Hello! I’m Yiğit, though many people call me Yigas—a nickname blending my first and last names. I hold a degree in English Literature, but I currently work as a data scientist at DenizBank in Istanbul. I am mainly interested in causal inference, predictive modeling, explainable AI. In my free time, I dive into basketball data, exploring patterns and creating statistical models that lead to new metrics.
The Start
During my first year at university, I spent a semester break in Beirut, Lebanon, where I earned a human biomechanics trainer certificate. I’d been training basketball players at various levels, including those in the Turkish Basketball League (TBL). While in Beirut, I often heard about the impact of prolonged stress on human health. This led me to watch Dr. Robert Sapolsky’s TED Talk, The Biology of Our Best and Worst Selves, and I thought, “I want to understand human behavior the way he does.”
Getting Into Psychology Lab
I began watching Stanford’s Human Behavioral Biology courses online. While intriguing, I found the material challenging without a background in the field. To get answers, I reached out to my university’s Psychology Department, where I met Dr. Hasan Bahçekapılı and Dr. Onurcan Yılmaz. Soon, I was visiting Dr. Yılmaz’s office regularly to discuss topics related to psychology, and I grew fascinated with his research interests—especially how morality, politics, religion, and decision-making intersect. Gradually, I shifted my focus from behavioral biology to social and evolutionary psychology. When he offered me a spot in the lab (MINT Lab) he was forming, I jumped at the opportunity.
Learning Statistics
Ahead of the lab’s start, I took an edX’s Science of Religion course to ensure I had foundational knowledge. Although enjoyable, I quickly realized, once we started reading research papers, that I needed a solid ground in statistics to evaluate them. As an English Literature major, I needed a resource that started from scratch, and OpenIntro Statistics and Learning Stats with JASP became essential guides for me. Studying statistics was unexpectedly enjoyable, and I decided to develop my skills further.
Learning Mathematics
Not knowing mathematics bothered me, and I began to wonder how it might enhance my understanding of statistics. Fortunately, I connected with Dr. Basar Coşkunoğlu, whom I knew through playing Hearthstone. With his patient guidance, I started with basics like functions and inequalities, eventually advancing to calculus and linear algebra. We reached a point where I could continue independently, and I still study linear algebra occasionally, using my notes, Mathematics for Machine Learning, and Gilbert Strang’s works.
Python for Data Science & ML
In the lab and academia, statistical tools like JASP, Jamovi, and SPSS are prevalent, with some usage of R. Around this time, however, my academic interests began shifting, so I decided to learn Python. I enrolled in a Data Science & Machine Learning Bootcamp, which focused on programming and industry cases, building on my previous knowledge from Introduction to Statistical Learning.
Data Science Internship
While still an undergraduate, I received a scholarship from TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) for research participation. Wanting broader experience, I sought a part-time role or long-term internship to balance with school. I started building a project portfolio and applied to various positions. Many interviews revealed that prospective employers lacked data science teams, which felt limiting for my first role. Finally, I applied for and was accepted to DenizBank’s data science internship program.
Transition to Full-Time
During my internship, things went well, and DenizBank invited me to join full-time after graduation. Despite six months of on-the-job coding, I needed to pass a data scientist test in SQL, Python/R, and statistics to secure the position, which I did. I now work full-time as a Data Scientist at DenizBank.
Basketball Analytics
After ten years of playing and training in basketball, I always hoped to integrate it into my work. Inspired by a Formula 1 analytics account, I launched a basketball analytics account of my own. You can find links in the footer.