Hürriyet Sırmaçek facts for kids

Hürriyet Sırmaçek was a very important person in Turkey's history. She was born in 1912 and passed away in 1983. What makes her special? She was Turkey's very first woman bridge engineer! This means she designed and helped build bridges.

Early Life and Education

Hürriyet Sırmaçek was born in a city called Damascus in 1912. At that time, Damascus was part of a big empire called the Ottoman Empire.

She went to Erenköy Girls High School and finished in 1929. After that, she studied at Istanbul Technical University. She graduated in 1935. Her special studies were in road and bridge engineering. This means she learned how to design and build roads and bridges.

Building a Career

After finishing university, Hürriyet Sırmaçek started working for the Turkish State Railways (TCDD). This is the company that manages trains and railways in Turkey. She worked as a senior engineer.

Important Projects

Sırmaçek helped with many important projects. She checked the plans for buildings, including those made of concrete. One of her jobs was at the Sivas Lokomotif and Wagon Factory. She also worked on the "T" deck beam. This beam supported the Haydarpaşa overpass. It was located on the road between Izmir and Manisa.

She also calculated the needs for a special steel bridge. This bridge was called the 2x45'lik steel truss bridge. It was the first bridge of its kind in Turkey.

Leadership Roles

In 1964, Sırmaçek became a General Technical Consultant. This was a big role in the Directorate. Later, she became the Deputy General Director of the TCDD. This shows how skilled and trusted she was.

Between 1970 and 1971, she worked for the State Planning Organisation (DPT). She helped look at transportation issues. This work was part of a plan to help develop the Southeast region of Turkey. Hürriyet Sırmaçek retired from her work in 1971.

Being Part of Important Groups

Hürriyet Sırmaçek was a member of many important groups. She helped start some of them.

• She was a founder member of the Türkiye Köprü ve İnşaat Cemiyeti. This is the Turkish Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.
• She was a board member and General Secretary of the Türkiye Yüksek Mühendisler Birliği. This is the Turkish Engineers Association.
• She was the chairman of the Turkish branch of the Soroptimist International Clubs Association. This group works to improve the lives of women and girls.
• For 17 years, she was the head of the Erenköy Girls' High School Alumni Association. This group connects former students of her old high school.
• She was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Chamber of Engineers. She even served as the president of this important organization.

Personal Life

Hürriyet Sırmaçek passed away on January 2, 1983. She left behind a legacy as a pioneering woman in engineering.