Nurcin Celik, associate professor in the University of Miami College of Engineering’s (UMCoE) Department of Industrial Engineering, was one of this year’s recipients of the University of Miami’s coveted 2020 Provost’s Award for Scholarly Activity.
The annual Provost’s Award for Scholarly Activity recognizes University of Miami faculty who have demonstrated excellence in research by either a single unique achievement or years of high-quality scholarly productivity. Recipients are nominated by their respective deans and selected by a committee composed of previous awardees.
“Celik is a critical asset in our College of Engineering,” says Jean-Pierre Bardet, dean of UMCoE. “Her pioneering research, unique teaching abilities and contagious enthusiasm are qualities that have made her an exceptional faculty member, a valued member of her profession and an engaged member of our community.”
Celik’s longstanding accomplishments have been continuously recognized throughout her career. In 2017, President Barack Obama honored the young researcher with a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. She also is the recipient of the 2013 Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Research Award, an accolade for young scientists and researchers who show exceptional ability and promise for conducting research.
Celik’s research interests lie in the areas of data driven modeling and decision making for large-scale, complex and dynamic systems such as supply chains and distributed electricity grids. Her research projects have focused specifically on studying ways to make cities smarter more resilient as part of the smart-city movement, an initiative to use electronic data collection sensors to monitor and supply information on virtually all aspects of a city, from the flow of pedestrian traffic at intersections to noise and weather conditions.
Through work being conducted at the Simulation and Optimization Research Laboratory at the College of Engineering (SimLab) – which she founded and now directs – Celik and her team of researchers hope to improve the efficiency and dependability of microgrids, small-scale power systems that operate while connected to and in sync with centralized electricity networks but can function independently in emergencies.
Celik’s contributions to the industrial engineering profession extend beyond research and academic achievements, as she has been faculty advisor to the University of Miami Chapter of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) since 2011. Under her leadership, SWE has received more than 15 national and regional awards for their continuing K-12 outreach events. Celik has also organized and hosted a series of seminars on exposure to female role models to motivate college students to pursue higher education and careers.
The Provost’s Award for Scholarly Activity is one of three award programs created by the University to recognize faculty who discover and transmit knowledge and inspire students to make a difference in the world. The other two programs, the Provost’s Research Awards and the Distinguished Professorships, also acknowledge exceptional faculty who are leaders in their disciplines.
