The 2026 TÜBA-TEKNOFEST Doctoral Science Awards Have Been Announced
Following applications to the TÜBA-TEKNOFEST Doctoral Science Awards program, 15 scientists were selected for the awards by the Scientific Evaluation Jury.
The awards, which recognize Turkish-based doctoral dissertations addressing original thematic topics, will be presented to their recipients during the TEKNOFEST event to be held in Şanlıurfa from September 30 to October 4, 2026. The awards are given in the fields of natural and engineering sciences, health and life sciences, social and humanities, and basic sciences. In accordance with the award amounts determined by the Academy Council for 2026, the author of the thesis winning first place will receive 200,000 TL, the author of the thesis winning second place will receive 150,000 TL, and the author of the thesis winning third place will receive 100,000 TL.
TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker, in his assessment of the results, stated, “With the TÜBA-TEKNOFEST Doctoral Science Awards, we continue to support original and high-quality doctoral research that contributes to Türkiye’s science and technology goals. We are deeply pleased that 15 distinguished scientists from various scientific fields have been deemed worthy of these awards in 2026. Every achievement represents a significant source of motivation for our award recipients, an honor for our country, and hope for our future. Achieving success requires immense effort; I congratulate our award-winning scientists who have dedicated their time and effort to this work, and I hope their research will contribute to our country’s scientific and technological development. I would also like to thank all researchers who applied and contributed through their scientific work.”
The TÜBA-TEKNOFEST Doctoral Science Award has been presented since 2021 in the following categories: Technology and Design, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Autonomous Systems, Robotics and Mechatronics Systems, Modeling and Simulation Technologies, Energy, Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technologies, Technologies for Aviation, Space, and Unmanned Underwater Systems, Information and Communication Technologies, Cybersecurity and Cryptology, as well as the fields of Education, Health, Agriculture, and Ecological Technologies, and Biotechnology, and doctoral dissertations addressing the dimensions of the National Technology Initiative related to International Relations, Development Policies, Educational Approaches, and Security Policies.
2026 AWARD Laureates
Science and Engineering
1. Sezer Önbilgin
Name of the Thesis: Şerit Döküm Yöntemi ile Yüksek Güç Yoğunluğuna Sahip Mikro-Tüp Katı Oksit Yakıt Pili (KOYP) Geliştirilmesi (Development of a High-Power-Density Microtube Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Using the Strip Casting Method)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University
Field of Study: Mechanical Engineering
2. Kürşat Tekbıyık
Name of the Thesis: A New Approach to Satellite Communication: Harnessing the Power of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Istanbul Technical University
Field of Study: Telecommunications Engineering
3. Nedim Hacıosmanoğlu
Name of the Thesis: 3 Boyutlu Baskı Yönteminin Biyoteknolojide Ayrıştırma, Sensör ve Biyoüretim Amaçlı Kullanımı (The Use of 3D Printing in Biotechnology for Separation, Sensing, and Bioproduction)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University
Field of Study: Materials Science and Nanotechnology
3. Mehmet Can
Name of the Thesis: Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access Techniques for Satellite Networks
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Istanbul Technical University
Field of Study: Electronics and Communications Engineering
Health and Life Sciences
1. Ahmet Kağızman
Name of the Thesis: Özel Bir Piston ve Kilit Mekanizmasına Sahip Yüksek Başlangıç İvmeli Göğüs Kompresyon Cihazının Tasarımı, Simülasyonu ve Üretimi (Design, Simulation, and Manufacturing of a Chest Compression Device with High Initial Acceleration Featuring a Special Piston and Locking Mechanism)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Istanbul Technical University
Field of Study: Mechatronics Engineering
2. Osman Oğuz Demir
Name of the Thesis: Çocuklarda Çoklu Sistemik İnflamatuvar Sendrom (MIS-C) Tanı ve Takibinde Elastin Türevi Peptidlerin Kullanımı ve Tayini İçin Yeni Bir Yarışmalı İndirekt ELISA Protokolü Geliştirilmesi (Development of a New Competitive Indirect ELISA Protocol for the Use and Determination of Elastin-Derived Peptides in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C))
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Hacettepe University
Field of Study: Pediatrics
3. Merve Gülbahar Eren
Name of the Thesis: Kardiyometabolik Multimorbiditesi Olan Yaşlı Hastalarda Bakım Gereksinimlerini Sınıflandırma ve Hemşirelik Tanılarını Belirlemeye Yönelik Bir Karar Destek Sisteminin Geliştirilmesi (Development of a Decision Support System for Classifying Care Needs and Identifying Nursing Diagnoses in Elderly Patients with Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Sakarya University
Field of Study: Nursing
Social and Humanities
1. Adem Kantar
Name of the Thesis: Erkeklik Rolleri ve Psikolojik İyi Oluş Arasındaki İlişkiler: Bir Boylamsal Çapraz Gecikmeli Panel Modeli Önerisi (The Relationship Between Masculine Roles and Psychological Well-Being: A Proposal for a Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Panel Model)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Ankara University
Field of Study: Psychological Counseling and Guidance
2. Fatmanur Çimen
Name of the Thesis: Kötü Muamele, Kayıp, Yas, Ebeveyn Boşanması ve Aile İçi Şiddet Gibi Nedenlerle Travmatize Olmuş Çocuklara Yönelik PCIT Temelli Travma Modülünün Geliştirilmesi ve Etkililiğinin Değerlendirilmesi (Development and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a PCIT-Based Trauma Module for Children Traumatized by Abuse, Loss, Grief, Parental Divorce, and Domestic Violence)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Atatürk University
Field of Study: Psychological Counseling and Guidance
3. Muhammed Murat Gümüş
Name of the Thesis: Uzaktan Öğretim Öğrencilerinin Öğrenmeye Yönelik Üretken Yapay Zekâ Okuryazarlığının Öğrenci Bağlılığındaki Rolünün İncelenmesi (An Examination of the Role of Learning-Oriented Generative AI Literacy in Student Engagement Among Distance Learning Students)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Amasya University
Field of Study: Computer and Instructional Technology Education
3. Melike Artar Bıyıklar
Name of the Thesis: Evaluation of the Effect of Teleworking on Employee Attitude and Behaviour
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Gebze Technical University
Field of Study: Business
Basic Sciences
1. Musa Dırak
Name of the Thesis: Kanser Hücresi Seçici Görüntüleme ve Fototerapi için Küçük Molekül Tabanlı Ajanlarının Geliştirilmesi (Development of Small-Molecule-Based Agents for Selective Cancer Cell Imaging and Phototherapy)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Koç University
Field of Study: Chemistry
2. Oğuzhan Karakurt
Name of the Thesis: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications of Conjugated Small Molecules and Polymers for Organic Solar Cells and Organic Light-Emitting Diodes
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Middle-east Technical University
Field of Study: Chemistry
3. Hasan Kara
Name of the Thesis: Aralık Değerli Fonksiyonlar İçin Genelleştirilmiş Hermite-Hadamard Eşitsizlikleri (Generalized Hermite-Hadamard Inequalities for Interval-Valued Function)
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Düzce University
Field of Study: Mathematics
3. Tuğba Hacıefendioğlu Aydın
Name of the Thesis: Accelerating the Discovery of Conducting Polymer-Graphene Nanocomposites via High-Performance Computing and High-Throughput Screening
University Where the Thesis Was Conducted: Middle-east Technical University
Field of Study: Chemistry