Hello, my name is Umur Turgut. I’m a freshman in the Honors College and the Bioengineering Department. I plan on pursuing a cellular engineering degree, and possibly the Conceptual Foundations in Medicine certificate. I was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and moved to Pittsburgh in 2018. I’ve lived in North Oakland for most of my time here, so people say I’m a local, but I don’t think I know that much in all honesty. In my free time, I really like to watch and play soccer, but I just like staying active in general. After graduation, I hope to either go into graduate school or industry, but I’m not quite decided on which yet.

I’ve chosen to go to the Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam and Rotterdam. There were a few particular reasons why I chose this program, but the main reasons were all around the idea that the Netherlands is a county that is central to all my interests and family. First, the Netherlands is one of the biggest hubs of biotechnology and novel engineering. Being a bioengineer, I felt that being able to experience this country, seeing how life is there, and being able to interact with industry professionals was a key aspect for my professional development. I was interested in finding academic or job opportunities in the biomedical field in the Netherlands in the future, so having one step in the door would be essential for this. Second, since most of my family and a lot of my connections are in Europe, I felt that knowing possible cities that I may like, in a country so near my family, could be really important for the future. I’ve always considered living in Europe in the future, so I felt that it would be critical that I would be able to experience this.

Finally, I hope to be able to experience strong bonds with peers in both similar and diverse fields here at Pitt through such a special experience. Being abroad and together for two weeks together can really form strong bonds, and I know that this is going to be a great opportunity for me to connect with my peers and make memories.