English CV - ildan

EDUCATION LIFE

Contemporary Turkish playwright and novelist Mehmet Murat ildan was born in Elazig on May 16, in the Eastern part of Turkey. Due to his father's occupation, he continued his studies in capital Ankara. In 1982, high school diploma, as a first place winner, was awarded by Ankara Private Yenisehir College.

He spent one year in English Preparatory School in Ankara (at the Middle East Technical University - METU). Then in 1983, he took courses from the Department of Electronics as a full-time student.

In 1988, he obtained B.Sc. degree in Economics with "Certificate of Honour" (at METU). In the same year, he also obtained a Turkish Government Scholarship by the Ministry of Education for Master and Ph.D. degrees in European Union Economics.

In 1989, he spent 8 months in an Intensive French Course at "Centre Audio-Visuel de Langues Modernes" (CAVILAM) in Vichy - France.

In 1990, he took courses in Money-Finance and Banking as a full-time student at the University of Louis-Pasteur (ULP) in Strasbourg-France. In the same year, he took advanced courses in English for 6 months, at the Cambridge Centre for Languages in Cambridge - England.

In 1991, he got Master of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Essex in England. The thesis title is: "The Presence of Bubbles in Stock Prices and Stock Market Crashes: Theory, Evidence and Economic Policy."

In 1994, while doing his Ph.D., he did his military service in Turkey.

In 1997, he was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Economics by the University of Essex. The thesis title is: "Private Behaviour and Feedback Economic Policy: Theory and Econometric Evidence from the United Kingdom."

LITERARY CAREER

His literary career started in 1993 with a poetry book called Bright Candles; it was written in English in England and published in Turkey in 1995. In 1997, a poem from this book was published in the Georgian Blue Poetry Anthology.

Between the years 1993 - 1998, he did not write anything literary; in that period, he wrote some political articles in the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet-abroad. In 1998, he wrote stories for 6 months.

In 1999, he left his economics occupation. He worked as a translator in the Turkish Daily News only for one day.

From the year 2000 onwards, he started writing plays; he became a professional writer.

He has published 7 plays and 25 stories. His novels "Antiquary Arago's Diary," "Roses underneath Paris" and “The First Sorrows of Young Werther” and his story book "Lovers of Samos Island" have also been published.

Two of his plays, Galileo Galilei & Emmanuel Arago's Diary, have been accepted to the Repertory of Turkish State National Theatre. Also, his plays Eyes of Magic, Beggar's Prophecy and Emmanuel Arago's Diary have been included in the repertoire of Istanbul City Theatre.

Six of his plays have been translated into English by Yurdanur Salman, a well-known linguist in Istanbul.

His play Eyes of Magic was partly published in the "Absinthe - New European Writing" literary magazine in the USA.

Writer is a member of the World PEN Writers Union.

AWARDS

His play "Eyes of Magic" got the "Best Play Award" in Istanbul Kadiköy Municipality National Playwriting Competition" in 2000. The same play won the "Best Scenario Award" in "Istanbul Maltepe University 2004 Interuniversity Theatre Competition." (Performed by Mimi Comedy Players).
Another play, "Beggar's Prophecy," became a finalist in "AQT 2005 Vancouver Canada International Playwriting Competition."
His story "Housefly" obtained the "Secondary Place Award" in Samim Kocagöz National Story Competition. His stories Noah's Ark, Iron Bridge, Pursuit and Endless Race found praiseworthy and published in "ZOKEV Ahmet Naim Çiladir National Story Competition."

PUBLİSHED WORKS

· Ormanın Hayaletleri, Play, (Ghosts of Forest) 2000.
· Sakyamuni, Play, 2000.
· Büyünün Gözleri, Play, (Eyes of Magic) 2000.
· Galileo Galilei, Play, 2001.
· Dilencinin Kehaneti, Play, (Beggar's Prophecy) 2001.
· Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Play, 2002.
· William Shakespeare, Play, 2002.
· Antikacı Arago'nun Günlüğü, Novel, (Antiquary Arago's Diary) 2005.
· Paris'in Altındaki Güller, Novel, (Roses underneath Paris) 2006.
· Sisam Adası Aşıkları, Story, (Lovers of Samos Island) 2006.
· Genç Werther'in İlk Acıları, Novel, (The First Sorrows of Young Werther) 2007.