Ela Turhan, a Year 11 student at Canberra Narrabundah College IB DP in Australia, has always been proactive in seeking opportunities to expand her knowledge and skills. Previously, she participated in the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Summer Program at the University of California San Diego, where she was granted a full-ride scholarship through the Inamori Scholarship. During her time in the program, she engaged in experimental design, descriptive statistics, biostatistics fundamentals, gene expression data management, multivariate analysis, and essential bioinformatics concepts and databases.
Her volunteer work is also impressive. She taught music and creative writing workshops for children through SocialBen (e-SosyalBen) and served as an instructor for the Digital area music workshop for four months. She taught STEM classes for children in disadvantaged areas through the SEY Foundation (Semra & Enver Yücel Foundation). She was one of the speakers at the International Cinema and Youth Congress (ICAY) 2020, where she discussed the topic “Sustainable Development Goals”. She was also involved in organising the CHILD-UNICEF Child Rights Seminar for Eskisehir Bahcesehir High School students in Turkey.
At CCIR Academy, Ela conducted her research project titled “The Phylogenetic Diversity and Prevalence of Enterotoxin and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Staphylococcus Aureus.” Her project aimed to explore the evolutionary adaptations of Staphylococcus aureus in enterotoxin-containing populations, shedding light on their resistance to different antibiotics. This research holds significance in understanding the pathogenic potential of aureus and in the surveillance of enterotoxin-associated gastrointestinal diseases.
During an episode of CCIR Academy Student Spotlights, Ela shares her research insights and expresses gratitude for the unwavering support she received from her professor and the CCIR Academy throughout her research journey.
