Meet the Chair

Hande Ilgaz, Ph.D.

Chair, Department of Psychology
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Psychology lies at the heart of how we understand ourselves—as biological organisms, as individuals, and as members of groups. At one level, we are genes and neurons: our brains and bodies carry out complex processes at the molecular and neural scale. Yet this is not the whole story. Humans develop selves and identities; we form personalities, pursue goals, and our cognitive and social abilities change across the lifespan. Just as importantly, we are social beings, embedded in cultures, histories, and interactions.

Psychology is the study of all of this—the science of who we are. As long as there are humans, there will be psychology.

At Bilkent Psychology, we study the mind in all its dimensions. Our research and teaching span diverse areas: from perception, memory, and learning, to beliefs, prejudices, and group dynamics, to the ways we reflect on who we are and how we grow. Together, we aim to illuminate the human experience through rigorous science and innovative scholarship. We invite students, scholars, and curious minds alike to join us in the discovery of cognition, perception, and behavior as situated in social, historical, and cultural contexts.