICT and argumentation.
Sila has gained practical, real-life experience in mathematics, science and microteaching at different education levels. Involved in many successful conference and seminar organisations and selected to participate in respected ESERA and NARST summer schools, for which she received funding. Also, received many scholarships for different purposes, such as education, training and attending conferences, from well-known science organisations, including ESERA and NARST organisations. Member of a successful research team publishing innovative education supplements for junior cycle students as part of a national newspaper series in Ireland since 2015 (Science Scope: The Irish Independent Science Supplement for Junior Cycle).
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