About
Selmiye Alkan Gürsel is a Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Sabancı University, Istanbul, Türkiye, where she has been since 2008. She also serves as a Distinguished Researcher at the Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM) since 2021. With over 25 years of experience, her research focuses on electrochemistry, nanotechnology, and sustainable energy solutions, including fuel cells, hydrogen production, and advanced battery systems.
She earned her B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. from Middle East Technical University (METU), Türkiye, and conducted postdoctoral research at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland (2003-2007) and METU (2002-2003). She has an h-index of 38 with over 4148 citations (Google Scholar). Current metrics: h-index: 38, Total citations: 4148 as of April 2025.
Research Interests
- Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells
- Hydrogen Production by Electrolysis
- Lithium-Ion, Lithium-Air, and Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
- Graphene-based Electrodes and Catalyst Supports for Energy Applications
- Proton Exchange Membranes and Anion Exchange Membranes
- Materials for Artificial Muscles
- Electrochromic Polymers and Devices
- Conducting Polymers and Enzyme Immobilization
Publications
Journal Articles
A. Saeidfar, A. C. Kirlioglu, S. Alkan Gürsel, S. Yesilyurt, "Role of catalyst layer composition in the degradation of low platinum-loaded proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathodes: An experimental analysis," Journal of Power Sources 625, 235676 (2025)
A. C. Kırlıoğlu, B. Ölmez, F. Rahbarshendi, M. Buldu-Akturk, A. Yürüm, S. Alkan Gürsel, B. Yarar Kaplan, "Scalable nano-sized Fe-NC catalysts for fuel cells: Evaluating the impact of iron precursors and CeO₂ addition," Materials Research Bulletin 179, 112952 (2024)
M. A. Zabara, B. Ölmez, M. Buldu‐Akturk, B. Y. Kaplan, A. C. Kırlıoğlu, S. Alkan Gürsel, M. Ozkan, C. S. Ozkan, A. Yürüm, "Photoelectrocatalytic Hydrogen Generation: Current Advances in Materials and Operando Characterization," Global Challenges 8 (8), 2470088 (2024)
İ. Bütün, S. Çelik, K. B. Dönmez, A. Yürüm, S. Alkan Gürsel, A. Koşar, "The effect of current collectors on polymer-based energy-generating units inspired by the electric organs of eels," Journal of Energy Storage 90, 111739 (2024)
A. C. Kırlıoğlu, N. R. Mojarrad, S. Alkan Gürsel, E. Güler, B. Y. Kaplan, "New generation radiation-grafted PVDF-g-VBC based dual-fiber electrospun anion exchange membranes," International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 51, 1390-1401 (2024)
Patents
- S. Alkan Gürsel, L. Işıkel Şanlı, "Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells with improved performance," PCT Int. Appl. WO 2015022021 A1 (2015)
- G. G. Scherer, L. Gubler, S. Alkan Gürsel, "A method for preparing a membrane to be assembled in a membrane electrode assembly and membrane electrode assembly," WO2006081970 (10-08-2006)
Book Chapters
- S. Alkan Gürsel, L. Gubler, B. Gupta, G. G. Scherer, "Radiation grafted membranes," 'Fuel Cells 1', Advances in Polymer Science, Springer, Vol. 215 (2008)
Academic Profiles
Teaching
- Science of Nature
- Organic Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Electrochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Synthesis
- Applications of Nanomaterials in Energy
- Hydrogen Energy System
Awards and Honors
Participating to Hydrogen Valley Project, the first hydrogen valley of Türkiye in South Marmara, funded by EU (Primary Investigator from Sabanci University, 2023-)
Selected to SHURA Energy Transition Center Advisory Council, 2022-
Advisor for Sabanci Holding-Energy & Climate Group, 2022-
Received TUBITAK Horizon 2020 Above-Threshold-Award 2020 (Multiple Projects)
Received "Academic Prize" in the inaugural Women Energizing Türkiye Awards, Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, 2018
Best Poster Award, 2nd International Symposium on Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion, 2017
The Science Academy - Young Academics Prize Scholarships (BAGEP) 2013
Selected Projects
- HORIZON EUROPE Project: Hydrogen Valley - South Marmara Hydrogen Shore (2023-)
- M-ERA.NET Project: Novel Asymmetric Anion-Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells (2020-)
- TÜBİTAK 1003 Project: Development of New Generation High Capacity Cathodes based on Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium Oxide (NCA) by Electrospinning (2019-2022)
- TÜBİTAK 1001 Project: Development of Novel Graphene Foam Electrode Supported Nonnoble Bimetal Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (2018-2021)
- HORIZON 2020 Project: Graphene-based Disruptive Technologies — GrapheneCore1 (2016-2018)
Professional Activities
She serves as a reviewer for prestigious journals including Electrochimica Acta, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Journal of Power Sources, and International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
She is a member of Hydrogen Europe Research (HER), Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA), Electrochemical Society (ECS), American Chemical Society (ACS), and Turkish Chemical Society.
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +90 216 483 95 73
Office: Sabancı University, Faculty of Engineering & Natural Sciences, Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, 34956 Tuzla, Istanbul, Türkiye
Website: myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/selmiye/ | www.selmiye.com