Dear TASSA Community,

We are excited to share the preliminary program for the TASSA 2026 Annual Conference, "Innovation Bridges in the Age of AI: Transnational Impact Between the U.S. and Türkiye," taking place October 2-4, 2026 at the Sancar Turkish Cultural and Community Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

[ View the Preliminary Program ]

Program Highlights

The conference opens on the morning of Saturday, October 3 with Nobel Laureate Aziz Sancar, and a fireside conversation.

Over two days, six panels bring together leaders from academia, industry, and the public sphere:

• Reverse Brain Drain, Diaspora Impact, and the Türkiye-U.S. Innovation Bridge, with presidents of Istanbul Technical University, Kadir Has University, Koç University, and Özyeğin University
• The Future of AI, with speakers from MIT, UCLA, and Turing
• Embodied Intelligence: Robotics and AI in the Physical World
• Technology Translation: From Lab to Market
• Science, Philanthropy, and Society
• Navigating Immigration for Scientists and Scholars

The program also includes poster sessions and lightning talks by early-career researchers, an entrepreneurship workshop, a Job Fair connecting students and researchers with universities, companies, and startups, the Young Scholars Awards, a cultural tribute to Aşık Veysel, and a reception and dinner on Saturday evening. Friday, October 2 is an arrival day with social activities and cultural tours for early arrivals.

The program is preliminary and subject to change; the final version with all speakers will be posted closer to the conference.

Deadline Tomorrow: Thursday, September 10, 11:59 PM ET

In response to strong interest from the community, we have extended both deadlines to Thursday, September 10, 2026, 11:59 PM ET:

This is the final call for two opportunities:

• Abstract Submissions. Students, postdocs, and researchers at all career stages are invited to submit an abstract (up to 300 words) for poster presentation. Selected abstracts will also be invited to give a lightning talk. Abstracts showcasing research centers, labs, and academic units are welcome. [Abstract]

• Young Scholars Award Nominations. Nominate an outstanding early-career scientist or scholar (or apply yourself) for the TASSA Young Scholars Award, to be presented at the conference. [Young Scholars Award]

Register Today

Registration is open to academics, researchers, students, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and community members from the U.S. and Türkiye. Student and postdoc registration is $40; faculty and industry professional registration is $200. Seats are limited, and we encourage you to register early. [Register Now]

Accommodation

Hotels near the venue are filling quickly because of a sporting event in Chapel Hill that weekend. Please book your accommodation as soon as possible. Suggested hotels are listed on the conference website. [Hotel Information]

We look forward to welcoming you in Chapel Hill!

Warm regards,

Hasan Ayaz & Canan Dağdeviren

TASSA 2026 Conference Co-Chairs

Ercan Alp

TASSA President