About

I am a systems and cognitive neuroscientist with a background in electrical and biomedical engineering. I am passionate about translational research that bridges health sciences with innovative technologies and methodologies to better understand brain function and ultimately address clinical challenges.

My research investigates the neural mechanisms underlying speech and language, with a particular focus on how the brain perceives, produces, and monitors speech through the integration of multisensory signals including auditory feedback from our own voice, visual cues from mouth movements, and somatosensory information from our speech articulators.

A central question driving my work is how the brain transforms intentions into fluent speech. How are speech movements planned, coordinated, and continuously adjusted through sensory feedback? How does the brain distinguish our own voice from those of others, and how is inner speech represented when we silently think or rehearse something? By studying these processes, I aim to understand the neural basis of speech and language disorders and how disruptions in these complex systems lead to impaired communication.

Beyond uncovering the mechanisms shared across individuals, my research explores why people differ in their speech and language abilities and neural organization. I investigate how cognitive factors shape speech and language processing and how individual variability emerges in both neurotypical populations and clinical conditions.

To address these questions, I combine behavioral experiments with electrophysiology, neuroimaging, and neuromodulation approaches. My work integrates techniques including electrocorticography (ECoG), functional MRI, diffusion MRI tractography, and deep brain stimulation (DBS) to build a comprehensive understanding of the distributed neural networks that support speech and language.

Curriculum Vitae

Employment

2021 - Present
Postdoctoral Researcher
Radboud University, Donders Centre for Cognition & Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Netherlands
2017 - 2021
Postdoctoral Researcher
New York University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, New York, USA
2010 - 2012
Research Assistant
Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, California, USA
2009 - 2010
Research Assistant
Boğaziçi University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Turkey

Education

2017
PhD in Neuroscience
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, USA
Dissertation →
2009
MSc in Biomedical Engineering
Boğaziçi University, Turkey
2007
BSc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Koç University, Turkey

Technical Skills

Programming:
MATLAB, R, Python
Data Analysis:
Statistical modelling and machine learning (lmer, scikit-learn), voice analysis (Praat), fMRI analysis (AFNI, SPM, FSL), EEG analysis (Fieldtrip, EEGLab), stimulus programming (Psychtoolbox)

Peer Review and Editorial Service

Ad Hoc Reviewer:
Cortex, Cerebral Cortex, Journal of Neuroscience, Human Brain Mapping, Communications Psychology, Brain and Language, Brain Structure and Function, Neuroimage, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Psychonomic Bulletin and Review and Journal of Neural Transmission.
Editorial Positions:
Special issue editor - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Scientific editor - Acta Psychologica

Project funding (total > $330k)

Radboud University Donders Center for Cognition Seed Funding (2026, €3k)
NIH F32 Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (2020 - 2023, $191k budget, Role: Principal Investigator
The New York Academy of Sciences, Leon Levy Fellowship in Neuroscience (2018 - 2020, $140k budget)

Honors and Awards

2020
Honorable Mention, Society for the Neurobiology of Language
2019
Postdoctoral Merit Award, Society for the Neurobiology of Language
2018
Oral Presentation Award, NYU School of Medicine Postdoc Research Day
2017
Best Dissertation Award, UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
2017
Merit Abstract Award, Organization of Human Brain Mapping
2016
3rd Place at the Poster Session, Gulf Coast Cluster for Neuroengineering Annual Symposium
2015
2nd Place at the Neuroscience Program Retreat Poster Session,
2013
Student Travel Award, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciencess

Invited Talks

A selection of relevant talks

2026
Do you hear yourself? Influence of auditory feedback on speech fluency.
Donders Day 2026
2025
Do you hear yourself? Influence of auditory feedback on speech fluency.
Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging RUM Meeting
2022
Processing of auditory error signals during human speech production to maintain fluency
California Irvine Center for Hearing Research
2021
Auditory feedback control of speech
New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center Lecture Series
2020
Neural mechanism underlying speech production during delayed auditory feedback
Society for the Neurobiology of Language, Virtual Edition
2019
Distinct auditory neural populations track vocalization feedback delays
New York University Intracranial EEG Meeting
2018
Intracranial neurophysiology of auditory feedback control during speech production
New York University Postdoc Research Day
2018
Neural correlates of delayed auditory feedback investigated by electrocorticography
Society for Neuroscience, San Diego

Institutional Service

2026 – Now
Member of the Diversity and Sustainable Science (DSS) Committee, Donders Institute
2026 – Now
Member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI), Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
2024 – Now
Organizer of the Neurobiology of Language meetings, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
2022 – 2024
Coordinator of the Social Committee, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
2022 – 2023
Member of the Sustainability Working Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
2015 – 2016
Coordinator of the Neuroscience Student Council, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Professional Affiliations

American Association for the Advancement of Science
IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
Organization for Human Brain Mapping
Society for Neuroscience
Society for the Neurobiology of Language