Date: 11 July 2025 With its theatre event, Istanbul Beykent University brought science to life on stage. As part of the nationwide ‘Science Café’ events held simultaneously across Türkiye on 28 June 2025, the Istanbul Beykent University Science Communication Office, under the coordination of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Science Communication Office, hosted a significant programme. Organised by the Istanbul Beykent University Science Communication Office, the event titled Bringing Science to the Stage: A Participatory Approach to Scientific Awareness with Forum Theatre was held on 28 June 2025 at the Sarıyer Sports Club Cafeteria. Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Yalçın Kırdar, Chair of the Science Communication Commission; Asst. Prof. Dr. Sedat Erol, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Communication; and Lecturer Umut Yiğit, responsible for the Newslab and Medialab areas, took part in the event. The event was curated by Res. Asst. Cem Çalışkan from the Department of Television Journalism and Programming, Faculty of Communication. Asst. Prof. Dr. Nazım Sarıkaya, of the Department of Acting in the Faculty of Fine Arts, delivered a speech at the event. ‘Our goal is to strengthen the connection between academia and society.’ In his opening remarks, Res. Asst. Cem Çalışkan stated, ‘As Istanbul Beykent University Science Communication Office, our goal is to strengthen the connection between academia and society. Increasing the accessibility and comprehensibility of university research to the public enhances our ability to communicate effectively and promote informed discourse on scientific matters.’ After the opening speeches, various theatre plays were performed on the stage. The performances addressed diverse social issues such as interpersonal relations, anxieties, economic difficulties, and cultural beliefs. Conspiracy theories and science denialism were the main themes, with discussions covering vaccines, GMOs, pollution, and the pandemic. In line with the themes determined by Res. Asst. Cem Çalışkan, the actors acted out the subjects determined by improvisations. Viewers also actively participated in interactive games that compared scientific thinking with conspiracy theories. ‘Art is a compelling tool for conveying science.’ Speaking after the event, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nazım Sarıkaya stated, ‘Science and art should connect through social communication. We have shaped the dramatic design of our plays with this understanding. We do not assert that we deliver fully accurate information or generate original scientific knowledge. Our objective is to promote awareness, stimulate critical thinking, and facilitate impartial discussions through storytelling. Art, as a form of expression, can indeed be a powerful tool for science storytelling. If communication is the process in which a source encodes a message and transmits it to a receiver—who then becomes a source and responds—then art can serve as the language of this interaction.’ ‘Together with the audience, we co-create the play in real time.’ Emphasising the impact of audience interaction on the plays, Sarıkaya continued as follows: ‘The dramatic structure evolved through the audience’s contribution. Some of the scenes we prepared during rehearsals were never even performed. We added new scenes on the spot, inspired by the audience’s comments or through their direct participation as actors on stage. Forum theatre already has a structure that is open to improvisation. We don’t memorise a fixed script and perform it. We outline the plot and key conflict points in advance, then reconstruct the play together with the audience.’ The event ended with a Q&A session after the theatre screening. İlgili Görseller Facebook'ta Paylaş Twitter'da Paylaş LinkedIn'de Paylaş E-posta Gönder Whatsapp'ta Paylaş
Date: 11 July 2025 With its theatre event, Istanbul Beykent University brought science to life on stage. As part of the nationwide ‘Science Café’ events held simultaneously across Türkiye on 28 June 2025, the Istanbul Beykent University Science Communication Office, under the coordination of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Science Communication Office, hosted a significant programme. Organised by the Istanbul Beykent University Science Communication Office, the event titled Bringing Science to the Stage: A Participatory Approach to Scientific Awareness with Forum Theatre was held on 28 June 2025 at the Sarıyer Sports Club Cafeteria. Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Yalçın Kırdar, Chair of the Science Communication Commission; Asst. Prof. Dr. Sedat Erol, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Communication; and Lecturer Umut Yiğit, responsible for the Newslab and Medialab areas, took part in the event. The event was curated by Res. Asst. Cem Çalışkan from the Department of Television Journalism and Programming, Faculty of Communication. Asst. Prof. Dr. Nazım Sarıkaya, of the Department of Acting in the Faculty of Fine Arts, delivered a speech at the event. ‘Our goal is to strengthen the connection between academia and society.’ In his opening remarks, Res. Asst. Cem Çalışkan stated, ‘As Istanbul Beykent University Science Communication Office, our goal is to strengthen the connection between academia and society. Increasing the accessibility and comprehensibility of university research to the public enhances our ability to communicate effectively and promote informed discourse on scientific matters.’ After the opening speeches, various theatre plays were performed on the stage. The performances addressed diverse social issues such as interpersonal relations, anxieties, economic difficulties, and cultural beliefs. Conspiracy theories and science denialism were the main themes, with discussions covering vaccines, GMOs, pollution, and the pandemic. In line with the themes determined by Res. Asst. Cem Çalışkan, the actors acted out the subjects determined by improvisations. Viewers also actively participated in interactive games that compared scientific thinking with conspiracy theories. ‘Art is a compelling tool for conveying science.’ Speaking after the event, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nazım Sarıkaya stated, ‘Science and art should connect through social communication. We have shaped the dramatic design of our plays with this understanding. We do not assert that we deliver fully accurate information or generate original scientific knowledge. Our objective is to promote awareness, stimulate critical thinking, and facilitate impartial discussions through storytelling. Art, as a form of expression, can indeed be a powerful tool for science storytelling. If communication is the process in which a source encodes a message and transmits it to a receiver—who then becomes a source and responds—then art can serve as the language of this interaction.’ ‘Together with the audience, we co-create the play in real time.’ Emphasising the impact of audience interaction on the plays, Sarıkaya continued as follows: ‘The dramatic structure evolved through the audience’s contribution. Some of the scenes we prepared during rehearsals were never even performed. We added new scenes on the spot, inspired by the audience’s comments or through their direct participation as actors on stage. Forum theatre already has a structure that is open to improvisation. We don’t memorise a fixed script and perform it. We outline the plot and key conflict points in advance, then reconstruct the play together with the audience.’ The event ended with a Q&A session after the theatre screening. İlgili Görseller