Emerging Scholar Awards
The Program recognizes both In-Person Emerging Scholars and Online-Only Emerging Scholars, ensuring that researchers unable to travel can still hold a visible and valued role in the conference. Across all formats, Emerging Scholars participate fully in the life of the event: they chair parallel sessions, help guide and sustain discussion, and serve as bridges between established and early-career colleagues from different regions, institutions, and disciplines.
As part of CGScholar’s Event (KX) environment, Emerging Scholars contribute to a wider knowledge experience that links conference activity, community engagement, and publication. Their work is shared through Presentation Pages, digital media, and discussion spaces; they receive structured support to develop their research through the Network’s journals and book imprint; and they gain sustained visibility within the worldwide scholarly community formed around the Research Network.
The Award includes complimentary conference registration and Research Network membership, along with formal recognition during the conference proceedings. Emerging Scholars enter a supportive, scholar-led community in which they can build connections across disciplines, regions, and generations of researchers. Professional development, mentoring encounters, and opportunities for collaboration are integrated into the conference and the Network’s year-round activities.
Award recipients are expected to: attend an orientation and training session (typically the day before the conference), and participate fully throughout the conference by fulfilling assigned chairing and discussion-leading responsibilities.
The Emerging Scholar Award is open to researchers currently enrolled in a graduate studies program or identifying as early-career scholars in a field relevant to the conference. Applicants should demonstrate strong potential for scholarly contribution and a commitment to participating in the collaborative ethos of the Network.
Akdeniz University, Turkey
Dr. Ayan is a gerontologist and academic specializing in prevention models, interventional gerontology, older adult health, and gender. She received her bachelor’s degree in Gerontology from Akdeniz University in 2015 and master’s degree in Women’s Studies from DEU in 2017. She completed her PhD in ADU Elderly Health and Care Programme in 2023 and continues her second doctoral studies in Gerontology at Akdeniz University. Prior to academia, she worked in local governments as administrator, contributing to innovative service models. Since 2020, she has served as Secretariat of the National Council of Gerontology Departments and Vice President of the Gerontologists Association.
Akdeniz University, Turkey
Muhammed Said Ulupınar is a Research Assistant and doctoral candidate in the Department of Gerontology at Akdeniz University. He holds a Master’s degree in Physiotherapy, completed in 2023. As a licensed physiotherapist, his academic research focuses on the intersection of aging, gerotechnology, and cognitive health. His current work investigates the application of Artificial Intelligence in health technologies and addresses the concept of digital ageism. He is dedicated to exploring innovative solutions, including cognitive-motor dual-task assessments, to improve the functional independence and quality of life for older adults.
Akdeniz University, Turkey
Barış Kılıç is a physiotherapist, gerontologist, and PhD candidate based in Antalya, Türkiye. His research interests lie at the intersection of geriatric care and digital technology, specifically focusing on technology acceptance and digital literacy among older adults. As a research assistant, he actively participates in interdisciplinary projects aimed at enhancing the digital skills of the older adults. Barış is currently involved in several academic initiatives focused on eHealth integration and participatory research methodologies.
Akdeniz University, Turkey
Jülide Yılmaz is a Research Assistant and PhD student in the Department of Gerontology at Akdeniz University, Türkiye. Her research focuses on participatory research with older adults, dementia-friendly initiatives, aging and migration, and experiences of aging well in later life. She has experience in qualitative research methods and has participated in international collaborations and COST Actions related to aging and participatory approaches. She currently serves as the Science Communication Coordinator of PAAR-Net (COST Action CA22167), where she contributes to dissemination activities, communication strategies, and collaborative initiatives involving older co-creators and researchers across Europe.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology & Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institute, Germany
Virginia Marano is an art historian and curator. She is currently a Junior Research Fellow in the Young Investigator Group Preparation Program (YIG Prep Pro) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and an associate scholar in the Lise Meitner Group “Coded Objects,” led by Anna-Maria Meister at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut. She earned her PhD in art history from the University of Zurich, where her research was supported by a FCS doctoral scholarship (2018–2021) and a FAN research grant (2021). Her work has been further supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation through a Doc.Mobility fellowship at the Art History Department at Hunter College, CUNY (2022), and by a fellowship at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice (2023). Alongside her academic research, she worked as a curatorial assistant at MASI, Museo d’Arte della Svizzera italiana, Lugano (2023–2025). She is the curator of the display “Misfits: Disability as Method through Objects” at the Paul Mellon Centre, London (2026). She also co-directs the research project “Rethinking Art History through Disability” at the University of Zurich, which aims to rethink the intersections of disability theory and art history through the lens of the non-normative body.
Tekirdag Namik Kemal University, Turkey
Yelda Bektaş is a Research Assistant in the Department of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University. She holds a PhD in social policy from Marmara University. Her research focuses on aging and social policy, workforce aging, migrant workers, and care policies. She has published on demographic change, age management, and migration governance in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. Her current work examines long-term care and the normative limits of the social investment paradigm. She employs both qualitative and quantitative methods in her research.
University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Akida Anwar(Aikedan Ainiwaer) is completing her DPhil in Area Studies (China) at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford (St Antony’s College). Her doctoral research examines social ageing in China from a gender perspective, focusing on romantic cohabitation as an emerging “peer-ageing” strategy in urban China and the emotional value of companionship in later-life partnerships. She holds two bachelor's and two master’s degrees from Peking University (Public Policy &Administration; Art History)and the London School of Economics and Political Science in Public Policy. Her broader research interests include gender and intersectionality, creative ageing, social policy, culture, and identity. Her work is informed by multilingual skills and a comparative, cross-cultural perspective on intimacy and care.
LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Rhea Pasricha is a multidisciplinary visual communicator and design researcher specialising in shaping brand identities through thoughtful, systems-led design. Currently pursuing her Master’s degree at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, her research focuses on designing empathy for India’s senior population by reframing ageing through community-driven systems. Drawing from both her Indian roots and fieldwork in Singapore, she grounds her work across cultural contexts to strengthen its relevance and impact. Her practice sits at the intersection of social, cultural, and systems design, aiming to foster more inclusive and meaningful ageing futures.
LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Rachel is a Master of Arts in Design candidate at LASALLE College of the Arts (University of Arts Singapore). Her current research focuses on the critical intersection of Singapore’s ageing population and spatial design, seeking innovative ways to enhance living for the seniors. Rachel’s multidisciplinary background includes a Diploma in Architecture from Singapore Polytechnic (2018) and a BA (Hons) in Interior Design from LASALLE (2022). By bridging architectural foundations with interior nuances, she aims to design inclusive, future-ready environments. Her work reflects a deep commitment to social advocacy through the lens of thoughtful, human-centric urban space.
As an Emerging Scholar, I truly valued the interdisciplinary nature of the conference, where scholars from diverse fields came together to explore sustainability from multiple perspectives. This enriched the debate, fostering insightful discussions and highlighting the complexity and interconnectedness of sustainable practices across disciplines."
The Emerging Scholar program is an incredible way to connect with others entering the sustainability field from all over the world, while inspiring you to take your research goals to new heights! This program has broadened my professional network and academic horizons by fostering friendships with global scholars from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe, many of whom I now consider my close friends.”
The conference has given me an excellent opportunity to present my work. Looking forward to attending more conferences through this platform."