Hi, I’m Atakan.
I studied computer science (MSc, Boğaziçi; BSc, Bilkent) and have worked in both research at Boğaziçi University and industry as a data scientist at GittiGidiyor (an eBay company). See my Résumé.
Since 2017, I’ve been tinkering with relation extraction. My papers on the topic live under Publications.
I like taking things apart and putting them back together (most of the time 😀) so they’re clearer, faster, and kinder to attention.
These days I’m chasing the question of how AI can augment human learning. What hooked me was noticing how quickly knowledge fades. The forgetting curve is ruthless, and this led me down a rabbit hole to understand the core of how we learn and when we forget. I’m exploring how the brain learns, the bottlenecks in real study workflows, and which problems AI can responsibly solve. Current focus areas:
- Efficient LLM fine-tuning
- Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems
- Spaced-repetition algorithms (SM-2/FSRS)
All of this research and passion is being channeled into a product I’m building called Learep, a learning-lifecycle application designed to make durable learning more accessible and effective for everyone.
When I step away from the screen, I often trade my keyboard for a sketchbook. Doodling is my favorite way to unwind and engage in visual thinking, letting ideas flow freely. For a different kind of challenge, I love diving into the immersive worlds and complex problem-solving of video games. And living in Istanbul, it’s hard not to get swept up in the city’s passion for football—you’ll find me catching a match on the weekend or enjoying a casual kickabout when I can.