ALI EMRE BILGIC 

A company’s report can contain plenty of statements about sustainability. But finding an environmental claim and deciding whether it is supported by evidence are two different tasks. That distinction is at the centre of my research on greenwashing. Working with my mentor and co-author, Dr. Emre Atlıer Olca, I explored a question about automated analysis: when a rule-based system extracts environmental, social and governance (ESG) claims from corporate reports, what does it mi

This summer, economics took me much further than a classroom. I travelled to Shenzhen, China, to represent Türkiye at the 2026 International Economics Olympiad, then spent four days exploring Hong Kong. My favourite part of the IEO was meeting students from 56 countries who shared my interest in economics. We came from different places, but we already had something to talk about. It was exciting to be around so many people my age who wanted to explore similar questions. I als

What surprised me most is that I cannot fully explain why. My generation has access to almost every type of music imaginable, and most trends move incredibly fast. Yet Sting’s music feels different. It does not try to impress immediately. It grows on you gradually. Songs like Englishman in New York, Fields of Gold, or Shape of My Heart carry something that feels both calm and thoughtful at the same time. The music creates atmosphere without demanding attention. Sometimes it b

In Türkiye, May 19 is far more than a national holiday. It marks a turning point in the country’s history and carries a message that continues to shape generations more than a century later. On May 19, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in Samsun, beginning what would eventually become the Turkish War of Independence. At a time when the country faced occupation, uncertainty, and enormous challenges, this moment represented something larger than military strategy. It symboliz

This Sunday, I’ll be running in the İş Bankası Half Marathon. It’s not just another race for me. It’s part of a journey that will continue in November, when I plan to run my first full marathon. But more importantly, I’m running for KAÇUV — Kanserli Çocuklara Umut Vakfı — an organization that supports children with cancer and their families throughout incredibly difficult times. When I was younger, I went through two surgeries myself. Still, I remember just enough of that tim

I built MicroBudgetCoach as a simple tool to make saving more practical and visible in everyday life. Indeed, this work connects to my app, MicroBudgetCoach, where I explore how small financial habits can be built in practice. While learning about economics and financial systems, I realized that most people understand the idea of saving, but struggle with applying it consistently. The problem is not knowledge, but habit. I wanted to create something that helps bridge that gap

In February, I traveled to London to surprise my sister for her birthday. It was a short trip, but it turned into something more meaningful than I expected. At the same time, I had a school assignment called Culture Mushroom, which required me to attend a cultural activity and reflect on it. Instead of choosing something obvious, I ended up visiting a place I hadn’t heard much about before: the The Wallace Collection. Located in a historic townhouse, the museum felt very dif

Basketball has always been an important part of my life. It’s where I learned discipline, consistency, and how to be part of a team. Two weeks ago, I injured my thumb when the ball hit it the wrong way. Since then, I’ve been wearing a splint. I went back to practice yesterday, but I still couldn’t play. Today is one of the most important games of the season, and I won’t be on the court. Situations like this make you realize that not everything is in your control. You can prep

This project focuses on making financial literacy more accessible and understandable for younger students. In collaboration with the Global Shapers Community – İzmir Hub, I worked with volunteers from different countries, including India and Thailand, to explore how financial education can be adapted across different cultural contexts. These discussions highlighted a common issue: while financial decisions shape everyday life, many students are never introduced to these conce

Over the past year, I have realized something important: access to information is no longer the main challenge. The real challenge is using that information wisely. As I prepare for the SAT, many of my friends ask me whether I am taking private tutoring or enrolling in expensive prep programs. The truth is, I believe free and accessible tools can be incredibly powerful if used strategically. Recently, I started using Gemini while studying. Instead of asking it for direct answ

When Alperen Şengün was growing up in Giresun, he was not considered the typical prototype of a future NBA star. He was not the tallest kid at a young age, nor was he built like the traditional modern big man. But what he had was something harder to measure: feel for the game. Şengün began his professional career in Turkey at a young age. His breakout season came with Beşiktaş, where he won the Turkish League MVP award in 2021 at just 18 years old. That alone was historic. He

November was a revealing month in the Turkish Basketball Super League, as the standings began to stabilize and several teams showed clearer identities. At the top of the table, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe Beko and Bahçeşehir Koleji continued to separate themselves with strong offensive systems and consistent execution. Beşiktaş in particular demonstrated impressive momentum by combining spacing, efficient guard play and balanced scoring, while Fenerbahçe’s EuroLeague-level roster qu

I recently went back to playing piano, but not in the way I imagined. At first, I thought I would practice every day and prepare for the ABRSM Grade 5 exam. Then school got busy. I had basketball practice, three AP classes, and the YetGen certificate program. I kept telling myself I would “catch up next week,” but there was always something else to do. For a while, I felt guilty, like I was failing at something I used to love. Eventually, I realized that forcing the piano int

One of the most striking features of Mr. Mercedes is how the soundtrack supports the psychological tension of the story. The songs used in the series are not random picks. Each one captures a specific emotional tone and helps us understand what characters like Bill Hodges and Brady Hartsfield are experiencing internally. The best example is “It’s Not Too Late” by T Bone Burnett, which serves as a haunting musical theme for the show. Its slow, unsettling rhythm reflects the se

Basketball is often associated with talent. Height, athleticism, speed, or shooting ability usually get the most attention. But over time, one thing becomes increasingly clear: improvement is not only about talent. It is also about mindset. Psychologist Carol Dweck introduced the concept of a growth mindset — the belief that abilities can improve through effort, learning, and persistence. In sports, this idea becomes especially powerful. Players with a fixed mindset may see m

From Fabric to Factory: The Hidden Story Behind My Floral Basketball Shorts At first, my floral basketball shorts seemed like something new and modern, something made for a generation that mixes style and sport. But when I looked closer, I started to see how they are also connected to a much longer story. The shorts are made of polyester, a fabric that only became common in the twentieth century after the invention of synthetic fibers. That small label inside, the one that sa

This fall, I joined the YetGen 21st Century Skills Program, which is a highly selective and multi-stage leadership initiative in Turkey. While the program covers a vast curriculum from digital literacy to design thinking, my primary goal was to bridge the gap between my technical interests in sports analytics and economics and the practical skills required to drive real-world impact. Now in week 8, I have moved beyond being a passive learner to becoming a proactive strategist

People often assume that academics and sports compete against each other. The idea is simple: if you spend more time on basketball, your grades suffer. If you focus entirely on academics, athletic development slows down. But over time, I realized balance is less about splitting time equally and more about building discipline consistently. Basketball has never taken me away from studying. In many ways, it has improved it. Training several days a week teaches time management na

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/elastic.asp Determinants - What Makes Demand More or Less Elastic? Availability of substitutes (more substitutes → more elastic) Proportion of income spent on the good Time: short-run vs long-run elasticity Necessity vs luxury Habit, brand loyalty Examples Gasoline is relatively inelastic in the short run — people still need to drive. Investopedia Luxury goods or non-essentials tend to be more elastic. If price of coffee rises a bit and

There are more than 6000 teams competing worldwide this year. Even in my high school, there 3 teams competing, however, my friends and I are the youngest as 10th graders. We started quite well and at the end of the first month, our ranking is between 9-50!! Let me give you the links to apply for this completely free competition. If you like trading like I do, you should definitely convince your friends to create a group and find a mentor teacher and apply for it next year....