Tolga Kurtoglu’s Tips On What to Pack for Your Hiking Trip

Tolga Kurtoglu loves to go hiking with his family and friends. Tolga Kurtoglu considers hiking to be the best way to enjoy the outdoors and maybe discover new, beautiful places in your neighborhood. Sometimes a hike is as simple as a trip to the top of that hill that you’ve never climbed, while other hikes are days or weeks long. Tolga Kurtoglu provides some tips for what to carry on a modest day hike.

You don’t need a lot of things for a day hike, but you probably do need some things that you wouldn’t think of. To start off with, get your navigational gear in order. Grab a map and a compass, and a GPS if you would like – many people’s phones come acquipped with these now. Those materials, plus a first aid kit, form the base of what you need to have an enjoyable hike.

Even if you’re hiking in the woods, you’ll be surprised how much sun you’re exposed to on a hike. Make sure to apply sunscreen and bring extra with you. A lip balm with SPF is also suggested, along with sunglasses.

The next thing to consider is the weather. Dress weather appropriately. This might mean several layers of insulation, or just shorts and a t-shirt if the weather is warm. A hat is a good idea under all conditions – one with a wide brim can double as sun protection.

You may not think you’ll be out at night, but a headlamp or flashlight and extra batteries are a must. You never know when a day hike will go wrong and turn into a night hike, and you’ll want these light sources then. Similarly, make sure you have matches or a lighter in a waterproof container, and fire starter supplies. You should also have two days of food for a one day hike. A hiker must always be prepared.

Finally, make sure you have water, and lots of it, including a water treatment system for cleaning river water if you run out. Water, along with a tarp and a knife round out the remainder of what you need for a day hike

Tolga Kurtoglu on Great Locations for Scuba Diving

Tolga Kurtoglu has traveled all over the world, and whenever he is near a coast, he tries to grab the chance to go scuba diving. Tolga Kurtoglu is a great swimmer and finds exploring the depths of the ocean to be one of the most enjoyable activities around. In a way, he says, it’s kind of like hiking underwater, hiking being one of Tolga Kurtoglu’s other favorite hobbies. If you are interested in scuba diving, there are some definite must see locations that you should put on your itinerary.

One place that Tolga Kurtoglu highly recommends scuba diving is in Egypt’s Red Sea. The water here is very clear and there are extensive coral reefs. The sea life is generally very active in this area. Tolga Kurtoglu recommends an area known as the Blue Hole for a great scuba location.

Another great place for scuba diving is near the islands of Turcs and Caicos in the Caribbean. This has long been a popular scuba location, with enthusiasts flocking here since the 1970s, says Tolga Kurtoglu. This area is home to the world’s third largest coral reef system and those reefs are located in shallow waters near the shore, making them ideal for beginning scuba divers. These waters are generally warm and the sun and white sand make for crystal clear conditions.

Thailand is a surprisingly good place for scuba diving, says Tolga Kurtoglu. In particular, the Mu Koh Similan National Marine Park is a national treasure with extensive marine life and a particular abundance of whale sharks. Scuba diving in this region is seasonal, though, notes Tolga Kurtoglu – you can’t scuba dive during the monsoon season – so plan ahead for this trip.

Finally, the islands of Hawaii are great scuba diving locations and are where a lo of American scuba enthusiasts get their start, says Tolga Kurtoglu. There are some amazing underwater caverns that you can visit here. Another popular trip is night diving with manta rays.

How to Fly A Moderl Airplane: Tips from Hobbyist Tolga Kurtoglu

Tolga Kurtoglu spends a lot of time at his local hobby shop checking out the new model planes. Tolga Kurtoglu really enjoys flying remote control planes that he builds himself. He find this hobby to be a great extension of his job as a mechanical engineer. If you are new to remote control planes, Tolga Kurtoglu can help you get yours flying.

You don’t actually have to build you own plane, points out Tolga Kurtoglu, and if you are more interested in the flying than the construction, a ready-built plane might be a better choice for you. Either way, pick up a ready built plane or assemble your own, and get ready to fly. Once your transmitter is turned on and you have checked your plane range, you’re ready to get started.

It’s important to check your outdoor conditions, says Tolga Kurtoglu, before you start trying to get your plane in the air. Tie a ribbon to the antennae on your remote and see how it flies. Do not fly your plane is the ribbon is flying parallel to the ground. It should be flying under thirty degrees for optimal conditions. You also need to determine the wind direction – you can do this by throwing some grass clippings in the air, says Tolga Kurtoglu. If at all possible, launch your plane into the wind. Other directional combinations can be more challenging.

If you are starting from the ground to launch, turn up the power slowly, but if you are doing an air launch, ramp the power way up and have someone else toss your plane gently so you can handle the controls. Keep the power on your plane all the way up until you reach an adequate height. After that, it’s just about gently making adjustments to keep your plane airbound, explains Tolga Kurtoglu. Get out there with your plane and have fun!

Tips on Buying Your First Camera from Avid Photography Tolga Kurtoglu

Tolga Kurtoglu is an avid photographer who loves to take pictures everywhere he goes. Tolga Kurtoglu practices both analog and digital photography, and particularly enjoys taking black and white photographs. Tolga Kurtoglu knows that with all the options on the market, it is often difficult to select your first camera. He offers some tips for buying a digital camera, the choice of most people today.

There are several questions you should ask yourself when preparing to buy your first camera, says Tolga Kurtoglu. Two of the most important are – what do I want this camera for? – and how much money do I want to spend? Think about the conditions you want to be photographing in and set yourself a budget before you go to the store. This helps to narrow down your options.

One thing Tolga Kurtoglu suggests you not worry about are the number of megapixels your camera has. Most new cameras are at least 5 megapixels, which is more than good enough for printing your photographs, says Tolga Kurtoglu. With this general level of quality available, megapixels needn’t be a concern.

A distinction you do need to make, however, is between DSLR and Point and Shoot cameras. DSLR cameras are less portable, involve multiple lenses, but are also very high quality cameras. Point and Shoot cameras are better for the average photographer who just wants to be able to take snapshots. Think about how serious your photography hobby is, and this will tell you which to get. For most people buying their first camera, a Point and Shoot is the right choice.

When looking at a camera, says Tolga Kurtoglu, make sure to think about what extra things you might need to buy. The cost in front of you may not be the whole story. Do you still need to buy lenses, tripods, memory cards, or a camera case? Calculate those things into your camera budget, or look for package deals that include everything you need.

NASA Ames Research Center Scientist - Tolga Kurtoglu

After earning a Masters of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2001 from the acclaimed Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tolga Kurtoglu started his professional career working for the Dell computer corporation. Tolga Kurtoglu started working at the Dell computer corporation in August 2001, shortly after his graduation from Carnegie Mellon, in the position of Mechanical Design Engineer. In March 2003 Tolga Kurtoglu was promoted from the position of Mechanical Design Engineer to Systems Lead Engineer. Tolga Kurtoglu eventually left the Dell computer company to get his doctoral degree at the University of Texas at Austin. After receiving his PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in the summer of 2007, Tolga Kurtoglu became a a Research Scientist at the acclaimed NASA Ames Research Center, a major achievement for Tolga Kurtoglu, of which he was very proud.

It was a huge honor to Tolga Kurtoglu to be taken on as an employee by NASA. While working at the Ames Research Center, Tolga Kurtoglu developed computational tools for designing, analyizing, and operating complex human-machine systems. The tools that Tolga Kurtoglu designed to do this were intended to prevent fault events from occurring during the lifecycle of the complex human-machine systems.

Ames is one of NASA’s ten field centers and is located in California and employs 2500 people. The Ames Research Center where Tolga Kurtoglu worked focuses on the technologies involved in entry, descent, and landing on other planets, in the area of information technology, on small satellite programs, and also on astrobiology. They also work on airborne sciences. While working at Ames, Tolga Kurtoglu won the NASA Ames Technical Excellence Award in 2008. This is one of Tolga Kurtoglu’s proudest achievements and it is an immense feeling to be honored by an organization as important as NASA

Mechanical Engineer - Tolga Kurtoglu

After successfully earning a Masters of Science degree in the field of Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2001, Tolga Kurtoglu started working as a Mechanical Design Engineer for the Dell computer company, a leading firm within the technology sector. Tolga Kurtoglu was ready to take some time off from school and work in the real world instead, and while at Dell he was eventually promoted from Mechanical Design Engineer to the position of Lead Systems Engineer. This promotion gave Tolga Kurtoglu a lot of responsibility when it came to leading a team, and he proved to be a natural leader. Tolga Kurtoglu worked at the Dell computer company from August 2001 until January 2004. 

After leaving the Dell computer company, Tolga Kurtoglu started a doctoral program in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, which he completed in 2007. While studing at the University of Texas at Austin, Tolga Kurtoglu was responsible for developing a new computational theory by combining reverse engineering techniques and graph theoretical method to automate the architectural design of electromechanical systems. This dissertation work has proven to be highly influential in the field of mechanical engineering and other engineers and researhers use this technique today in various computational design synthesis applications.

Tolga Kurtoglu is proud of what he has achieved as a Mechanical Engineer. When he was growing up in Turkey, Tolga Kurtoglu always hoped to be a scientist, and today he is a graduate of elite American educational institutions, and has worked for places as prominent as Dell and NASA. Tolga Kurtoglu has also published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers since becoming a Mechanical Engineer and is considered to be highly respected in his field.

Tolga Kurtoglu: Soccer Enthusiast

Tolga Kurtoglu is a big fan of the outdoors. One of Tolga Kurtoglu’s favorite things to do outside is play the sport of soccer, which is known as football everywhere except the United States of America. Tolga Kurtoglu likes soccer for many different reasons. Soccer is the most popular sport throughout the entire world. Soccer is a very easy sport to learn how to play, although the strategies can prove to run very deep. 

Tolga Kurtoglu likes all facets of the sport of soccer. Tolga Kurtoglu plays soccer on the weekends with other members of his community, starting pick-up games in the park, or planning for weekend long tournaments between local improvised teams. Tolga Kurtoglu gets very competitive when he is playing the sport of soccer because he is a true competitor who will do what it takes to win. Tolga Kurtoglu usually plays the position of goalie. As the goalie, Tolga Kurtoglu feels that the outcome of the game truly rests on his shoulders because it is his responsibility to prevent the other team from scoring goals. Sometimes Tolga Kurtoglu also plays center, driving the ball up the field quickly, and dodging opponents.

If Tolga Kurtoglu is not playing the sport of soccer, he likes to watch it. Regardless of what teams are playing, you can easily see Tolga Kurtoglu enjoy himself while watching a soccer game. Tolga Kurtoglu has even attended the EURO, and the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the entire world. Tolga Kurtoglu highly recommends attending the FIFA World Cup if you are a fan of the sport of soccer. Tolga Kurtoglu is also a particularly big fan of British Premier League soccer, and he frequently watches this league’s games in bars in his neighborhood where he gathers with other local soccer fans.