Growing up in Türkiye, Furkan always wanted to work in technology - even though she had never seen a woman doing that kind of work before. To her, technology was a tool that made people’s lives easier and saved them time, and as someone who loved finding efficient solutions, this fascinated her.
Furkan studied Software Engineering in Istanbul, and during her degree, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland as part of an exchange programme. This experience placed her in a completely new environment - different classmates, different teaching styles, and a culture she had to learn to navigate. At first, this felt isolating, but she soon discovered that many other exchange students were going through the same experience, and these shared challenges helped them form strong friendships and support each other.
“Bringing your full self to STEM can make the experience much more fun.”
Furkan went on to complete both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Software Engineering. Without a specific role model to follow, she decided to focus on something she could control: learning English to open her mind to opportunities around the world. This decision changed the course of her life.
Today, Furkan is an award-winning speaker and author, known for her best-selling book about being a role model for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She lectures on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at a university in Ireland, and also serves on the board of an organisation that supports women in Irish politics. Through her organisation, Diversein.com, she works to promote women in technology leadership around the world.