Başak holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and brings over 15 years of academic experience in teaching and research at universities in the United States, Turkey, Belgium, and France. Her research expertise lies in comparative refugee integration policies, intergroup relations, and public opinion, with a particular focus on attitudes toward immigrant acculturation and the environmental drivers of migration.

She has conducted extensive fieldwork across multiple countries within the framework of national and international research grants. Her methodological approach combines both quantitative and qualitative tools, including surveys, experiments, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and content analysis. Her work has been published in academic journals, edited volumes, and international policy reports.