The WIEA Workshop (see link below) opened on Wednesday, May 30.  About 70 people from six countries are attending and it is being hosted by Kadir Has University, a private university in Istanbul located on the Halic (Golden Horn).  The weather continues to be spectacular.  The talks and panels today were satisfying and the poster and networking social events even more so.  The bus trips between the hotel and the conference site were smooth and quite quick considering Istanbul rush hour (traffic challenges in Istanbul rival anywhere in the world).

http://wiea2012.auburn.edu/

Randy took about 7 guests to the Dolmabahce Palace and the Topkapi Palace.  He lost one husband (Ricky Ammons) but Ricky found his way back to the hotel without incident.

Ladies at the WIEA 2012 workshop

The first poster session was a big success

Hulya Yazici explains her research to Allison Farmer-Jones

Zeki Ayag (Kadir Has University) and Alice Smith, workshop organizers

On the balcony relaxing after a long working day

Jeff Smith tries the first Bulgarian beer

And the second (prefers this one)

Alice and Jan Twomey - another wonderful shared travel experience

Sadan and Kristi Smith with the Galata Tower in the background

Workshop attendees at the opening banquet

Enjoying sisterhood in Istanbul

Bill and Kim Needy came all the way from Arkansas

Rym M'Hallah and Randy catch up at the banquet

The traditional Turkish toilet - skill is required for use by women.

Alice at the Selimiye Camii - the dome is roughly the size of that of the Aya Sofia.

Sadan enjoying the culinary specialty of Edirne - fried calf's liver

Sadan, Randy and Basar in Greece (Basar was actually a fugitive from the Greek authorities at this point)

Randy, Sadan and Basar with purchases in Bulgaria (from the "Penny Market") - the locals must live on a diet of alcohol, pickles and cheese

The local brew - cute pull top and bottle with tasty lager inside

Alice and her Bulgarian toy boy - our waiter who was friendly and knew about 10 words of English but took dollars (for food, that is :-) )

Typical dish - this a salad drenched in shredded cheese and includes pickles and ham bits

The restaurant we ate at in Svilengrad - $40 bought a lot!

Alice with Zeki Ayag and Women in Industrial Engineering Academia 2012 Workshop Poster

Basar Basaran with Randy at Istanbul's only brewpub

The beer we drank - a German style kolsch and very good in a cute bottle.

Baris and Basar Basran - yes, both are tall but Baris is NBA material

Some of the meze we had at Vira Vira Balik restaurant including octopus (on left)

The captain at Vira Vira opening our sea bass caught in the Bosphorus that morning

Detail of Jesus mosaic at Aya Sofia

Alice at Aya Sofia

At the Spice Market

Fishing where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus

Alice and Randy at dinner with a view of the Marmara Sea

Randy at the beach at our hotel on the Marmara Sea

Alice on the ferry across the Bosphorus