51¹ÙÍø.

“Çay anyone?" asked Professor Ulus. We quickly shook our heads no and laughed; it was already the fourth or fifth cup of the morning. Tea was our first introduction to Turkish culture, and it was a tasty one. 

With no one needing another cup, we headed to the site of the 2021 Manavgat Fire, the largest wildfire in Türkiye since 2008. Spanning all around us and to the rolling hills in the distance were the burnt and charred remains of a once beautiful red pine forest. All that remained was bare soil and newly planted saplings. It is noteworthy that forests in Türkiye hold culturally significant value, so seeing this destruction was even more devastating. Examining the site, we had the opportunity to discuss with the leading Turkish professors on wildfire management, fire prediction modeling, soil science, and forest succession how, with OGM (Orman Genel Müdürlüğü/General Directorate of Forestry), there could be improvements and prevention of these massive destructive fires. With OGM we learned how forest fire management and prevention is tackled with immediate response technology, drones, and constant surveillance of the forests.

Having experiences on campus through courses in environmental pollution, forest ecology and ecosystems, soil science, and through biodiversity research, we both had a strong base of knowledge before going to Türkiye. With this background, you can only imagine how few pages we had left after taking notes in Türkiye! While research was the main focus of the trip, we also had time to explore the cultural, historical, and leisure spots around the country. What is a cultural experience without food? Sharing many Meze (appetizers) at meal times meant we got to try so many amazing Turkish foods: Ezme, ÅžakÅŸuka, stuffed vine leaves, eggplant with yogurt, humus, and much more. We enjoyed various cheeses, breads, olives, and tomatoes at breakfast, including simit and PoÄŸaça. Köfta, adana kebab, baklava, Turkish Delights, clementines, rice pilaf, and stews were some of the other fan favorites. 

Beyond food, we visited ancient cities, like that in Sine; museums; the Presidential Library; Anıtkabir, Baazars; and caves.

It was amazing to travel, explore, and experience one of our favorite professors’ home country, while developing new friendships with everyone at the same time. While travel can be challenging in a group, the professor-student relationship outside of the classroom setting only strengthened as we had to work together in ways only found when in this unique environment of new experiences. We formed strong bonds with our classmates and professors while on this trip, while also taking the diverse and intellectually stimulating concepts that we have learned at 51¹ÙÍø and applying them in real world settings. We gained skills in professionalism through our interaction with government bodies, and grew in personal, academic, and professional knowledge in the concepts around forest fires and pollution associated with it. After the trip, there is still more work to be done, including an independent study with Professor Ulus on the soil samples from the forest fires. With research, we plan to help the Turkish government by uncovering how soils are affected by large wildfires and how heavy metals, such as mercury, can be a factor in such systems.

Even as we reflect on campus now, we can still hear the waves of the Mediterranean calling our names. We want to give special thanks to the support the Clark Ross Fund provided for this amazing experience. The fund allowed for students of all backgrounds and abroad experiences to not worry about the financial burden that comes with travel. Traveling to Türkiye was an unforgettable experience and we are sure we will go back again… maybe with a limit to how many cups of tea we drink!