Gursel Abbas

Gursel Abbas is a PhD student in Chemical and Biological Engineering at UW–Madison, whose academic journey spans Azerbaijan, Spain, Turkey, and beyond. After surviving a life-threatening accident that left him with third-degree burns over 67% of his body, Gursel’s resilience fueled his academic ascent—from earning multiple scholarships and leading student organizations to publishing research and presenting internationally. He has traveled across 27 countries, founded a FinTech startup, and represented the International Eurasia Press Fund at the UN SDG Summit. Today, he brings his global perspective, entrepreneurial spirit, and research drive to advance chemical engineering.