Presentations

Conference papers

• "What, to a Turkish American, is the Thanksgiving Holiday?" Ahiskan Turks Cultural Center. (November 21, 2024)

• "The mantle of the Prophet and his handshake: Affiliation with the Prophet in post-Mongol Sufism." Islamic Studies Workshop, Divinity School, The University of Chicago. (February 4, 2021)

• "Sacral kingship and Muhammadan shaykhhood in the post-Abbasid era: The case of the Sufis of Herat.'' Middle East Studies Association 54th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. (October 15, 2020)

• "Between comradery and conflict: Narratives of encounters between Sufis in the fifteenth century.'' Middle East Studies Association 53rd Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. (November 14, 2019)

• "Building a tariqa on the path of pilgrimage: Zayn al-Din Khwafi's (d. 1435) travel to Hijaz in 1419-1421.''  Middle East Studies Association 52nd Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. (November 17, 2018)

• "Mystics, Rulers, and Terms of Patronage in Early Fourteenth Century."  Third Conference of the School of Mamluk Studies}, Chicago, IL. (June 23, 2016)

• "Formation of the Religious Culture in the Ottoman Empire." The 29th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference}, Chicago, IL. (May 3, 2014)

• "Scholars and Sufis of Bursa in the fifteenth century." The 27th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference}, Chicago, IL. (May 5, 2012)

Public scholarship

• "A short history of popular internet in Turkey." Talk at the Turkish Circle, The University of Chicago. (November 1, 2020)

• "Ramadan and religious observation in Islam." Invited talk at the St. Raymond of Peñafort Catholic Church. (May 28, 2020)

• "Ottoman Turkish, Modern Turkish, and the Language Reform in Turkey." Talk at the Turkish Circle, The University of Chicago. (February 3, 2020)

• "Turkish calligraphers in the history of Islamic calligraphy." Talk and presentation at the Turkish Circle, The University of Chicago. (October 28, 2019)

• "A brief history of the emergence of Islam." Invited lecture in the North Park Theological Seminary School of Restorative Arts program at the Stateville Correctional Facility. (April 1, 2019)

• "Religious diversity in Anatolian history." Invited talk at Troy-area Interfaith Group Meeting, Troy, MI. (December 3, 2018)

• "Islamic Calligraphy: Its historical development and significance within Islamic civilization.'' Presentation and lecture for the Ancient and Rare Qur'an Manuscript Exhibit, Bethlehem, PA. (October 23, 2016)

• "Sectarian conflict in Islamic history." Presentation in the series "Muslims and Christians Talking Together: The Legacies of Violence and Hopes for Peace Building," Bethlehem, PA. (April 27, 2016)

• "Cosmos through the human lens: A brief look at how we viewed celestial bodies throughout history.'' Invited talk at Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago. (October 2011.)