Dr. F. Yildirim | People Pages: Find employees & contact details

I am a researcher with a background in computer science and neuroscience, focused on understanding and influencing human behavior in areas related to sustainability and health. My work spans topics such as consumption preferences, attitudes toward climate change, and usability in smart city environments. I use a diverse set of methods—including behavioral testing, eye-tracking, extended reality (XR), fMRI, EEG, and MEG—providing insights into the strengths and limitations of various imaging techniques and response types across different sensory tasks.

Educational Background: I received my PhD in Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences from the University of Groningen and worked as a post-doctoral researcher in the Boston University Biomedical Engineering Department in collaboration with the Martinos Imaging Center at MIT. I hold a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Bilkent University and an M.S. in Cognitive Science from the Informatics Institute at the Middle East Technical University. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Twente.

Expertise

Neuroscience
- Perception
- Receptive Field
- Epilepsy
- Recognition
Psychology
- Saccade
- Attention
- Eye Movement
Social Sciences
- Identity

Organisations

I am a researcher using extended reality (XR) and neuroscience to explore how human behavior can be shaped and influenced. My work focuses on how sensory experiences and adopting different viewpoints impact decision-making, particularly in choices that affect the environment and personal health. I’m especially interested in understanding how altering perception can lead to more thoughtful decisions and, ultimately, foster positive change in areas like sustainability and well-being.

Publications

2026

Toward a Common Set of Interface Requirements for Genomic Data Management: Scoping Review (2026)Journal of medical internet research, 28. Article e78405. Resendez, V., Yıldırım, F., Gaeta, E., Fico, G. & Borsci, S.https://doi.org/10.2196/78405Eye-Tracking in Reading Research: A Systematic Review of Studies With Children of Varying Reading Ability (2026)European Psychologist, 31(2), 134-168. Papadopoulos, T. C., Fella, A., Acartürk, C., Bahçekapılı, E., Canaj, K., Cergol, K., Dinçtopal Deniz, N., Hollenstein, N., Hržica, G., Jozipović, M., Kasperė, R., Klimek-Jankowska, D., Søndergaard Knudsen, H. B., Krebs, J., Krejtz, I., Leszko, M., Łockiewicz, M., Motiejunienė, J., Özkan, A., … Erol Barkana, D.https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000579Who Owns the Color?: Linking Color Cues and Sustainability Beliefs to Consumer Choices in Virtual Reality Retail (2026)[Working paper › Preprint]. OSF. Capkan, E. N., Bontioti, A., Guler, E., Alvino, L. & Yildirim, F.https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/gx2wk_v1Cross-sensory Effects on Taste Perception using Extended Reality (2026)[Working paper › Preprint]. OSF. Malak, C., Coskun, I., Gungor, Y., Ozilgen, S. & Yildirim, F.https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/6ha5e_v1Exploring the effectiveness of virtual reality in combating misinformation on climate change (2026)Political psychology, 47(1), e13057. Article e13057. Erisen, E., Yildirim, F., Duran, E., Şar, B. & Kalkan, I.https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.13057Voice Privacy in Speech Systems: A Comparative Study of Pitch Shifting and StarGAN-VC (2026)In Sensor-Based Activity Recognition and Artificial Intelligence: 10th International Workshop, iWOAR 2025, Enschede, The Netherlands, September 18–19, 2025, Proceedings (pp. 422-429) (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 16292). Springer. Arif Taşlı, M., Akyürek, E. & Yıldırım, F.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-13312-0_28

2025

Cognitive load in cyclists while navigating in traffic: Effects of static and dynamic route events on neural activity of cyclists measured by fNIRS (2025)PLoS ONE, 20(12). Article e0339027. Ulak, M. B., Heine, F., Eken, A., Chinpongsuwan, P., Boot, M., Geurs, K. T., Yildirim, F. & Ghafoor, U.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0339027Cues for odor naming affect performance and brain connectivity (2025)Frontiers in Neuroscience, 19. Article 1671670. Capkan, E. & Yildirim, F.https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1671670Designing visual menus for a sustainable future: The role of non-meat decoys (2025)International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 42. Article 101343. Capkan, E. N., Ozilgen, S. & Yildirim, F.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2025.101343An Exploration of Digital Human Cognition Through Sensory Perception Across Real and Virtual Selves (2025)In Advances in Digital Human Modeling II: Proceedings of the 9th International Digital Human Modeling Symposium, DHM 2025, July 29-31, 2025, Loughborough, UK (pp. 331-342) (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems; Vol. 1577). Springer. Capkan, E. N., Borsci, S., Chan, R. W., Scataglini, S., Truijen, S. & Yildirim, F.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-00839-8_30

Research profiles

My teaching mainly involves methology courses such as programming, extended reality, cognitive neuroscience, network analysis and sensors for behavioral science and design engineering students.

Affiliated study programs

Courses academic year 2025/2026

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.

Courses academic year 2024/2025

Current projects

PROTECT-Child

PROTECT-CHILD (funded by HORIZON Europe) brings together European efforts to reduce complications in pediatric transplants through advanced research and data technologies. Our role, as leaders of Work Package 2, is to identify stakeholder requirements and ensure that both functional and non-functional needs are aligned with and compatible with the federated computing technology developed in the project.

Resilient and Efficient Agricultural Proteins to Sustain Our World (REAP2SOW)

What if your plate could help build a healthier Netherlands? REAP2SOW (funded by NWA-ORC) explores how promising new protein-rich crops – quinoa, white lupin, and aardaker– can contribute to a healthy, sustainable, and plant-based food system. From soil to supper, REAP2SOW brings science and society together: breeders, farmers, researchers, and consumers collaborate to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, develop innovative farming practices, and promote nutritious, flavourful choices that support a healthy and future-proof diet. With an eye on history, innovation, and behavioural change, REAP2SOW is sowing the seeds today for the food of tomorrow.

Finished projects

Investigation of Auditory Localization Performance Based on Multiple Sensory Modalities and Auditory Learning Types

This project examines the effects of visual, auditory and audio-visual exercise types on sound localization performance. Information from different senses is processed together in the human brain to form sensory perception. Combining information from one sensory modality with information from additional modalities can improve our perception and localization of a stimulus. Experiences in daily life are often formed by combining information from multiple modalities. This study seeks to evaluate how effective this combination is in improving sound localization skills.

The effect of temporal ordering and sound source in understanding the perception of sound events.

This study examines sound perception and processing mechanisms, and how temporal sequence and type of sound events affect our ability to identify them.