He completed his MS work in 1987 with a thesis on Fuzzy Control of Mobile Robots. Between 1988 and 1990, he worked as a Systems Engineer for the Advanced Engineering Division of the Borg Warner Corporation in Ithaca, NY. He completed his Ph.D. thesis in 1990 on Neural Network Based control of Robotic Manipulators. In February 1991, he joined Boğaziçi University where he is currently an associate professor.

Between 1991 and 1994, he has worked as a consultant for TUBITAK Marmara Research Center, and for various companies on systems automation, computer networks and Internet applications. He served as the International Chapters Coordinator of the IEEE Control Systems Society, between 1995-1999 and he is also the founding chairman of the IEEE Turkey Section, Control Systems Society Chapter. He was the program co-chair of the 1997 IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Control. Between 1993 and 1994 he was as a research associate in the Center for Systems Science at Yale University and University of California Berkeley. In 1995 Dr. Cılız initiated the Bogazici University’s Global Internet Connectivity Project along with a colleague from Comp.Eng. Dept. In 1996 he co-founded two Internet start-up companies both of which were active and successful today. He sits on the board of both. In 1997, he took a sabbatical leave and worked for Global One Communications Co. as the Director of Engineering Operations. Between 1998-2000 he was a consultant for the same company. Dr. Cılız currently continues working as a consultant in his start-up companies. Dr. Cılız is a member of the Eta Kappa Nu, Tau Beta Pi and IEEE. He is also associated with various civil service organizations like Turkish Internet Association, Propeller Club, Turkish Education Foundation.

His current research interests are in Intelligent Communication Networks, Information Security, Telecommunications Policy, Broadband Networks.