Mehtap Leyla Turanalp Uysal

Mehtap Leyla Turanalp Uysal  is a doctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), pursuing a PhD in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning within the Environmental Planning and Policy Program. Her academic focus spans Climate Change, Ecosystem Restoration, Environmental Policies, Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and water-related issues. 

Mehtap Leyla Turanalp Uysal is an award-winning designer with a Master’s in Design Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD). Her distinguished body of work integrates expertise in design, landscape ecology, and ecosystem restoration with resilience-building approaches. At MIT, she continues her impactful research at the intersection of climate change, TEK, environmental planning, and policy-making, driven by a commitment to creating sustainable, equitable, and culturally informed solutions.

Of Kurdish origin from Mesopotamia, Leylâ's work is deeply influenced by her cultural heritage. She holds a BA/BS in Urban and Regional Planning from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Turkey, where her work concentrated on permaculture and ecosystem restoration. 

During her time at Harvard, she explored art, drawing and design within the context of climate change, ecosystem restoration, nuclear power plants explosions and their impacts on beings and non-beings, indigenous climate knowledge, and urban resilience in the face of global warming—research she continues at MIT, with a specific emphasis on Kurdish and climate change contexts. 

In addition to this, Leylâ also, holds a degree from Elle International Fashion and Luxury Management Program at MIT Sloan. 

Beyond academia, Leylâ is the visionary founder and CEO of Bajer Watches, a company dedicated to celebrating Kurdish heritage while empowering women and children in Kurdish communities worldwide. As a mother, she brings a unique perspective to her work, driven by a deep commitment to creating a more equitable and sustainable world for future generations. 

Her multifaceted roles as an entrepreneur, fashion designer, artist, photographer, planner, researcher, activist, and gardener are all influenced by her role as a mother.