Curriculum Vitae and Publications Dr. Dilek Yargan

Dr. Dilek Yargan is a Senior Researcher in the Knowledge-Driven AI Team at FIZ Karlsruhe – Leibniz Institute for Information Infrastructure. She holds a BS in Mathematics, an MS in Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, and an MA in Philosophy. She earned her PhD in Philosophy with a dissertation titled “A Computational Ontological Model for Machine-Understandable Data in Artificial Intelligence”.

Dr. Yargan has worked as an ontologist and data scientist in both academic and industry settings. Most recently, she completed a postdoctoral position at the University of Rostock within the DFG-funded project “Learning from Nature: Epistemological and Ontological Foundations of Biomimetics”. Her research interests span knowledge representation and reasoning, applied ontology, applied category theory, logic, and the philosophy of artificial intelligence.

Education

• 2022 | Ph.D. in Philosophy, METU, Ankara, Turkiye. 
  Dissertation: A Computational Ontological Model for Machine-Understandable Data in Artificial Intelligence
• 2015 | M.A. in Philosophy, METU, Ankara, Turkiye. 
  Thesis: A Philosophical Approach to Upper-Level Ontologies
• 2008 | M.S. in Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, METU, Ankara, Turkiye. 
  Thesis Project: High School Students’ Beliefs About Mathematics
• 2005 | B.S. in Mathematics, METU, Ankara, Turkiye.

Research Experience

• 10/2023 – 09/2025 | Research Associate, DFG-funded Project: Learning from Nature: Epistemological and Ontological Foundations of Biomimetics, Institute of Philosophy, University of Rostock, Rostock
• 08/2014 – 08/2018 | Research Associate, Laboratory for Computational Ontology, METU, Ankara, Turkiye

Selected Professional Experience

• 12/2022 – 12/2023 | Project Executor, Manki Information Technologies LLC., Ankara, Turkiye (Project Based)
• 02/2022 – 11/2022 | Data Scientist, Functor Information Technologies LLC., Ankara, Turkiye
• 06/2020 – 02/2021 | Terminology Editor and Controller, Smart Cities Project, Istanbul University Technology Transfer Application and Research Center, Turkiye (Project Based)
• 06/2018 – 01/2022 | Data Scientist, ENDEKSA LLC, Ankara, Turkiye (Part-Time)

Papers in Refereed Journals
Yargan, D. and Jansen, L., 2025, Terminological Resources for Biologically Inspired Design and Biomimetics: Evaluation of the Potential for Ontology Reuse, Biomimetics, 10(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics10010039.

Yargan, D., 2024, The Machine as an Autonomous Explanatory Agent, Felsefe Dünyası, (79), pp. 265-279. https://doi.org/10.58634/felsefedunyasi.1487376.

Yargan, D., 2021, Ayhan and Eren in Pursuit of Virtue: Child and Ethics in Light of Aristotelian Virtue Ethics (in Turkish), Arkhe-Logos, 11 (2), pp. 115-124. http://www.arkhelogos.com/article/57/Ayhan+ile+Eren+Erdemin+Pe%C5%9Finde%3A+Aristoteles%E2%80%99in+Erdem+Ahlak%C4%B1+I%C5%9F%C4%B1%C4%9F%C4%B1nda+%C3%87ocuk+ve+Etik.

Yargan, D., 2020, An Introduction to Description Logics (in Turkish), Beytulhikme, 10 (4), pp. 1303-1324. https://doi.org/10.18491/beytulhikme.1566.

Yargan, D., 2020, Is Science Without Explanations Possible?, Arkhe-Logos, 9 (2), pp. 109-122. http://arkhelogos.com/article/79/Is+Science+Without+Explanations+Possible.
(Reappeared in Contemporary Issues in Philosophy: From Science to Gender, 2021, pp. 9-24.)

Yargan, D., 2020, Philosophical Aspects of Building Upper-Level Ontologies (in Turkish), Kilikya Journal of Philosophy, (1), pp. 32-50. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/kilikya/issue/53989/728753.

Yargan, D., 2019, Formal Ontologies and Description Logics (in Turkish), Archives of Philosophy, pp. 271-281. https://doi.org/10.26650/arcp2019-5119.

Book Chapters
Yargan, D. and Birgül, O. G., 2025, The Theoretical Foundations of Mathematics (in Turkish), in Philosophy of Mathematics, (Ed. O. G. BİRGÜL), Ankara: Doruk Yayınevi, pp. 311-342.

Yargan, D. and Zambak, A. F., 2023, On Machine Creativity (in Turkish) in Labirent: Yapay Zeka Bir Devam mı Yoksa Çıkmaz mı?, (Ed. Ö. Derin), Kriter Yayınevi, pp.23-44.

Yargan, D., 2023, On Functionality of Turkish National Health Data Dictionary (in Turkish) in Tıp Bilişimi III, İstanbul University Press, pp. 45-50. https://doi.org/10.26650/B/ET07.2023.005.03.

Yargan, D. and Zambak, A. F., 2022, Medical Ontologies in Tıp Bilişimi II, İstanbul University Press, pp. 43-67. https://doi.org/10.26650/B/ET07.2022.012.05.

Yargan, D. and Zambak, A. F., 2021, Medical Ontologies (in Turkish) in Tıp Bilişimi, İstanbul University Press, pp. 25-60. https://doi.org/10.26650/B/ET07.2021.003.02.

Papers in Refereed Conferences and Workshops
Yargan, D. and Jansen, L., Building a Biomimetics Core Ontology using OBO Foundry Principles, submitted to Ontology Showcase and Demonstrations Track co-located with co-located with the 15th International Conference on Formal Ontology in Information Systems (FOIS 2025), https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-4111/SC_Paper_2.pdf

Yargan, D. and Jansen, L., Representing the Conceptual Design Process in Engineering Using IAO and OBI, submitted to Cognition And OntologieS (CAOS) Workshop co-located with the 15th International Conference on Formal Ontology in Information Systems (FOIS 2025).

Jansen, L., and Yargan, D., Triggers and Bases: Extending BFO to Represent the Pahl–Beitz Framework for Working Principles, submitted to Perspectival Ontology Workshop on Entities that can be Realized (POWERs) 2025 Workshop co-located with the 15th International Conference on Formal Ontology in Information Systems (FOIS 2025).

Yargan, D. and Jansen, L., 2024, Does Biomimetics Require a Unified Account of Function?, In Proceedings of the Joint Ontology Workshops (JOWO)—Episode X: The Tukker Zomer of Ontology, and Satellite Events Co-Located with the 14th International Conference on Formal Ontology in Information Systems, Enschede, The Netherlands, July 15–19, 2024, https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3882/foust-4.pdf.

Yargan, D., 2018, Alleged Discovery in Big Data (in Turkish), In Proceedings of the 8th Workshop on Logic, May 9-11, 2018, Zonguldak, ISBN: 978-605-66311-4-6, pp.505-512.

Yargan, D., 2018, ‘Logical’ Concerns in Data Science, In Proceedings of Istanbul International Congress on Philosophy, May 2-4, 2018, İstanbul, ISBN: 978-605-80953-0-4, pp.199-206.

Yargan [Satıoğlu], D., 2017, On Dynamic and Flexible Formal Ontologies (in Turkish), In Proceedings of the 7th Workshop on Logic, June 29-30, 2017, Samsun, ISBN: 978-605-66311-2-2, pp. 697-703.

Yargan [Satıoğlu], D., 2016, A Taxonomy of Questions with Respect to the Universal-Particular Dichotomy, In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Formal Ontology in Information Systems (FOIS), 2016. https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1660/ecs-paper4.pdf.

Yargan [Satıoğlu], D., 2016, The Formal Bases of Temporal Logic and The Theory of Process (in Turkish), In Proceedings of the 6th Workshop on Logic, May 26-27, 2016, Artvin, ISBN: 978-605-66311-1-5, pp.353-361.

Abstracts in Refereed Conferences and Workshops
Yargan, D., 2025, A Trope-Theoretical Framework for Knowledge Representation, DiTraRe Symposium on Digitalisation of Research, December 2-3, 2025, Digital Transformation of Research, FIZ Karlsruhe & Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, https://www.ditrare.de/sites/default/files/2025-11/20_camera-ready.pdf

Yargan, D., 2023, To What Extent are LLMs Creative? In Abstract Book of Philosophy in Informatics VIII: Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence: Philosophical Explorations, December 1-2, 2023, Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, Kraków, p.36.

Yargan [Satıoğlu], D., 2017, A Philosophical Introduction to Upper-Level Ontologies, In Abstract Book of the 2nd International Symposium on Philosophy, Education, Art and History of Science, May 3-7, 2017, Muğla, p. 514.

Yargan [Satıoğlu], D., 2017, What Would It Be Like to Be Visiting an Art Gallery with Wittgenstein?, In Abstract Book of the 2nd International Symposium on Philosophy, Education, Art and History of Science, May 3-7, 2017, Muğla, p. 515.

• April 13, 2022, Guest Lecture on Information Systems and Ontologies at the Department of Informatics at the graduate level, İstanbul University.
• May 25, May 30, and June 1, 2021, Tutorial on Towards Building ESBS Ontologies with Protégé 5.5 at the Method, Research, Theory Programs Project, TÜBİTAK Project no: 118C257, Boğaziçi University. https://mtrboun.wordpress.com/2021/05/08/workshop-ontoloji.
• April 26, 2021, Guest Lecture on Introduction to Description Logics (in Turkish) at the Department of Philosophy at the undergraduate level, Istanbul University.
• October 26-27, 2019, Tutorial with Aziz F. Zambak on Artificial Intelligence and Formal Ontology (in Turkish) at the Computer Science Application and Research Center to 50 participants from different departments, from undergraduates to professors, Department of Informatics, İstanbul University. https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/FileHandler2.ashx?f=buyamer-yapay-zekâ-ve-formel-ontoloji-atolyesi.pdf
• August 8, 2019, Tutorial on Description Logics (in Turkish) in the Advanced Logic Summer School at Feza Gürsey Center for Physics and Mathematics to undergraduates and graduates from various departments, Turkish Logic Society.
• April 13, 2018, Invited Seminar on Logic in Ontology and Data Science (in Turkish) at the Department of Philosophy at the graduate level, Istanbul University.
• January-March 2008, Teaching Internship at Ballard Community District School, Huxley, Iowa.

• May 3, 2025, Interlocutor on Models and Analogies in Biomimetics, in Models and Theories: Book Symposium on Roman Frigg's Philosophical Inquiry, May 3-4, 2025, Potsdam, https://sites.google.com/view/romanfriggsymposium
• September 23, 2024, Speaker on What Makes Biomimetics a Unified Field of Research? with Manfred Drack and Ludger Jansen, in the German Congress of Philosophy XXVI, September 22–26, 2024, Münster
• September 18, 2024, Speaker on A Conceptual Framework to Understand the Unique Position of Biomimetics with Manfred Drack and Ludger Jansen, in Forum on Philosophy, Engineering, and Technology (fPET2024), September 17–19, 2024, Karlsruhe
• March 7, 2024, Speaker on Introduction to Applied Ontology, Q&A, with Jansen, in the Workshop: The Foundations of Biomimetics, March 5-7, 2024, Tübingen.
• December 1, 2023, Speaker on To what extent are LLMs creative?, in the Conference: Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence: Philosophical Explorations, December 1-2, 2023, Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, Kraków (online).
• May 11, 2023, Speaker on Natural Numbers and Propositions as Morphisms (in Turkish) in the 12th Workshop on Logic, May 11-13, 2023, Van (online).
• April 26, 2023, Keynote speaker, Three Successive Cynics and Three Ethical Categories: Antisthenes, Diogenes, Crates & Virtue, Happiness, Politics (in Turkish) in Mavi Anadolu Felsefe Sempozyumu, April 24-26, 2023, Muğla (online)
• November 4, 2022, Invited speaker on Interaction Among Equals: A Survey on HCI [Human-Computer Interaction] from XAI Perspective at the Department of Informatics, İstanbul University.
• April 13, 2022, Invited Speaker on Information Systems and Ontologies at the Department of Informatics, İstanbul University.
• September 1, 2021, Keynote speaker on Devil’s Advocate: Unrealizable Promises (in Turkish) in the AI in Social Sciences session at Artificial Intelligence Summer School, September 1-3, 2021, organized by İstanbul, IU-Cerrahpaşa, Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Yalova Universities.
• January 16, 2021, Invited speaker on Knowledge Standardization in the ESBS: Why do we need a reference ontology? at the Method, Research, Theory Programs Project, Boğaziçi University.
• September 30, 2020, Invited speaker on Lingua Franca in Medicine: Medical Ontologies, at From the First Computers to Medical Informatics: 60 Years of Adventure, in the Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Applications in Medicine, e-workshop.
• November 14-16, 2019, Speaker on Is Science Without Explanations Possible?  in the 2nd International Congress of Women Philosophers, Muğla.
• April 18-19, 2019, Speaker on Big Data Flattening the DIKW Pyramid in the 9th Workshop on Logic, Mardin.
• April 13, 2018, Invited Seminar on Logic in Ontology and Data Science (in Turkish) at the Department of Philosophy, Istanbul University, İstanbul.

• 2023 | METU GSSS Best Graduate Thesis Award, Graduate School of Social Sciences, METU, Ankara, Turkiye
• 2012-2013 Academic Year | METU Course Performance Award, Graduate School of Social Sciences, METU, Ankara, Turkiye
• August 5-30, 2013 | DAAD- University Summer School Scholarship, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany
• January-March, 2008 | Fulbright Teacher Internship Scholarship, Iowa State University, USA
• 2006-2007 Academic Year | METU Course Performance Award | Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, METU, Ankara, Turkiye