TOA Awards 2026 Finalists - Science, Research & Academia

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## Daron Acemoğlu

**Institute Professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)**

Daron Acemoğlu is one of the world's most influential economists and political scientists. An Institute Professor at MIT, his research on economic development, political economy, technological change, and institutions has transformed modern economics. His books and scholarly publications have influenced policymakers, governments, and academic institutions worldwide, making him one of the most cited economists of his generation.

**Profile:** https://economics.mit.edu/people/faculty/daron-acemoglu

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## Gökhan Hotamışlıgil

**James Stevens Simmons Professor of Genetics and Metabolism, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health**

Gökhan Hotamışlıgil is an internationally renowned biomedical scientist recognized for pioneering research on obesity, diabetes, metabolism, and inflammation. His discoveries have transformed the understanding of metabolic diseases and opened new directions for therapeutic research. His work has earned numerous international awards and continues to influence biomedical science worldwide.

**Profile:** https://hsph.harvard.edu/profile/gokhan-hotamisligil/

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## Mehmet Toner

**Professor, Harvard Medical School & Massachusetts General Hospital**

Mehmet Toner is a globally recognized biomedical engineer whose pioneering work in microfluidics, circulating tumor cells, and precision medicine has transformed cancer diagnostics and personalized healthcare. His innovations have significantly advanced early disease detection and biomedical engineering, resulting in numerous patents, scientific publications, and international recognition.

**Profile:** https://www.massgeneral.org/research/researchers/mehmet-toner

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## Aydoğan Özcan

**Chancellor's Professor, UCLA**

Aydoğan Özcan is an internationally recognized electrical engineer and inventor whose research focuses on computational imaging, optical sensing, artificial intelligence, and biomedical diagnostics. His groundbreaking innovations have led to hundreds of scientific publications and numerous patents, significantly advancing portable medical imaging technologies used around the world.

**Profile:** https://innovate.ee.ucla.edu/aydogan-ozcan/

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## Ivet Bahar

**Professor & Director, Stony Brook University**

Ivet Bahar is a distinguished computational biologist internationally recognized for her contributions to structural biology, biophysics, and computational medicine. As Director of the Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology at Stony Brook University, she has advanced scientific understanding of protein dynamics and molecular mechanisms while mentoring the next generation of biomedical researchers.

**Profile:** https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/biochem/faculty/Ivet_Bahar

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## Asuman Özdağlar

**Professor & Department Head, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science**

Asuman Özdağlar is Deputy Dean of MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Her research in optimization, game theory, machine learning, and network systems has earned worldwide recognition. She is widely regarded as one of the leading scholars in engineering and computational sciences.

**Profile:** https://www.eecs.mit.edu/people/asuman-ozdaglar/

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## Ali Erdemir

**Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University**

Ali Erdemir is a globally recognized materials scientist whose pioneering research in tribology, advanced coatings, and energy-efficient materials has significantly influenced modern mechanical engineering. His scientific innovations have improved industrial technologies across automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors while earning numerous international honors.

**Profile:** https://engineering.tamu.edu/mechanical/profiles/erdemir-ali.html

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## Feryal Özel

**Chair, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology**

Feryal Özel is an internationally acclaimed astrophysicist whose research focuses on black holes, neutron stars, and high-energy astrophysics. She gained worldwide recognition as a member of the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, which produced the first-ever image of a black hole. Her work continues to expand humanity's understanding of the universe.

**Profile:** https://physics.gatech.edu/people/feryal-ozel

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## Sinan Aral

**David Austin Professor of Management, MIT Sloan School of Management**

Sinan Aral is a globally recognized expert in digital platforms, artificial intelligence, social networks, and data science. As a professor at MIT Sloan, his research has transformed understanding of how information spreads through digital networks. He is also the author of *The Hype Machine*, exploring the impact of social media on business and society.

**Profile:** https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/sinan-aral

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## Engin Kırda

**Professor, Northeastern University**

Engin Kırda is one of the world's leading cybersecurity researchers. His work in computer security, malware analysis, and software protection has influenced both academia and the cybersecurity industry. Through pioneering research and entrepreneurial ventures, he has helped strengthen digital security technologies used by organizations worldwide.

**Profile:** https://ece.northeastern.edu/fac-ece/engin-kirda/

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## Murat Günel

**Professor of Neuroscience, Genetics & Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine**

Murat Günel is an internationally respected physician-scientist whose research focuses on human genetics, neuroscience, and cerebrovascular disease. As Chair of Neurosurgery at Yale School of Medicine, he has advanced understanding of neurological disorders while combining scientific discovery with world-class clinical leadership.

**Profile:** https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/murat-gunel/

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## Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan

**Schreiber Family Professor of Economics, Brown University**

Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan is one of the world's leading macroeconomists, recognized for her influential research in international finance, banking, and global economic integration. Her work has informed monetary policy discussions at major international institutions, including the Federal Reserve, IMF, and European Central Bank.

**Profile:** https://economics.brown.edu/people/sebnem-kalemli-ozcan

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## Bilge Yıldız

**Breen Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)**

Bilge Yıldız is the Breene M. Kerr Professor at MIT and one of the world's leading researchers in materials science and electrochemistry. Her research focuses on energy conversion, solid-state batteries, fuel cells, and advanced materials for sustainable energy systems. Through groundbreaking scientific discoveries and interdisciplinary collaboration, she has helped advance next-generation clean energy technologies.

**Profile:** https://dmse.mit.edu/people/faculty/bilge-yildiz

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## Canan Dağdeviren

**Associate Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)**

Canan Dağdeviren is an internationally acclaimed physicist and inventor whose pioneering work in wearable electronics and flexible biomedical devices has transformed the future of personalized healthcare. Her innovations have led to groundbreaking technologies capable of monitoring human health through skin-mounted electronic systems, earning worldwide recognition for advancing biomedical engineering.

**Profile:** https://media.mit.edu/people/canan/overview/

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## Gülru Necipoğlu

**Aga Khan Professor of Islamic Art, Harvard University**

Gülru Necipoğlu is one of the world's foremost scholars of Islamic and Ottoman art and architecture. As Aga Khan Professor at Harvard University, her research has profoundly influenced the study of Islamic visual culture through award-winning publications, international exhibitions, and decades of academic leadership.

**Profile:** https://scholar.harvard.edu/necipoglu

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## Murat Arcak

**Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley**

Murat Arcak is a distinguished systems engineer and control theorist whose research focuses on control systems, robotics, networked dynamical systems, and synthetic biology. His work has advanced both engineering theory and practical applications, earning international recognition across academia and industry.

**Profile:** https://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Faculty/Homepages/arcak.html

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## Selçuk Şirin

**Professor of Applied Psychology, New York University**

Selçuk Şirin is a leading scholar in education, child development, immigration, and educational equity. As a professor at New York University, his research has influenced educational policy and public discourse on immigrant youth, student achievement, and social mobility. He is also a bestselling author and internationally recognized public intellectual.

**Profile:** https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/selcuk-r-sirin

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## Sibel Adalı

**Professor of Computer Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute**

Sibel Adalı is a renowned computer scientist whose research explores artificial intelligence, social networks, data mining, and trustworthy machine learning. Her work has significantly advanced computational methods for analyzing human behavior and online information systems while mentoring future leaders in computer science.

**Profile:** https://faculty.rpi.edu

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## Tolga Tozun

**Professor of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley**

Tolga Tozun is a professor of bioengineering recognized for his pioneering research in gene editing, regenerative medicine, and synthetic biology. His laboratory develops innovative therapeutic technologies that combine engineering with life sciences to address complex medical challenges, contributing to advances in precision medicine and biotechnology.

**Profile:** https://bioeng.berkeley.edu

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## Uğur Şahin

**Co-Founder & CEO, BioNTech**

Uğur Şahin is a physician, scientist, and entrepreneur best known as the Co-Founder and CEO of BioNTech. Under his leadership, BioNTech became a global leader in mRNA technology, playing a historic role in the development of one of the first COVID-19 vaccines. His scientific achievements continue to shape the future of cancer immunotherapy and precision medicine.

**Profile:** https://www.biontech.com

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## Yalçın Yıldız

**Professor of Comparative Literature, Harvard University**

Yalçın Yıldız is a professor of comparative literature whose scholarship explores modern Turkish literature, literary theory, memory studies, and cultural history. Through influential publications and interdisciplinary teaching, he has expanded international understanding of Turkish intellectual history and comparative literary studies.

**Profile:** https://complit.fas.harvard.edu

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## Yiğit Mengüç

**Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Oregon State University**

Yiğit Mengüç is an award-winning mechanical engineer whose research focuses on soft robotics, intelligent manufacturing, and human-centered robotic systems. His innovative work integrates engineering, materials science, and robotics to develop technologies with applications in healthcare, manufacturing, and environmental sustainability.

**Profile:** https://engineering.oregonstate.edu

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## Yusuf Hannun

**Professor of Cell Biology, Stony Brook University**

Yusuf Hannun is an internationally recognized physician-scientist whose research has transformed understanding of lipid signaling, cancer biology, and molecular medicine. His discoveries have significantly influenced cancer research and therapeutic development while earning global recognition within biomedical science.

**Profile:** https://renaissance.stonybrookmedicine.edu

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## Zeynep Tümer

**Professor of Medical Genetics, University of Copenhagen**

Zeynep Tümer is a distinguished medical geneticist recognized for her contributions to human genetics, rare diseases, and genomic medicine. Through decades of research and international collaboration, she has advanced understanding of genetic disorders while helping improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for patients worldwide.

**Profile:** https://healthsciences.ku.dk

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