{"id":77331,"date":"2026-05-28T07:44:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T11:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=77331"},"modified":"2026-05-28T09:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T13:21:16","slug":"from-turkey-to-texas-utc-graduate-student-wins-nsf-travel-award-to-present-at-national-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/from-turkey-to-texas-utc-graduate-student-wins-nsf-travel-award-to-present-at-national-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"From\u00a0T\u00fcrkiye\u00a0to Texas: UTC graduate student wins NSF travel award to present at national conference\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Menekse

Menekse Adar demonstrates her research in the UTC NeuroTech Lab. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

In the summer of 2024, Menekse Adar moved to Chattanooga from T\u00fcrkiye to pursue her graduate studies.<\/span><\/p>\n

She walked the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduation stage on Saturday, May 9, with a master\u2019s degree in engineering management from the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Adar then moved her life to Virginia, where she will soon start a job as a machine learning and artificial intelligence operations engineer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Amid the excitement\u2014and only a week after commencement\u2014Adar traveled to Arlington, Texas, to present her graduate research at the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference, funded by a competitive grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The project, \u201cUnsupervised EEG-Based Identification of Emotional Engagement States During Canvas Course Interaction,\u201d uses EEG (electroencephalogram) and eye tracking to identify how people interact with the online learning platform.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

*******************<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/b><\/a> to learn more about Menekse Adar\u2019s Canvas research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

*******************<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis award means a lot to me because it supports both my academic journey and my confidence as a student researcher,\u201d Adar said. \u201cIt shows that my work is being recognized beyond my university. It also makes it possible for me to attend the IISE annual conference and present my research and connect with people in my field.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adar said she was anxious to give a 15-minute presentation to a wide audience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a very big <\/span>conference<\/span> so I am nervous,\u201d she said before the conference, \u201cbut I\u2019m preparing my speech and I\u2019m very excited.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The IISE Annual Conference is considered one of the most prestigious gatherings in the field of industrial engineering, according to Dr. Serkan Varol, an assistant professor of engineering management and Adar\u2019s faculty advisor.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He said that having a paper accepted at the conference\u2014and receiving support through a competitive NSF travel award\u2014speaks to the quality and novelty of the work Adar produced.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>It also highlights the strong research environment within the Engineering Management department,\u201d Varol said. \u201cStudents like Menekse gain valuable hands-on experience by working with real-world data and participating in high-level research activities.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He said Adar joined the program with no background in the wearable technology used in the research, learning everything from scratch and becoming the first student to work in UTC\u2019s newly established NeuroTech Lab.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe work we conduct involves real-world applications, which helped her stay focused, motivated and passionate about her research,\u201d Varol said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though Adar is moving on from her research, she hopes it <\/span>will serve as a starting point for the next generation of researchers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I came here, we had the technology, but we didn\u2019t have a foundation,\u201d Adar said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have enough knowledge to even start. In these two years, my professor and I worked on creating that foundation. When I leave, the other students will have these two studies to build on and take to a more advanced level.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking back, she said the experience shaped her in ways that she never expected. Adar arrived in Chattanooga, having never lived outside of T\u00fcrkiye, <\/span>and spent<\/span> her first year adjusting to a new culture before throwing herself fully into her work.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The discipline she developed during that time gave her a deep appreciation for what the research ultimately became.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I am being rewarded after all that hard work,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m so happy.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In her new role, Adar will work on developing secure AI and chatbot tools for use within an aerospace company. The work, she said, will keep her at the forefront of emerging technology and application, a space she\u2019s learned through her research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Varol said the department is proud of everything Adar has accomplished and is looking forward to seeing what comes next.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile this is her final semester at UTC and we are sad to see her leave, we are also excited to pursue her career goals and future dreams,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Menekse

Menekse Adar graduated from UTC on Saturday, May 9, with a master’s degree in engineering management.<\/p><\/div>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

UTC Engineering Management<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Only a week after commencement, graduate Menekse Adar traveled to Arlington, Texas, to present her graduate research at the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference, funded by a competitive grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2000,"featured_media":77351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,70,59,122493,12743,7712,52,48007,661],"tags":[127158,127159,126178,83592,48012,126030],"class_list":{"0":"post-77331","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","9":"category-education","10":"category-engineering-management-technology","11":"category-faculty-and-staff","12":"category-graduate-school","13":"category-news","14":"category-research-academics","15":"category-students","16":"tag-iise","17":"tag-institute-of-industrial-and-systems-engineers","18":"tag-menekse-adar","19":"tag-national-science-foundation","20":"tag-nsf","21":"tag-serkan-varol","22":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nFrom\u00a0T\u00fcrkiye\u00a0to 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