Bilge Baytekin Joins Bilkent Team in Horizon Europe TWIST Project

TWIST – TWinning Initiative for Soft Robotics Transition, coordinated by Bilkent University, has been selected for funding under the Horizon Europe WIDERA Twinning Programme. With a total budget of approximately €1.5 million and a duration of 36 months, the project brings Bilkent University together with the Polymer Competence Center Leoben (PCCL), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the University of Bristol, and the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT).

The Bilkent team includes Assoc. Prof. Onur Özcan and Prof. Evren Samur from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, together with Assoc. Prof. Bilge Baytekin from the Department of Chemistry. TWIST aims to strengthen research in sustainable soft robotics by combining expertise in sustainable and biodegradable materials, AI-driven design, and soft robotic systems. The project will also contribute to the development of the Bilkent Soft Robotics Center and improve long-term research collaborations with leading European institutions.