The Inaugural Abadan Awards Were Granted in Istanbul

“These research topics are very relevant to contemporary Turkey, and could potentially have an impact on the future of law and policy-making. Our distinguished jury was equally impressed by the two, so has decided to award both instead of choosing one study over another. We are very happy with the results and have full confidence in our young academics” said Mustafa Kemal Abadan, Vice-Chair and a Founding Partner at Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF).

The Abadan Awards are made possible by a recurring annual gift from the Abadan Donor Advised Fund at  Turkish Philanthropy Funds. Donor Advised Funds at TPF are charitable accounts that allow individuals to personalize gifts according to their philanthropic goals. Mustafa Kemal Abadan named the awards after his parents, Dr. Yavuz Abadan and Dr. Nermin Abadan-Unat. The late Dr. Yavuz Abadan was a pioneering constitutional law professor and wore many hats during his very successful career from being the Dean of the Political Science Faculty at Ankara University to serving in the Parliament of Turkey. Dr. Nermin Abadan-Unat, a social sciences professor whose activism pushed the boundaries on women in law and in politics, is Turkey’s first woman to launch an academic career as a political scientist and was among the first woman to serve in Turkey’s Senate.

The purpose of the Abadan Awards is to encourage early-career scholars who are pursuing and/or completed their post-graduate studies in Turkey or abroad, to further their research. The awards alternate each year between the following: Dr. Yavuz Abadan Constitutional Law Award (2015) are granted towards studies in constitutional law around government theory, legislative, executive, and judiciary, and in human rights; and Dr. Nermin Abadan-Unat Social Science Award (2016) is given in the area of social studies with a particular focus on women's research. The competition is open only to Turkish citizens, between the ages of 25-38.