Hello, everyone!

I’m the founder, writer, and maintainer of this blog, which I’m proud to run. I’m also developing an exciting project called The School of Invention. The launch of this project is postponed! Currently, I will work on another very exciting project, which details I may not reveal yet. Stay tuned. I am an aspiring and emerging AI Researcher. I am interested in Decision Science for Machine Learning, which is at the intersection of Machine Learning with pure mathematical fields like geometry, hybrid AI models, and neural representation in AI. I am also a Feminist AND a men’s rights activist, and I believe we can combine these two movements that constantly seem to fight each other. Here you can read more about my professional and personal life.

In the future, I’ll launch a personal website to share more detailed insights into my work, career journey, and personal life. For now, here’s a little introduction to give you a sense of who’s behind this blog and to let you know I’m here if you’re interested in collaborating or have any questions. Now, have fun exploring the blog, and be good!

Here’s me

Writing

Welcome to this Blog run by me, Yildiz Culcu. I have been writing on the platform Medium since 2022 and became a 2x Top Writer in the category Future and the category Feminism, and I encourage you to check out my page! I have written for several Blogs and Publications like Poets Choice, Data-Driven Fiction, Osintteam.blog, and more. I am preparing a few more publications and will keep you up-to-date on this Blog. Life and Logic was a little side-project I started two years ago and has since evolved to become a Start-Up, I actively pursue. This motivation was raised because of you! My readers who wrote or texted me and told me that my writing helped them with an issue, changed their perspective on something, e.g. Feminism, and actively looked for insights and a logical approach to Life. The Project School of Invention extends our growing Media outlet further and I am excited about what the future holds.

Comments under my article “How different are men and women: Society vs. biology”. You find it here on this Blog as well.

I will list some Topics and questions I am interested in here. You can also visit the Content page for further details and I will add more subpages that will structure our Blog Series’ and content. The best way to understand what I am passionate about, work on, and think about is to read the Blog content! Here, however, I will state a few Themes that are important to me or inspire me every day.

Career

I study Computer science and Philosophy in Kiel, Germany at the Christian-Albrechts University.

Aspiring and emerging AI Researcher

I had an incredible experience during my internship at the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, and I’m excited to return to collaborate with the Institute on my upcoming thesis. Here’s a snapshot of me enjoying the renowned Leipzig Zoo!

I was recently in Heidelberg for the Avenues of Intelligence Workshop and had a great and inspiring time there. But it was unbelievably hot. It made me suffer.

My resume

Yildiz Culcu resumeDownload

A Letter from my Supervisor Dr. Nico Scherf

Internship Letter MPI by Nico Scherf-Culcu,YildizDownload

Other References

culcu-einschaetzung_bonitzDownload

Extracurricular activities

I am an active mentor with the CyberMentor Initiative, where I guide and inspire a 15-year-old girl passionate about computer science. Each week, I help her navigate topics like algorithms, programming, and more, fostering her confidence and interest in becoming a computer scientist. Additionally, I collaborate with Techagogics GmbH, delivering impactful workshops like the highly regarded Deepfake-Detective Workshop, which empowers participants to tackle digital manipulation. I also serve the visitors of the Max-Planck Museum in Kiel, which I helped digitalize, together with my superior Michael Bonitz, whom I have worked with for a long time now and have great respect for.

Beyond mentoring, I am a dedicated member of the German Association of the United Nations (DGVN), participating regularly in their conferences to engage with global issues. I am interested in the working group Gender Justice. I am actively involved in the Computer Science Department at the University of Kiel. I write articles for the blog frauen.inf.uni-kiel.de to promote gender equity in STEM and actively support institute activities. I also contribute as a Creator for the WIDA.sh, Initiative (see below).

My voluntary work reflects my deep commitment to promoting equality and education, focusing on creating opportunities in technology and science.

WIDA visit at UKSH Kiel to talk and learn about digitalization in hospitals.

Innovation and Start-Up

WIDA event during the digital week in Kiel 2024

I love interviewing people—it’s incredible how much we can learn simply by listening. For The School of Invention, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with some truly fascinating individuals and look forward to discovering even more inspiring voices. If you’re interested in being part of this journey, feel free to reach out! Here I am at Digital Week Kiel, asking the CEO of Wildflower.ai a question (you might notice I was a bit nervous!).

Hobbies

My Hobbies are Ballet, Ballroom Dancing, Bouldering, Writing, Gaming, and playing Cards. I also enjoy fencing and singing. I will share some footage of my free-time activities on my Social Media Channels and in the future on a personal website.

My favorite books are Crime and Punishment (my all-time favorite!), The Book of Why, Gone with the Wind, Algorithms to Live By, Beyond Good and Evil, and Thinking Fast and Slow. I love the original Star Wars movies; the prequels are pretty decent. My favorite movies, however, are Sherlock Holmes cinematic adaptations with Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and the wonderful Rachel Mc Adams who portrayed Irene Adler. I am a great Sherlock Holmes Fan; he was even a role model for me as a child. Read more below. I recently enjoyed the Netflix show “La Legge di Lidia Poet” and found it inspiring. My favorite video games are Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 2 & 3, and God of War V.

I have a PhD in photobombing

Xia and I had such a good time during my internship in Leipzig, and I look forward to returning to the fun soon! What a blessing to progress in your career and form meaningful connections along the way! Big shoutout to Sasha Brenner, too, who is just the best! Here, Xia and I try desperately to make a good photo of us at the Zoo. That was the best we could do.

Upbringing and Personal Life

I was born in Dieburg, Germany. My mother, Ayse, is a lovely and caring nurse—and undoubtedly my biggest fan. My older brother, Agit, is an electrical engineer and my greatest confidant. Growing up, I was very close to my younger cousins, Abdullah and Ibrahim, who were like siblings to me. A special mention goes to my aunt Fatma, a psychologist and one of my greatest role models. She taught me the power of saying no, giving me the confidence to trust my intelligence and take pride in my independence.

Throughout my school years, I was fortunate to have several teachers who believed in my academic potential. Among them, Björn Kralemann stands out. From the very beginning, he recognized my capabilities and consistently encouraged me to strive for even higher goals. I’ll always be grateful for his belief in me, especially during a time when few others did.

I attended the Max-Planck school in Kiel, Germany, and was the class representative. My favorite subjects were philosophy, mathematics, physics, and politics. I graduated with 1,5. Here I am at my prom.

I grew up fascinated by Sherlock Holmes, drawn to his deductive reasoning and analytical mindset through radio plays and movies with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, even without reading the original books.