The first event in the ‘Voice of Science, Village Prosperity’ programme series, organised by the Yalova University Science and Communication Office Coordination, took place on Thursday, 16 October at 12:30 pm in Güneyköy, Yalova. The programme was a meaningful gathering that demonstrated how science can exist not only within the confines of the campus, but in every aspect of life. This event, which transformed scientific knowledge into benefits for society, was one of the finest examples of raising awareness on issues such as health, the environment and education.
The event commenced with a warm welcome from Mehmet Emin Baysal, the village headman of Güneyköy, and the villagers. The village meal, offered as a token of hospitality, fostered a warm atmosphere of conversation among the participants. Throughout the programme, tea and coffee were served, while the village square was enriched by both the voice of science and a friendly atmosphere.
The event was attended by Yalova University Rector Prof. Mehmet Bahçekapılı, Vice Rectors Prof. Taner Tatar and Prof. Senay Yürür Karslıoğlu, along with faculty members, administrative staff and students from various departments of the university.
Health was the main theme of the awareness activities carried out for the village community. As part of the programme, presentations were given to raise awareness and provide information on breast cancer; assessments were made regarding the risk of falls in elderly individuals, and information was provided on preventive measures. In addition, risk screenings for swallowing disorders in the elderly were carried out, and participants were guided on healthy lifestyle habits.
This meaningful event was brought to life through the dedicated efforts of expert faculty members from different departments and the Science and Communication Office team. Associate Professor Asuman Saltan and Lecturer Dr Ebrar Atak from the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Lecturer Dr Aslı Yıldırım, from the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, Assoc. Prof. Kaan Diyarbakırlıoğlu, Coordinator of the Science and Communication Office, and Kecturer Dr Seçkin Arpalıer, Assistant Coordinator, undertook the academic management of the event.
The programme was organised with contributions from Ozan Erozan and Specialist Doctor Harun Ayas from the Office of the Special Secretary, while Lecturer Gamze Uğur from the Health Care Services Department and Lecturer Dr Ayşe Karagözoğlu Dikici from the Therapy and Rehabilitation Department took part in the practical activities. Assoc. Prof. Sema Sağlık from the Corporate Communications and Promotion Coordination Office, cameraman Bünyamin Koç, news reporter Simge Ersan, and social media manager and copywriter Gülşah Şeker managed the programme's visibility and communication processes.
Additionally, a group of 20 volunteer students from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, and the Faculty of Art and Design added vibrancy to the event by communicating directly with the villagers. Together, they wholeheartedly echoed the voice of science.
That day, Güneyköy became a haven of knowledge and prosperity. The words were scholarly, the behaviour courteous, the efforts sincere. As the sun disappeared over the horizon, a light remained in their hearts: a life touched by knowledge is crowned with prosperity.
This programme mingled with the people not with the arrogance of knowledge, but with the humility of wisdom. Yalova University raised the banner of science in the village square at the first stop of this science communication journey. And the faith goes that this voice will echo in every corner of Yalova, carrying the light of science to every cell of life...
