Yelda Erden Topal studied economics at Hacettepe University and Middle East Technical University (METU) and earned her PhD degree from Graduate Schoool of Social Sciences, Department of Science and Technology Policy Studies at METU (2016) with the PhD Dissertation titled as “A Policy Design Model For Market Formation of Solar and Wind Electricity Generation in Turkey”. As TUBITAK 2219-International Postdoctoral Research Fellow, she has completed her one-year postdoctoral research in Madrid (Spain) between 2020-2021 on policymaking for the development and diffusion of renewable energy technologies in Innovation, Industrial Property and Technology Policy Research Group, Department of Business Administration, E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and Renewable Energy Unit, CIEMAT-Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas.

As of May 2025, Yelda has been appointed as an Assistant Professor (Dr.) in the Department of Business Administration. Since 2009, she has been working as an affiliated researcher at the Science and Technology Policy Research Center (METU TEKPOL). Between 2012 and 2020, she worked as a Research Assistant at Vice Presidency Office, METU and between 2021-2025 as a Dr. Research Assistant in the Department of Economics, METU.

Yelda’s research focuses on technology, innovation, and organisation, with a particular emphasis on technology and innovation management, as well as sustainability transitions. She actively contributes to European solar energy research networks through her involvement in the H2020 Solar-Twins Project, H2020 Horizon STE Project, Horizon Europe CST4ALL Project, Horizon Europe Solarize Project, the EUSOLARIS ERIC Initiative, EERA CSP Joint Programme, e3S Joint Programme, and the ODAKTR Initiative.

Office: H103

E-mail: yeldae at metu.edu.tr

Web: https://avesis.metu.edu.tr/yeldae

Phone: +90(312) 210-2014

Fax: +90(312) 210-7962

Mailing Address: Department of Business Administration, Middle East Technical University 06800 Ankara - TURKEY

Research Interests

Science, Technology and Society

Management and Organization

Sustainability Transitions and Climate Change

Quality Management Systems in Higher Education

Education

BSc in Economics (Ing.), Hacettepe University, 2005

MSc in Economics, METU, 2008

PhD in Science and Technology Policy Studies, METU, 2016

Post-doc at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 2021