Education

• Fulbright Program | Ankara, Turkey | 2011-2012

  • Conducted independent research on liberalism and tolerance in Turkish politics.

• University of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | 2006-2011

  • B.A. summa cum laude with Honors, Economics & International Studies. May 2011.
  • Honors Thesis: “Conspiracism in Turkish Politics”
  • GPA in Economics: 4.0. GPA in International Studies: 4.0. Overall: 3.9.
  • Selected coursework: Econometrics, Economics of Strategy, Public Sector Economics, Development Economics, International Political Economy, Turkish

• Bogazici University | Istanbul, Turkey | Summer 2010, Spring 2009

  • Attended intensive summer language program and semester abroad.
  • Focused on Turkish language, political economy, and history of Turkey.

• Middle East Technical University | Ankara, Turkey | Fall 2008

  • Focused on Turkish language, Turkish foreign policy, and European integration.

• Koch Summer Fellow Program | Washington, DC | Summer 2008

  • Attended a weeklong seminar on market-based public policy analysis.
  • Completed and presented a research project on U.S. arms control policy.

• Globalization, Technology & Development seminar, Institute for Humane Studies | San Jose, CA | Summer 2007

  • Participated in lectures and seminars on liberty and prosperity in the global economy
  • Researched, presented and won first place for a group project on trust structures in Internet commerce.

• Flinn Scholars Central Europe seminar, Institute for International Education | Budapest, Hungary | Summer 2007

  • Traveled extensively in Hungary and Romania
  • Attended daily lectures by scholars and policymakers on the culture, politics, and history of Central Europe

Experience

• Arizona Desert Lamp, Blogger & co-founder | Fall 2008 - Spring 2011

• First place, America’s Future Foundation College Blogger award

  • Reported on student government and university policy from an independent perspective.
  • Organized information and advocacy projects, including a student candidate policy survey, a review of campus drug arrests, a sidewalk chalk free speech campaign, and an incidental fee protection pledge.

• Technology Policy Institute, Research intern | Washington, DC | Summer 2008

  • Conducted research on the information economy, including health IT, broadband coverage in West Africa, H-1B visa policy, and self-regulatory organizations.

• Arizona Daily Wildcat, Opinions Editor | Tucson, Arizona | Fall 2007-Spring 2008

• First place, editorial writing, Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence award

• Daily Wildcat award for distinguished editorial writing

  • Recruited, hired, and managed a staff of 16 daily columnists. Led weekly editorial board meetings.
  • Wrote 108 articles on deadline, including daily editorials and weekly columns.
  • Revised and edited articles for content and style.

• Tucson Parks & Recreation, Water Safety Instructor | Tucson, Arizona | 2004-2007

  • Taught daily swimming and water safety lessons to 3-12 year olds. Enforced rules and responded to emergencies.

Skills

• Advanced Turkish, elementary Kurmanji Kurdish.
• Python: Django, Bottle, Google App Engine.
• Clojure/ClojureScript
• HTML5/CSS3/Javascript
• Basic regression analysis with STATA and R.

Activities, Scholarships, & Awards

• Outstanding Senior, UA College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Pillars of Excellence Award, University of Arizona
• Department of Education FLAS Fellow
• National Security Education Program Boren Scholar
• Flinn Foundation Scholar
• Student Preceptor, Honors Near & Middle East Colloquium
• International Studies Student Association, UA Economics Society