Gülsima Ağıldere Baykal

F. Gülsima Agildere Baykal is a freelance artist and art therapist, who acts as an earth and gerontology volunteer. Her education and experience involves engineering, education / teaching, art, farming and art therapy. Previously, she taught at the Middle East Technical University, directed educational software development projects at METU Technopark, directed her own Writing Consultancy Company, and acted as managing partner in an engineering firm.

Agildere Baykal now lives in a rural region of Antalya (namely, the İbradı district), where she paints, writes and runs permacultural and natural farming practices. She does voluntary social work for society, including the leadership of İbradı Slow Food Community for Sustainable and Ecological Conservation, the executive membership of İbradı Collaboration and Development Foundation, and national and international relations and projects coordination for the National Association of Social and Applied Gerontology (NASAG).

She is particularly keen on art, creativity, longevity, life-long learning, healthy food production, medicinal and aromatic plants, natural farming, art therapy for all ages, effects of demographic changes on society, self development and ecogenetics.