(Mehtap) Leylâ (Turanalp) Uysal

Leylâ, a distinguished, award-winning designer, recently completed her Master’s in Design Studies at Harvard GSD. She is now pursuing a PhD in the Department of Urban Studies & Planning at MIT, specializing in Environmental Planning and Policy. Her research focuses on the intersection of climate change, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), design, landscape ecology, ecosystem restoration, and resilience. 

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.