Assoc. Prof. Bülent BAŞYİĞİT is a faculty member in the Department of Food Engineering at Harran University, specializing in food waste valorization, plant- and fruit-based proteins, encapsulation technologies, and innovative food materials. He received his PhD in Food Science in 2022 with a dissertation on the production of protein powder from sour cherry kernels and its use in advanced microencapsulation systems. Dr. Başyiğit has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to national and international conferences, book chapters, and editorial activities. His research focuses on the extraction, modification, and functional enhancement of biopolymers; development of hydrogel and oleogel structures; and the design of biodegradable, active, and functional packaging materials. He has served as principal investigator and researcher in projects funded by national organizations including TUBITAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), TAGEM (the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies Project), contributing to sustainable food engineering approaches and high-value product development. His current work emphasizes the integration of food material science with innovative processing technologies to support more efficient and sustainable food systems.