SanTez Program - Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology
SAN-TEZ Program is a research funding program carried out by the Ministry of Science, Industry and
Technology. The Program involves university and industry cooperation to address the R&D needs of specific
industries aided by the scientific perspective of universities.
• The objectives of SAN-TEZ Program are:
- To commercialize the academic knowledge and technological know-how in universities by transferring them to
product or process development processes of industrial enterprises,
- To institutionalize university-industry relations and provide funding for Msc. and PhD students through joint projects.
• The projects should focus on development of new products, development or improvement of an existing product, enhancement of
the quality or standards of the existing products, development of new techniques, production technologies or processes.
• The outputs of projects should have potantial to enter into market in short term. Investment projects, pilot production facility,
laboratory establisments are not funded.
• The universities (lead) and companies registered in Turkey (partner). A cooperation agreement should be signed between the partners
as the proposal is awarded by grant.
• Max. project duration is 36 months.
• There is no budget limitation for the project. A San-Tez project can obtain upto 75% funding from the Ministry. The remaining 25% of
funding m ust come from the industry as cash contribution.
Deadlines: 1st Period: 15th of March 2014, 2nd Period: 15th of August 2014
Interview: Dr. Cenk
DEMiROĞLU
Can you briefly mention about
your projects?
I currently work as the principal
investigator of 3 projects and
assistant researcher of one
project. At TÜBİTAK 3501
project, we develop methods
to make our sound synthesis
system speak with different
speakers’ voice. At TÜBİTAK 1001 project, we work on attack
and counter attack methods via voice synthesis to voice signature
systems. At our EU IRG Project, we develop algorithms about
making our sound synthesis systems speak varied languages
and maintaining fast adaptation to varied languages. At the EU
Chistera project, which I work as an assistant researcher, we work
with researchers from 5 different countries about determining the
person talking on TV automatically at a chosen moment.
Do you think that TÜBİTAK and SanTez projects have
contributed to your academic career and personal skills? If
yes, in which ways?
The Santez project that finished in 2012 and TÜBİTAK 3501
project were my first experience as project manager in my
academic career. It is not an easy work to write a project, build
a consortium and establish a lab from which you are responsible
for all details. However, I can say that these two projects gave
me significant experience in these matters. Also, it was the first
time when I advised graduate students. Projects contributed in
my academic career in the means of publications of journal and
conference papers. Santez Program is different from the others,
because it requires cooperation with industry. I found a chance
to understand the industrial environment in Turkey and it means
significant effort for me since the requirement is that the outputs
of the projects has to be translated into a product- which I used
them in my TÜBİTAK project.
In these projects, which factors you think play a role in
accomplishing the success during the project application
and management processes?
Composition of the project team should carefully be designed and
should have the level of expertise and skills that are sufficient to
solve the problem and implement the project. A student can not
work in any project. They should have the capacity to implement
the work packages. An original idea, good team, cooperation and
professionalism are required for success in project application
and implementation processes. Another important issue is to
focus on the proposed work plan of the project and articles.
What are your suggestions to the academics who would
like to propose a project to Santez program?
I think the most important issue at Santez projects is its economic
returns. Therefore the project’s potential economic contribution
to Turkey must be proved clearly with the numbers and outputs of
a detailed market research.
What would you suggest to your peers who would like to
propose projects to TÜBİTAK 1001/3501 program?
The principal investigator’s vision about the subject of the project
is very important especially at 3501. That is to say, it is better to
get into the subjects, which have been very recently began to
be studied and have a potential to be researched in far end. Of
course you have to be clear about the details which show that
you are competent about the subject.