Turkish university leaders and academics joined businesspeople from the U.S. technology sector at the 2026 Turkish-American Scientists and Scholars Association (TASSA) Conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Nobel laureate Aziz Sancar and his wife, Gwen Sancar, hosted the event at the Sancar Turkish Community Center, with Turkey’s ambassador to Washington, Sedat Önal, also attending.

The conference focused on innovation in the artificial intelligence era and cooperation between Turkey and the United States. Önal urged Turkish scientists in the United States to strengthen professional collaboration, deepen bilateral ties and promote unity within the Turkish-American community. He also highlighted the contributions that researchers abroad could make to Turkey’s efforts to become more self-sufficient across different fields.

Sancar described efforts supported by Turkish and American volunteers and donors to help Turkish students. He said they had established the community center for cultural activities and subsequently built a dormitory in Chapel Hill for Turkish students, emphasizing that the center welcomed everyone regardless of political affiliation. Conference participants presented technologies and ventures spanning healthcare and artificial intelligence, and shared proposals for expanding scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries.

Key Takeaways

• The 2026 TASSA conference brought academics and technology businesspeople together in North Carolina.
• Ambassador Sedat Önal called for stronger scientific collaboration and bilateral ties.
• Aziz Sancar highlighted community-backed facilities supporting Turkish students.

Source: Anadolu Agency