About Behçet

Behçet was born in Ardeşen but traveled around Turkey during his childhood. He studied engineering at Ankara Middle East Technical University and soon after came to the U.S. in 1994 for graduate school. He earned his Master’s and PHD at Purdue University in Indiana and later worked for NASA in California. After working there for close to ten years he began studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas and later moved to Washington to be a professor at the University of Washington. He met his wife while completing graduate school and they later went on to have two daughters. He finds it important to teach his children Turkish and help them learn about the culture because of their frequent trips to Turkey. He identifies with his Turkish and Laz cultures, but has not encountered many other Turkish or Laz immigrants in the U.S. Although he experienced prejudice after 9/11, he finds America welcoming to immigrants and likes giving back because of these opportunities.

Interview Transcript Excerpts

MY: Okay I would like to talk a little bit about identity. How would you identify yourself?

BA: In terms of culture?

MY: It could be culturally ethnic like hyphenated would you identify yourself Turkish or you are from Rize, Laz?

BA: I mean my identity was more of a Laz identity. Of course I have Turkish identity because I grew up in Turkey. That's given. That's not even you know the discussion. I went through Turkish education system until the end of college. My core education was in Turkish. But I also have a Laz identity which is very special to me. And because of my grandmother's, my grandfather all spoke Laz more or less constantly. My dad probably learned Turkish at age 7 or 8. Nobody knew Turkish language until they went to school. I mean this even when I was a kid I used to go to the village and these kids were rocking it out for five years or they speak Laz right. So let's say identity is that identity too. These people are very interesting people, very expressive. Let's say you know you will know they are well known in Turkey even though they are a small group.