This month, EPWS gives the floor to Prof. Dr. Şűkran Köse, Academic, Chair in DEU Clinical Research Ethics Committee, Vice Chair in DEU Non-Invasive Research Ethics Committee at Dokuz Eylul University (DEU), Izmir and Turkey, and Chair at Infectious Diseases Prevention Association (BUHASDER).
Prof. Şűkran Köse has been working as a Medical Doctor in the field of Infectious Diseases and Immunology for more than 40 years and has been the Chair of BUHASDER for more than 15 years. Within this association, she also tried to educate women and children about infectious diseases and the association has given scholarship for young girls. During her professional life, she has tried to help disadvantaged people and has been supporter for voluntary studies (minorities, disabled people, women and children etc.).
Contact:
sukran.kose@yahoo.com / sukran.kose@deu.edu.tr
https://www.buhasder.org.tr/en
EPWS: What made you want to go to science? How did you decide to choose your discipline and your particular field of research? Did you have an inspiring model (parent, relative, teacher, literature, etc.)?
I had always wanted to be a doctor as a kid, even from the elementary school ages. Though I still remember a novel called “The Citadel” from A. J. Cronin, which I had read in High School. The depiction of Andrew Mason, the doctor who we follow the life of, made quite the impression on me. It was around those times that I found a new level to my desire to become a doctor. One could say perhaps that was the final drop that tipped over my decision into finality. Moreover, as you can see in my picture where I am sitting in my office, behind my back on the wall, there is the statement “Beni Tűrk Hekimlerine Emanet Edin” (in English: “Entrust me to the Turkish doctors”) from the founder of Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He has been a role model for me to choose this field: he was the first person in Turkey to give women to choose and to be chosen in the national elections and there were many other rights and privileges given by him.
As for my field, I am a graduate of a teaching academy. Following my graduation, I was sent to uphold my obligatory service duty. There I have come to realize the importance of infectious diseases as a practitioner. My seniors, plenty of more experienced people around me at the time were in a way, my inspirations. Furthermore, I have always been fond of both teaching and learning myself. Throughout the course of my life and time spent in various places, being able to do both was my source of happiness. Therefore, now being able to practice infectious disease as someone who also gives classes is something I find very befitting to me.
EPWS: What do you work on? How important is your research topic for science development or society?
I am a doctor working in the fields of infectious diseases, immunology and public health. Most of the issues that we cover revolve around discovering, preventing and treating infections. Vaccine research, distribution and education for public health are also strong topics within my field that I personally am invested in. I would say, it partly makes you feel like a detective to apply heavy thought processes on discovering, controlling or preventing diseases. All these considered, with any person at any moment of their lives being susceptible to infections, everything that you can cover in infectious diseases as a branch has its own admirable weight in society. Will probably never cease to be relevant, either, considering all the worldwide concerns microorganisms have made in the past. It can be said that those fields are important for all and the Association of Prevention of Infectious Diseases which I am the founder and currently chair of was founded in 2008. The association currently continues its activities, and it helps disadvantaged people (women, children, minorities, disabled, etc..) to prevent them from infectious diseases in Turkey.
EPWS: What is your greatest success as a researcher (and as a teacher if you teach), the one you are most proud of? ? Could you share the memory of a great personal satisfaction during your research career with us?
As I have mentioned before, teaching anyone who wants to be better themselves has always been such a strong part of my personality. To me, as a teacher, the greatest success itself is being able to raise my students and mentoring them through their career journey. Every single person that you can touch or lead to the right direction is a direct gain for all of humanity.
In 2021, I completed a project titled as “Preparation of training sets for different segments of society in order to reduce/prevent the spread of the disease during and after the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic” which was for small business owners. With the completion of this project, I was awarded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and the University of Health Sciences.
There are a lot of memories that come to my mind when I think about this. There is one recent memory I specifically talked about. It is about the sexually transmitted and blood-transmitted diseases training given for gypsy women and young people in their neighborhood. During the break of training, there was one young girl who approached me and said that she had become a nurse thanks to me and had expressed her gratitude about her journey.
EPWS: In which country/countries have you been doing research?
If you exclude my home country (Turkey), I have been doing research mainly in Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Sweden. On the other hand, I had worked in Africa as a volunteer and I went to Italy and India with the grants provided by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology within the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). I work together with my fellows across the world for multi-centric research projects.
EPWS: What is your agenda for the coming months?
There are numerous targets for my attention currently. First of all, raising awareness within and educating the elderly about shingles as well as leading a vaccination process. Then, the HPV vaccine. Similarly to shingles, I aim to raise awareness within, educate and vaccinate the younger folk. There is also educating the masses about climate change and studying the effects of it on women. Another thing I am planning is working on Phase III influenza vaccine in September.
In my future plans, there will be Congress of Infectious Diseases Prevention Association which will emphasize the effects of climate change on health on October 28th in Türkiye.
EPWS: Did you meet any barriers (personal/social/structural) during your career as a scientific researcher? Did you benefit from mentoring?
The barriers that I have faced are unfortunately still an issue within the medical field. As unfair as it is, being a woman forced me to always work more and harder than most of my peers to secure a position of my own. This was never mentioned outright, yet it was a silent obstacle still.
Yes, I did get and benefit from mentoring. I can say that during my specialization period, there were numerous researchers who helped me to continue my passion within these fields and they encouraged me to advise other people for this purpose.
EPWS: What is the situation of gender equality in your working field? In the countries where you have been working, were there gender equalities policies and did you experience their effects?
I would say the gender inequality within the fields of infectious diseases and immunology is either not as apparent anymore or has decreased in difficulty. The same thing cannot be said for the surgical departments however, all of which still show discrimination against their female coworkers. At times, quite openly as well. Hardened prejudices have unfortunately been so integrated into people’s psyches in various countries for years that they cannot simply be rid of in a short span of time. It is still possible to spot casual chats, which default to using men as examples in all fields.
EPWS: What do you suggest for a better implementation of gender equality in science?
I am under the belief that this is such a precious topic to tackle and talk about, which cannot be summed up under a single question.
It all starts from childhood. How your parents or society mends you into life. The extent and perhaps also the damage of this varies from family to family, let alone country to country. You inject years of prejudice and stigmata onto girls and they might end up growing up believing they can never break free out of it. I strongly believe that as a society, it is every individual’s duty to be more open minded and aware of everything revolving around them. It is crucial for everyone to be standing their ground supporting the discrimination and invisible obstacles that women face.
Women all around the world, do not hesitate or give up on your dreams in any field, especially science and politics just because you were told women do not belong in them. Men all around the world, do not cave in and contribute to the inequality, believe in all which women deserve.
EPWS: Did you experience networking between women scientists? Can you comment your answer and explain why yes or not?
First of all, I wrote a book entitled as “56 Women who Changed the World” and I had dedicated this book to Atatürk I have mentioned above. I have had plenty of experience, for I actively believe women need to join unions, associations and achieve ever the more together. The obstacles that have been thrown our way are easier to overcome with the backing of strong women. This vision has indeed gotten me into contact with various women scientists. Currently, I am planning to start a project that supports women in the field of science and technology regarding this question. Besides this, I am planning that I would like to bring together all the women scientists who got Nobel Prize and will be willing to attend the symposium to form a creative scientific environment. After this symposium, I am planning to publish a book of the speeches will be made during the event.
EPWS: If you could start again your life, would you choose again to be a scientist? What would you change?
I am pursuing my passion in both the medical and educational field; therefore, I do not have many major roads that I would have taken a different direction on. One thing however, is that if I were to go back with the mind that I have right now, I would definitely strive towards gathering more experience. I would like to have worked in many different countries, study under various mentors along my way and especially women. I strongly believe that the feeling of being represented in your field by any other women scientist and getting to work under them would broaden the horizon of anyone.
EPWS: Could you leave a message to young European women scientists?
So much to say, so little time. What I would like to highlight more than anything else is the fact that I would hate to see the flames of passion fading away in the eyes of any woman. Be resilient, be stubborn and be a fighter if you need to. Whatever your mind is set on, do not give up. For every single woman that succeeds, there are hundreds, if not thousands of more girls and women alike in the world that are inspired.
You will face many obstacles, perhaps more than the colleagues you will compare yourself to. Many unfair differences in the way you are treated, looked at or talked to. As unfortunate as this is, it should never be enough to dim your brightness. Do not let them brush you off and do not wallow in the sensation of what you should have been. Focus on who you are, what you want to do and how you will achieve it. The road to success may be a tricky one, and some people might take it for granted, yet you remain the victor.
Of course, this does not mean you should let go of your life and emotions. Check within yourself to see if you are keeping up with everything, if your health is all well. A pyrrhic victory is not the goal. And as always, believe in yourself, even if no one else does.