Defne Gürsel's Resume

Education

TED University

Faculty of Architecture and Design

August 2020 - June 2024
Ankara, Turkey

Bachelor of Industrial Design with Global Citizenship as a Secondary Field (240 ECTS)
GPA: 3.42 / 4.00, graduated with Honors
Relevant coursework: Industrial Design I-VI, Structure and Design, Sustainable Living and Design, Basics of Three-Dimensional Design, Research in Design, Ergonomics and Human Factors in Design, Manufacturing Materials and Technologies, The Concept and Practice of Corporate Responsibility, Civic Involvement, Human Rights Law, Computer Graphics and Presentation Techniques I, History and Theory of Design I & II, Visual Communication Techniques I & II, Linear Algebra, Life Sciences, Introduction to Sociology, International Gender Politics
Select Projects

Experience

B Design and Interior Architecture

Intern

March - August 2023
Ankara, Turkey

Trained in safe usage of laser cutting and 3D printing machines; extensively used Rhinoceros for modeling, iteration, and production preparation based on company standards
Designed various functional and decorative items prioritizing originality, usability, and target audience, such as creating unique keychains by incorporating Spotify codes that can be used to start specific tracks or designing animal-shaped rulers for children that can also be used as bookmarks to promote reading
Was guided to do material analyses in the design process, considering cost, functionality, and form, and did real-world prototyping to correct potential errors
Did market research on fundamental furniture for the interior design of an Airbnb apartment and created a comparative Excel presentation for the potential client based on different brands' choice of colors, dimensions, and prices to get their project

Optima Technic

Intern

June - August 2022
Ankara, Turkey

After mandatory Occupational Health and Safety Training, observed and compared the workflow, responsibilities, and facilities of the two factories owned by the company and worked at different sections to experience the procedures for serial montage, use of standard and smart storage systems, sheet metal bending, wet and powder paint workshops, turnstile production, and various machines for shavings, lathes, laser, plasma, hydraulic presses, welding, pressing, column drills, and more
Studied how products are categorized based on the system they work on: mechanical, electromechanical, and hydraulic
Tasked to work with the Research and Development department and research different international and domestic revolving door producers; studied the revolving doors of the company buildings, did market research and literature review to gather information about revolving doors and different brands' specialties, and created comparative tables on Excel
Modelled my revolving door design on Rhinoceros, based on the company's specifications, decided on prior meetings, and did iterations based on critiques of the pre-presentation
Prepared a presentation for the R&D Department and the General Manager on my revolving door market research and my design

Select Projects

COOKID's

ID 402-O (Industrial Design VI)
Individual Project
Examine

Chose to tackle children's picky eating habits to attempt to solve with an innovative design solution and designed COOKID's, a food preparation unit for 4-6 year old children with a companion storybook app featuring cartoon characters representing food categories and a book of recipes that can be followed by the children using the efficiently packed utensils in the unit; the design aim was to intrigue children about their food with stories and steps they can follow

OMNI

ID 401 (Industrial Design V)
Group Project
Examine

Studied daily food consumption practices (planning, preparing, consuming, storing) and formulated OMNI, made up of 5 products (an all-in-one tea and coffee cup that can be used to prepare and drink, foldable cutting board with utensils stored inside, portable cooler with adjustable solar panels for green energy source, foldable table with integrated grill, and a modular 4-part pot) designed to bring the kitchen experience to the camping area

Bird Nest Pavilion

ID 320 (Sustainable Living and Design)
Group Project
Examine

Researched the nests and nest-making habits of the family of Ploceidae birds, some called weaverbirds, to create a pavilion for children in the 8-10 age group in a bird-themed 3-month summer camp according to the principles of biomimicry; designed lattice-like frames to create self-supporting roofs following the power-to-weight ratio of weaver nests, chose acacia wood as primary materials for ecological harmony and planned to place the pavilions under other Mediterrenean trees that share habitats with acacia trees, integrated the pavilion with bird nests to promote inter-connectedness between the children and birds in the area

LUME

ID 401 (Industrial Design V)
Individual Project
Examine

Designed a compact lighting device, LUME, with adjustable setups for outdoor activities and potential emergencies

OPETCO

ID 302 (Industrial Design IV )
Individual Project
Examine

Designed a self-service coffee maker and interface that reflects the gas station OPET's brand based on a brief that emphasized ergonomics, compactness, and brand identity

RPL

ID 202 (Industrial Design II)
Individual Project
Examine

Was tasked with designing a wearable product with brand identity, product language, and human-product interaction in mind; designed a wearable compact gadget with earplug headphones as a running companion that can be used for connecting with other runners, planning a running route, and that can give information on important or historic landmarks that the runner visits

Academic Enrichment Activities

User Experience Database: Product Design Course

Summer of 2025

Went over the full product design lifecycle: design elements and principles; discovery and research; information architecture and interaction design; UI prototyping and design systems; front-end basics, QA, and metrics; concluding with skills refinement

Google UX Design Professional Certificate: Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma

December 2023
Certificate

Studied the design tool Figma, common visual design elements and principles, design systems, and how to iterate on designs following critiques
Built mockups and high-fidelity prototypes, and received a certificate