The TÜBİTAK Awards (; also referred to as the TUBITAK Scientific Achievement Award, TÜBİTAK Bilimsel Başarı Ödülü), are annual academic awards of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), an autonomous research institution of the central government of Turkey. These awards recognize the academic contributions of Turkish and foreign scientists in the fields of science and technology, including engineering, and mathematics. Presented by the president of Turkey, the awards are classified into four categories and promote advancements in science, technology, and innovation.

While the TÜBİTAK Awards are designed to promote advancements in science and technology, they are typically awarded to living individuals (though not exclusively). Recipients of the TÜBİTAK Science and Incentive Awards, recognize scholars for their significant contributions to the global scientific community and receive several accolades. Each awardee is presented with ten gold coins, a gold plaque, and a certificate of achievement. Also, recipients receive cash support amounting to ₺1.25 million () to assist in their ongoing scientific research activities.

History

The Science Awards were first established in 1966, followed by the introduction of the Service and Incentive Awards in 1969. In 2007, the TÜBITAK Special Award category was created to recognize the contributions of Turkish scientists living abroad, serving as an equivalent to the Science Award. That same year marked the inclusion of social sciences and humanities among the fields eligible for awards, although the inaugural awards in these disciplines were not presented until 2008. Later in 2019, the president issued Circular No. 2018/6 on September 5, 2018, under which the History of Science Award was presented to professor Fuat Sezgin as a one-time equivalent to the TÜBITAK Science Award.

Since the inception of the TÜBİTAK Awards in 1966, awards have been presented to a total of 881 scientists, including 206 Science Awards, 20 Special Awards, 89 Service Awards, and 566 Incentive Awards.

Awards

Science Award

The TÜBİTAK Science Award is awarded to living scientists who have made "significant contributions to science at the international level" through their research conducted in Turkey. The award recognizes scientific achievements that contribute to global scientific communities. It is conferred after the eligibility criteria are met. Candidates should be engaged in research and have practically implemented their findings in their respective scientific fields on a global scale.

Special Award

The TÜBİTAK Special Award is presented to living scientists who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey and have "significant contributions to science at the international level" through their research conducted abroad. This award serves as an equivalent to the Science Award, recognizing the significant impact of Turkish scientists in the global scientific community.

Service Award

The TÜBİTAK Service Award is conferred to both living scientists and, posthumously to died scientists. Scientists with "outstanding contributions to the development of science and technology in Turkey" are eligible for this award. It is primarily presented to recognizes the "outstanding impact" of their work on advancing scientific and technological progress within the country.

Incentive Award

The TÜBİTAK Incentive Award, sometimes referred to as Encouragement Awards, is awarded to scientists residing in Turkey who have demonstrated the potential to make "significant contributions to science at the international level" through their research. While the award is designed to encourage early-career researchers, it is presented to candidates under the age of 40 as of the first day of the year the award is presented. It recognizes and promotes early-career researchers who exhibit exceptional qualifications and potential in the field of science.

Nomination

The nomination process for the TÜBİTAK awards (excluding Science and Service awards) involves several scientific organizations and institutions. Eligible nominators include TÜBİTAK awardees, the Council of Higher Education, the Turkish Academy of Sciences, and the senates or boards of directors of universities. The highest decision-making bodies of public and private sector institutions operating in science and technological fields are also responsible for nominating the candidates.

The Science and Service awardees are independently nominated by the TÜBİTAK board of directors.

Recipients

Recipients of Science Award

S. No.

Year

Awardee

Field

Refs.

01

1974

Cahit Arf

Mathematics

02

Orhan İcen

03

1976

Erdoğan Şuhubi

04

1979

Masatoshi Gündüz Ikeda

05

1984

Hilmi Demiray

06

1986

Tosun Terzioglu

07

1989

Namık Kemal Pak

Physical

08

1992

Selman Akbulut

Mathematics

09

1993

Attila Aşkar

10

1995

Ali Ülger

11

2007

Ali Mustafazade

12

2015

Marat Akhmet

Recipients of Service Award

#

Year

Awardee

Refs.

01

1969

Zihni Derin

02

1971

Mustafa Inan

03

Bekir Alkan

04

1972

Fahir Yeniçay

05

Tevfik Sağlam

06

1973

Fatin Gökmen

07

Akil Muhtar Özden

08

1974

Ata Nutku

09

H. Suat Aknar

10

1975

Süheyl Ünver

11

Hulusi Behçet

12

Nuri Şeker

13

1976

Hilmi İleri

14

1977

Aydın Sayılı

15

Kerim Erim

16

Hamdi Peynircioğlu

17

1978

Emin Halid Onat

18

İhsan Doğramacı

19

Seref Zileli

20

Mustafa Uluöz

21

1979

H. Nafiz Pamir

22

Bedri Karafakıoğlu

23

Reşat Garan

24

Sabahattin Özbek

25

1980

Tarık Özker

26

Fikret Saatçioğlu

27

1981

Fikret Kortel

28

Macit Erbudak

29

Mustafa Parlar

30

H. Nüzhet Terem

31

1982

Muhtar Başoğlu

32

Nazım Terzioğlu

33

1983

Sait Akpınar

34

İ. Şükrü Aksel

35

Hamdi Açan

36

Mustafa Santur

37

Hacim Kamoy

38

Asım Zihnioğlu

39

1984

İlhami Cıvaoğlu

40

Nusret Karasu

41

1986

Zafer Paykoç

42

Orhan Düzgüneş

43

Kazım Türkoğlu

44

1987

Ekrem Göksu

45

Necmi Sönmez

46

1989

Mustafa Aytaç

47

Cahit Örgen

48

Sabiha Özgür

49

1990

Adnan Çakıroğlu

50

Ahmet Hulusi Köker

51

Ayten Güvener

52

Remzi Geldiay

53

1991

Remziye Hisar

54

Ratip Berker

55

Mehmet Ozan Sungurlu

56

1992

Kazım Ergin

57

Duran Leblebici

58

Selahattin Koloğlu

59

1993

Lütfullah Ulukan

60

Nusret H. Fişek

61

Mithat Özsan

62

1994

I. Akif Kansu

63

Dogan Kuban

64

Kamile Sevki Mutlu

65

1995

Şükrü Kaymakçalan

66

Hüseyin Demir

67

Nurhan Avman

68

1996

Abdullah Kızıtırmak

69

Rıdvan Ege

70

Sadi Sun

71

1997

Tevfik Karabağ

72

İmran Özalp

73

M. Nimet Özdaş

74

1998

Sırrı Erinç

75

Asuman Ü. Müftüoğlu

76

2000

Asuman Baytop

77

Fikret Yücel

78

2000

Tulu Baytin

79

Sadık Kakaç

80

2002

Ali Rıza Berkem

81

Aykut Erbengi

82

Ekrem Kün

83

2003

Teoman Özalp

84

2004

Cevat Erder

85

Altan Günalp

86

2006

Muhiddin Erel

87

İlhan Tekeli

88

2022

Teoman Duralı

Recipients of Special Award

#

Year

Awardee

Field

Refs.

01

2009

Taner Yıldırım

Basic Sciences

02

2014

Cagan H. Şekercioglu

03

2016

Kemal Kazan

04

2018

Mehmet Acet

05

2007

Tuncer B. Edil

Engineering Sciences

06

2008

M. Selim Unlu

07

2010

Umran S. Inan

08

2011

İlhan Fuat Akyıldız

09

2012

A. Galip Ulsoy

10

2013

Yusuf Altıntaş

11

2018

Tanju Karnfil

12

2020

Cengiz Sinan Ozkan

13

2007

Cezmi Akdiş

Health Sciences

14

2007

Onur Gunturkun

15

2014

Hayat Onyuksel

16

2015

Hazire Oya Alpar

17

2018

Omer Küçük

18

2010

M. Sukru Hanioglu

Social Sciences

19

2013

M. Utku Unver

Recipients of TWAS Science/Incentive Awards

#

Year

Awardee

Field

Category

Refs.

01

1992

Mehmet Ali Alpar

Physical

TWAS Science Award

02

1995

İvet Bahar

Chemical

03

1996

Mehmet Ozturk

Biology

04

2002

Halil Mete Soner

Maths

05

2003

Oğuz Gülseren

Physical

TWAS Science Award

06

2007

Bahtiyar Ozgur Sarioglu

Physical

07

2011

Kaan Güven

Physical

08

2004

Vural Bütün

Chemical

09

2005

Cevdet Uğuz

Biology

10

2009

Z. Ozlem Keskin Ozkaya

Biology

11

2013

Turgay Unver

Biology

12

2006

Burak Ozbagci

Maths

13

2010

A. Muhammed Uludağ

Maths