Professor Mehmed Özkan graduated with honors from Bogazici University’s Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 1986. He then pursued his graduate studies at Vanderbilt University’s Department of Electrical Engineering Mechatronics Program, concentrating on the fields of robotic surgery and intelligent robots, earning his Master’s Degree in 1988 and Ph.D. in 1991.

Throughout his graduate studies at Vanderbilt University, Özkan worked first as research assistant and then as administrator of the “Intelligent Robotics Laboratory”, focusing on both US and Japanese industrial projects and NIH-funded ventures.  While pursuing his Ph.D., he also worked for Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a research associate affiliated with the Department of Neurological Surgery, in charge of surgery-planning algorithms for stereotactic and robotic surgery.  In 1992, Özkan was offered a senior researcher position at the Mechatronics Department of Bridgestone Japan, under the New Business Development group.  During his 3-year postdoctoral studies in Tokyo, he implemented neurally inspired control schemes on robot control.

In 1995, Professor Özkan returned to Boğazici University, continuing his academic career at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering’s Biomedical Electronics Program, offering graduate classes and conducting funded research. His 84 academic publications have received over 653 citations. His most recent research is on the development of an anthropomorphic prosthetic hand. Over 40 students have received their MS and PhD (4) degrees under his supervision. In 2007, he received Bogazici University’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Education. 

In 2010, Professor Özkan established his own start-up company in the field of Biomedical Electronics and completed five funded projects. Recently, one of the startup’s projects received the “Seal of Excellence” certificate given by the European Commission, Horizon 2020, and the EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation 2014-2020.

Between 2005 and 2012, Professor Özkan was an executive board member of TEYDEB-ELOTEG (Electrical and Electronics Technologies), an industrial research-funding group established under TUBITAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey). Between 2012 and 2015, he was an executive board member of TEYDEB-TEMEG, another group under TUBITAK in charge of funding and promoting the Technology Transfer Offices of universities nationwide. Professor Özkan has been a project evaluator for European Commission funded projects in the field of Robotics under FP7 and H2020 programs for 4 consecutive years. In June 2017, he was elected member of TÜBA (the Turkish Academy of Sciences).

Professor Özkan served as Vice Director of Boğaziçi’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering and as a member of its Executive Board between 1995 and 2016. From 2012 to 2016, he served as Advisor to the Rector, responsible for Technology and Innovation. During this period, he was a member of several of Boğaziçi University’s committees and commissions, including those on Intellectual Property, Transportation, Telecommunications, Medical Facilities, Social Facilities, and the Rectorate. He then served as Vice Rector for Research from August 2016 until his appointment as Rector in November of 2016.

In his capacity as Rector, Professor Özkan is currently the chair of the board of directors of Boğaziçi University Foundation,  and three Boğaziçi University affiliated technoparks (BUN Teknopark, Finance Technopark, Dudullu OSB & Bogazici University Technopark).

Prof. Ozkan is also a member of board of directors of National Council of Universities of Turkey.