Bouchet Society Spotlight: Eda Bozkurt

The Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society (Bouchet Society) is named for the first African American doctoral recipient in the United States (Physics, Yale University, 1876) and recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement, promotes diversity, and advances excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate. The society was formed in 2005 through a national chartre inagurated by Yale University and Howard University. The Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan has held a chapter since 2008.

Learn more about the Bouchet Society through this Q&A with one of its 2025 inductees: Eda Bozkurt, a Ph.D. candidate in the Architecture Department at Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

How has the Bouchet Honor Society fueled your research and/or professional practice? 
The Bouchet Honor Society has deepened my commitment to conducting socially engaged research that centers equity, justice, and community voice. It has also connected me with a powerful network of scholars whose values and work inspire my own academic and professional trajectory.

What do you value most about being a member of the Bouchet Honor Society?
What I value most about being a member of the Bouchet Honor Society is the sense of shared purpose and solidarity among scholars who are committed to transformative research, mentorship, and justice. It’s both affirming and energizing to be part of a community that uplifts underrepresented voices in academia.

What advice might you give to Bouchet Society applicants?
I would encourage applicants to reflect deeply on how their scholarship connects to broader social impact. The Bouchet Society values not just what you study, but why it matters and how you use your work to uplift others.

Learn more about the Bouchet Society at U-M.