The following criteria are taken into consideration when evaluating the Outstanding Scholar Award: 

  • Continuity and prevalence of the research activities conducted in their area of expertise,
  • Publication performance (prominence of field-recognized indices, having international collaboration, being the lead author/responsible author (first or last author) according to the field, etc.),
  • Prestige of the journals in which the selected publications are published (having publications published in prestigious journals (a journal with a high impact factor, Q1/Top 10%/Top 5% according to the field), etc.),
  • Project performance (having high project budgets, having projects with significant impact, taking part in international and/or collaborative projects, 
  • Prestige and distinctiveness of the projects, prestige of the fund supporting the research, etc.),
  • Performance in research outputs specific to the field, such as policy documents, reports, patents, utility models, conference or symposium presentations, artistic production, design, exhibitions, and other related outputs that make a significant impact within the field,
  • Having received national/international awards and the prestige associated with them,
  • Originality and rigorousness of the research conducted by the researcher,
  • Being invited as an academy member/chair by various scientific committees, events attended as a keynote/invited speaker, leadership roles in scientific organizations,
  • Contribution to the education, teaching, and research infrastructure of SU in their field (establishing an educational program / center / laboratory, making effective contributions to centers / laboratories, having innovative course designs in the field, educating graduate students, etc.),
  • Developing international strategic collaborations that significantly increase the research capacity of the university in the relevant field (such as establishing an international joint doctoral program),
  • Activities that enhance the recognition and prestige of the university (such as serving as the scientific board or organizing committee chair of a leading international conference),
  • Leading research activities that reinforce Sabancı University's position in focus research areas,
  • Undertaking editorial duties in leading journals in the relevant scientific field.

Within the scope of the Lightning Scholar Award, rather than conducting a holistic assessment of the candidate’s research activities, the following high-quality outputs are taken into consideration:

  • Having produced one or more outputs that have garnered significant attention in their scientific or artistic field, for example;
    • Having published a high quality, high-impact work that has attracted significant attention within their scientific or artistic field,
    • Conducting research funded by a prestigious grant or institution in their respective field,
    • Producing other types of research output (such as a policy documents, reports, patents, utility models, conference or symposium presentations, artistic productions, designs, exhibitions) that are recognized as highly significant and of high-quality in their field of science or art.

The following criteria are taken into consideration when evaluating the Societal Impact Award: 

  • Identifying societal needs and addressing them effectively through scientific research and activities, 
  • Engaging in research with proven and/or prospective long-term impact in economic, social, and cultural domains, 
  • Engaging in an initiative or commercialization activity that enables the widespread adoption of a new practice — such as a technological innovation, new method, intervention program, policy development, or creative work — which addresses a societal need or provides a solution to a social problem,
  • Conducting research with demonstrated or potential impact on the Sustainable Development Goals prioritized by Sabancı University (SDG 2, SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG7, SDG 9, SDG 11 and SDG 13),
  • Research that has influenced, or holds the potential to influence, the policies guiding the operations of countries, institutions, and organizations,
  • Having a significant role in educating and raising awareness within society in relation to their field of study,
  • Raising awareness within the university regarding the societal impact of research,
  • Undertaking pioneering efforts or initiatives that translate scientific and artistic  endeavors into tangible societal impact,
  • Making a substantial contribution to science communication and public engagement activities conducted within the university.

Where applicable, evidence of impact related to the above-mentioned criteria should be provided (such as outputs generated, number of beneficiaries, etc.)