Nilay Papila

Bio

Nilay Papila is an experienced senior program manager, currently working for the Hacking for Defense program at Stanford University. With a strong background in research management, pre- and post-award services, university-industry cooperation, technology transfer, intellectual property, and technology commercialization, Nilay brings a wealth of expertise to her role.

Prior to joining Stanford, Nilay served as the Founding Director of the Technology Transfer Office at Ozyegin University in Istanbul, where she played a pivotal role in fostering innovation and collaboration. She also held positions as the Manager of the Project Development Office at Sabanci University and Associate Director of the Interdisciplinary Program Development Office at the University of Florida. Notably, she served as a national expert on the European Union 7th Framework Program (Marie Curie Actions) and as an expert/evaluator at the Technology Transfer Support Program Group at the Science and Technology Council of Turkey.

Nilay holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida, which she earned in 2001, following her completion of B.S. and M.S. degrees in the Aerospace Engineering Department of the METU in Ankara in 1994 and 1997, respectively.

Recognized for her accomplishments, Nilay is a Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellow (2000), an NCURA (National Council of Research Administration) Global Fellow at Stanford University (2018), and a certified Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP) (2018). These accomplishments highlight her dedication to advancing research and innovation within academic and industry settings.