Cornell Tech Appoints New Associate Deans for Research and Education

By Grace Stanley

Cornell Tech has appointed two longtime faculty leaders to new academic leadership roles, naming Mert Sabuncu as Associate Dean for Research and Huseyin Topaloglu as Associate Dean for Education.

The newly created positions will help advance Cornell Tech’s strategic priorities in research, academic innovation, industry engagement, and student success as the campus continues to expand its impact.

“Huseyin and Mert exemplify the extraordinary depth of talent within our faculty. Both have demonstrated excellence in research, a deep commitment to teaching and mentorship, and a willingness to lead and serve the broader Cornell Tech community. Their leadership will strengthen our efforts to advance groundbreaking research, deliver a world-class educational experience, and shape the future of technology for the public good,” said Greg Morrisett, the Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost of Cornell Tech.

As Associate Dean for Research, Sabuncu will lead efforts to expand Cornell Tech’s research profile and identify new opportunities for growth. He will develop strategies for research partnerships across Cornell and beyond, explore new industry and foundation funding opportunities, help coordinate large-scale grant initiatives, and work closely with faculty, development, and external partners to increase the campus’s research impact.

Sabuncu is the Andrew H. and Ann R. Tisch Professor of electrical and computer engineering at Cornell Tech and the Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering, a professor of radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, and vice chair of AI and engineering research at Weill Cornell Medicine Radiology. An expert in artificial intelligence for medical imaging, he leads a research group spanning Cornell Tech and Weill Cornell Medicine.

“Cornell Tech’s most exciting research opportunities often emerge at the boundaries between disciplines, and involve bridging our campuses. I’m eager to help our faculty turn ambitious ideas into collaborations that attract new partners, open new avenues of inquiry, and produce meaningful public impact,” said Sabuncu.

As Associate Dean for Education, Topaloglu will oversee efforts to strengthen and evolve Cornell Tech’s academic programs. His responsibilities include guiding the development of new master’s degree offerings, reviewing existing programs and courses, supporting instructional innovation, coordinating long-term course planning, and working closely with faculty and campus partners to ensure academic quality and student success.

Topaloglu is the Howard and Eleanor Morgan Professor of operations research and information engineering at Cornell Tech and the Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering. A faculty member at Cornell since 2002, his research focuses on pricing, logistics, retail operations, and supply chain management. Topaloglu is also an Amazon Scholar and has held editorial leadership roles across several leading operations research journals. He earned his Ph.D. in operations research and financial engineering from Princeton University.

“I look forward to contributing to the campus in my new capacity and helping amplify our impact,” said Topaloglu.

Grace Stanley is the staff writer and editor for Cornell Tech.