Azra Derin Sansal, a high school student at Sainte Pulchérie French High School in Turkey, is dedicated to developing her capabilities, broadening her horizons, and making progress.
Azra has achieved recognition as an FRC Dean’s List Award semi-finalist. She has also earned the Academic High Honors Award, presented by the Turkish Ministry of Education, in recognition of her academic excellence. Furthermore, Azra received the Judges’ Special Award at Robotex Turkey for her Mini-Sumo Robot.
As the PR captain of SPARC 5665 Robotics Club, she actively contributed to the design, construction, and coding of various robots, participating in competitions both in Turkey and the USA. Azra’s enthusiasm for science extended to her school’s radio station, where she hosted a podcast discussing new discoveries and theories in astrophysics.
In addition to her robotics involvement, Azra is a dedicated member of various community clubs. She serves as the Vice President of the Rotary Interact Club, where she has played a crucial role in helping families in need by providing food and children’s books and engaging in cultural exchange activities. Azra also generously volunteered her time as a maths teacher for a class of 5th graders through the School Support Association of Turkey, conducting online classes weekly. Additionally, she has been involved with the Parilti Association for the Visually Impaired, where she read books to visually impaired students and provided tutoring in specific subjects.
Within the CCIR Academy, Azra conducted a research project titled “The Conditions Required for Tidal Disruption of a Star in the Gravitational Field of a Compact Object”. Her research paper explains the astrophysical phenomenon of tidal disruption events, where the gravitational forces of a black hole overpower a nearby star’s gravity, causing it to be torn apart. Azra discusses the conditions required for this event to occur and the observation of tidal disruption events.
We are delighted to share that Azra’s research paper has been accepted at the International Forum on Research Excellence (IFoRE) in California.
IFoRE, powered by Sigma Xi, is a three-day conference celebrating research excellence’s pivotal role in advancing humanity. Going beyond traditional boundaries, it engages high school students, research scientists, engineers, and supporters of scientific principles to achieve the highest standards of research and promote global scientific integrity. The event showcases Key Thoughts through symposia, workshops, and presentations, featuring speakers from institutions like Northern Arizona University, Florida Atlantic University, and McGill University.
Congratulations, Azra!
