TASSA 2026 Conference Held in North Carolina with a Focus on Artificial Intelligence
The TASSA 2026 Conference, bringing together Turkish-American scientists, took place at the Sancar Turkish Cultural and Community Center with a theme of artificial intelligence.
Organized by the Turkish-American Scientists and Scholars Association, the TASSA 2026 Conference was held with artificial intelligence-focused themes at the Sancar Turkish Cultural and Community Center in North Carolina.
Theme and Location of the Conference
Organized by the Turkish-American Scientists and Scholars Association, the TASSA 2026 Conference took place at the Sancar Turkish Cultural and Community Center in North Carolina.
While this year's main theme was determined as artificial intelligence, the event brought together many scientists, academics, students, and entrepreneurs from the US and Turkey.
Beginning with Laboratory Visits
TASSA 2026 officially began on October 2 with participants visiting various institutes and laboratories at the University of North Carolina.
Among the visited laboratories were the workspaces of Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar and Prof. Dr. Ayşenil Belger.
Opening Speeches and Notable Figures
The first day of the event kicked off with opening speeches by TASSA President Prof. Dr. Ercan Alp, Prof. Dr. Hasan Ayaz, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Canan Dağdeviren.
Following this, 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar delivered an address to the participants.
Brain Drain and Innovation Panel
Strategic topics such as reverse brain drain and the impacts of the diaspora were thoroughly discussed within the scope of the conference.
Figures such as Ahmet Yozgatlıgil, Barış Tan, Hasan Mandal, Metin Sitti, and Meryem Sondan Durukanoğlu Feyiz shared their views on the panel.
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Sessions
Sessions featuring expert names were held on the future of artificial intelligence and the impacts of foundation models on industry and medicine.
Embodied intelligence and robotics in the physical world were also among the prominent main topics of the conference.
Entrepreneurship and Technology Translation
On the second day of the event, Kenan Şahin gave a speech sharing his experiences and offering lessons on entrepreneurship.
Practical subjects such as the translation of technology from laboratory to market and academic mobility processes were also addressed in detail.