At the mention of a “robot,” what comes to mind? Perhaps it conjures images of mechanical constructs, moving parts and automated systems. But to Ren Erdogan (’24), the field of robotics is so much more than just that. To her, robotics is defined by its surrounding community, all coming together towards a singular cause. 

Ren found herself in an unlikely extracurricular in her sophomore year—robotics, stemming from a fascination by the team’s ability to create a robot from start to finish. Despite no prior involvement in STEM-related activities, outside of helping her dad, she joined the operations section of the Harker robotics team, focusing on outreach. This position allowed her to communicate between the team and the broader community. 

“I ended up joining outreach,” Ren said. “I found my footing there. We have camps and courses for both elementary and middle schoolers. I think it’s really rewarding because I’m interested in more than just the technology itself, but also the application of technology to society and how that can be used to address some need or issue.” 

Beyond just the physical skills she would acquire from robotics, the community aspect within the team drew her to join. Inspired by their genuine dedication to the program, she wished to share a similar level of commitment. 

“It’s a bunch of people who are really passionate about one thing,” Ren said. “It’s such a huge time commitment that when you see people at competitions you know that they must have invested a lot of time into it.”

Ren also holds close connections with her Turkish community, with an executive position in the Turkish Educational Foundation. She devotes herself to community service in Turkey following the destruction caused by a major earthquake. She realized that, while the government meets basic needs for children, many of them do not enjoy access to education. 

“I feel like education is put on a back burner because obviously having food is more important than education,” Ren said. “I think education is still really important. I volunteered over the summer. I taught English to some kids at a shipping container classroom. I ended up realizing that a lot of these kids are really into robotics. I just mentioned ‘I do robotics at my school,’ and a lot of these kids were like, ‘can you tell us more about that?’” 

Ren initiated a project that aimed to bring used electronics to kids in Turkey. The initiative, which started out as serving one shipping container community of around 100 kids, now brings electronics to 300 kids across multiple communities. Her motivation for assisting Turkish children partially stems from her respect for the culture there. 

“I really appreciate the warm welcome I get, even from people I don’t know,” Ren said. “My cousins’ friends are always really welcoming to me. It’s a big part of Turkish culture to be warm and welcoming to the people around you. At the store, if I’m looking for something, and it might be obvious that I’m not from around there, people will definitely help me and they’re always nice to me.” 

Aligned with her Turkish values, Ren grew up with a love for animals. From building houses for the snails in elementary school, to fostering rabbits, to taking in her previous neighbor’s cat, Calico, animals form a significant part of Ren’s life. 

“Turkish people are really kind to anything living,” Ren said. “If you visit Istanbul, there are a bunch of cats because Turkish people think that if you can’t even be nice to the smallest of creatures, how are you going to be nice to humans?” 

Ren’s friends share both her love of Calico and her appreciation for warmth, openness and sense of humor. Close friend Anika Mantripragada (’24) notes Ren’s initial shyness and her eventual ability to showcase more of her personality. 

“She can be quiet, but when you get to know her, she has a great sense of humor,” Anika said. “She’s also very, very smart, but she doesn’t always show it, which is what I really like. I think she’s one of those kids who are quiet but really good at what they do.” 

Similar to robotics, Ren applies practical skills to her economics and game theory classes. Upper school AP Economics and Game Theory teacher Samuel Lepler comments on her sense of resilience and her unique ability to navigate difficult situations.

“Ren’s a complete package,” Lepler said. “She is incredibly hard working. This is not a student who will be defeated by anything, even if it’s really difficult, and I think that’s one of the great strengths that Ren has. Sometimes things come easy and sometimes they don’t. That’s true for almost all students, but a lot of them will avoid what is challenging, and Ren will take on what is challenging.” 

When facing challenges, academic and otherwise, Ren maintains an optimistic outlook, a trait her friends admire greatly. Close friend Angelina Zhu (’24) appreciates Ren’s comforting presence that encourages her to open up. 

“She’s a very good positive influence,” Angelina said. “She has a great sense of humor. I’m not big on talking to people about my problems, but Ren has been supportive in the one circumstance where I did that.” 

Ren takes this optimistic and practical approach to all her endeavors, including her hobbies. Throughout high school, she learned to embrace a more pragmatic viewpoint in relation to her academic work, avoiding a fixation on perfectionism and looking forward. 

“If you’re into something, you shouldn’t just not do it because you’re not good at it,” Ren said. “Practice is a big part of your performance and your success. Obviously, there is talent, but I think you can make up for not having a mass amount of talent in the subject just through hard work. I care a lot about my future. I definitely try to work hard to put myself in situations where I can meet people that I think are really cool and successful. I put a lot of value into connections that I make and experiences that I get to have. So, I think I work hard towards getting to those experiences and meeting those people.”