Assist. Prof. Dr. Tuğba Abanoz | Early Childhood Education | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor at Ankara University ,Turkey

Dr. Tuğba Abanoz is an Assistant Professor in the Early Childhood Education Department at Ankara University, Turkey, and a Visiting Professor at Purdue University. She holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education from Gazi University and specializes in STEM education in early childhood, curriculum design, self-regulation skills, resilience, and art education. Dr. Abanoz has extensive teaching and administrative experience, having worked at Bahçeşehir University, Başkent University, and as a director in private K-12 schools. She is an active researcher, reviewer, and editorial board member for prestigious journals, contributing to early childhood STEM education development. 📚✨

Publication Profile 

Google Scholar

 Academic Background 🎓

Dr. Tuğba Abanoz holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education from Gazi University (2015–2020) , where she specialized in STEM education for young learners. She earned her M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Ankara University (2008–2011) , further deepening her expertise in curriculum development and instructional strategies. Her academic journey began at Hacettepe University, where she completed her B.A. in Early Childhood Education (2004–2008) 🏫. With a strong foundation in child development, pedagogy, and innovative teaching methods, Dr. Abanoz is dedicated to enhancing early STEM education and fostering 21st-century skills in young learners. 🚀

Professional Background 📚

Dr. Tuğba Abanoz is an Assistant Professor at Ankara University, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Early Childhood Education (ECE) Department (2022–Present) . Previously, she served as an Adjunct Instructor at Bahçeşehir University (2020–2022) and an Instructor at its STEM Center (2019–2020) . She began her academic career as a Research Assistant at Başkent University (2010–2012) . Dr. Abanoz holds managerial roles at Ankara University, serving on the Adaptation/Exemption Committee and Faculty Management Board (2023–Present) . She has supervised research, including B. Yaslı’s 2024 thesis on playgroups for children aged 0–36 months. 👶📖

 Research Focus 🔬

Dr. Tuğba Abanoz specializes in Early Childhood STEM Education , focusing on curriculum design, instructional strategies, and assessment tools for young learners. Her work explores early engineering education, self-regulation skills, resilience, and integrated STEM teaching  She examines how algorithmic thinking, math, science, and art education contribute to childhood development . Dr. Abanoz has published extensively on sustainable STEM education, social-emotional competence, and resilience in early learners . Her interdisciplinary research advances innovative pedagogical approaches to nurture 21st-century skills among young children 💡🧠.

Publication Top Notes

1️⃣ Examining the effects of science activities appropriate to the STEM approach on preschool children’s scientific process skills 
Year: 2020 | Cited by: 40

2️⃣ STEM approach in preschool period and science activities suitable for this approach: Views from the field 
Year: 2021 | Cited by: 19

3️⃣ Examining preschool children’s self-regulation skills in terms of some demographic variables 
Year: 2021 | Cited by: 19

4️⃣ My world of machines: An integrated STEM education curriculum for early childhood teachers 
Year: 2023 | Cited by: 10

5️⃣ Validity and reliability study of the preschool social-emotional skills and psychological resilience scale in Turkish 
Year: 2021 | Cited by: 7

Conclusion

Dr. Tuğba Abanoz is a distinguished researcher in STEM education for early childhood, with expertise in curriculum design, instructional materials, assessment tools, and professional development strategies. She has an extensive publication record in high-impact journals indexed in SSCI, Scopus, ERIC, and APA PsycInfo, along with co-authored books. Internationally recognized, she has served as a Visiting Professor at Purdue University and reviews for prestigious journals, including Nature Reviews Psychology. As a Co-editor of the Turkish Journal of Education and a peer reviewer for multiple top-tier journals, she demonstrates strong editorial contributions. With significant academic and administrative experience, she supervises graduate students and leads STEM curriculum development. Her impactful research, leadership, and international collaborations make her a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award. 🎓🏆