Our Faculty Member Received “Science, She Says!” Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kübra Altuntaş from ITU Department of Environmental Engineering has received the “Science, She Says!” award granted by the Italian government.

The “Science, She Says!” award is presented to outstanding young international women scientists who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science and technology. The award call is coordinated by the Italian Embassy and supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).

Our faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kübra Altuntaş was deemed worthy of the “Science, She Says!” award for her innovative contributions and pioneering research in the field of environmental engineering and sustainable water/wastewater treatment technologies, exemplifying scientific leadership.

The award was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Altuntaş on behalf of MAECI by Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Edmondo Cirielli at the closing ceremony of the Conference of Experts in Science, Space, and Agriculture held in Naples on September 12, 2025.

Regarding the “Science, She Says!” award, Assoc. Prof. Kübra Altuntaş stated: “This award reflects ITU’s strong research ecosystem and its support for science and young researchers, as well as the fruitful scientific collaborations we have established with Italy. The studies we conducted with Prof. Cristina Paradisi, Prof. Ester Marotta, and Prof. Maria Cristina Lavagnolo from the University of Padua have deepened my perspective on research. I am happy and proud that our innovations in sustainable water treatment have gained international recognition and that I have brought this award to Türkiye. I would like to thank Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu, my teammates at MEM-TEK, my colleagues at ITU Environmental Engineering, and those in Italy for their support during my nomination process; and I hope this award will inspire young women scientists.”

About Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kübra Altuntaş

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kübra Ulucan-Altuntaş completed her undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral studies in Environmental Engineering at Yıldız Technical University. She later focused on cold atmospheric plasma-based advanced treatment technologies in projects conducted at the University of Padua, supported by the TÜBİTAK 2219 – Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and the European Union’s prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Program. Her research encompasses topics in environmental engineering such as persistent organic pollutants/micropollutants (PFAS, pharmaceuticals) and advanced oxidation processes, as well as cold plasma applications in medicine targeting breast cancer. She has served as a principal investigator and researcher in numerous projects funded by TÜBİTAK, the British Council (Newton Fund), and the EU (H2020, Horizon Europe). Currently, she is a faculty member at ITU Department of Environmental Engineering and is working on cold plasma–membrane hybrid systems under the MSCA-ERA fellowship, which she has been awarded for the second time.