Merve was born on a sunny day in Ankara, Turkey. She completed her BSc degree in Chemistry at Ankara University in 2016. She completed her Master of Sciences in Organic Chemistry at the same university in 2019. While she was doing her Masters, she worked part-time at the Organic Chemistry Student Laboratory to help and support undergraduate students with their experiments. She also worked as a Quality Control Manager at Altaylar Medical Supplies Import-Export Trade Ltd.

Merve’s move to Bristol reflects her international experience, as she grew up and spent a number of years in Abu Dhabi and Washington D.C. In her spare time Merve enjoys travelling to new places with her husband Hakan. She also loves swimming and listening to music.