HUN-REN executive officer

Vice Presidents

Zsolt Szalay

Scientific Vice-President for Engineering and Natural Sciences (STEM)

Dr. Zsolt Szalay is the Scientific Vice-President for STEM in HUN-REN, the newly established Hungarian Research Network, one of the most significant institutions within Hungary’s scientific and innovation ecosystem. Dr. Zsolt Szalay is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). Throughout his academic career, Dr. Szalay has been committed to bridging the gap between university research and industrial commercialisation, leading to the establishment of two university spin-off companies at BME.

Dr. Szalay has served as scientific lead for numerous EU-funded R&D projects on behalf of BME. He is a member of the Hungarian Economic Association, serves on the board of its Competitiveness Section, and has been a member of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering since 2009 and a member of its Board since 2023.

Péter Nagy

Scientific Vice-President for Life Sciences (LIFE)

As of 1 March 2026, Dr. Péter Nagy serves as the Vice President for Life Sciences at the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network. As an internationally renowned researcher, he plays a pivotal role in developing Hungary’s scientific and innovation ecosystem, with a particular focus on cancer diagnostics and therapeutic solutions. Within the HUN-REN network, he is responsible for the strategic coordination of life science research and for strengthening synergies between discovery research and clinical application.

Throughout his career, Dr. Nagy has held numerous national and international leadership positions. He is the Scientific Director of the National Institute of Oncology and Head of the Department of Molecular Immunology and Toxicology. He deepened his international expertise at prestigious research institutions in Sweden (KTH), the United States (University of Washington, University of Oklahoma), and New Zealand (University of Otago) and after his return to Hungary he achieved breakthroughs in the fields of redox biology and translational oncology.

Petra Aczél

Scientific Vice-President for Frontier Science

As of 1 March 2026, Dr Prof Petra Aczél serves as Vice-President for Frontier Science at the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network. A linguist, rhetorician and communication scholar, as well as a committed advocate of scientific excellence and innovation, she plays a central role in fostering collaboration across disciplines. Her responsibilities as Vice President include strengthening synergies among research groups within the HUN-REN network, identifying and supporting cross-cutting and interdisciplinary research themes, and encouraging and coordinating the launch of new multidisciplinary initiatives.

and providing professional oversight for the Office of Supported Research Groups. Her work focuses on unlocking new research opportunities emerging at the intersection of different scientific fields, in alignment with HUN-REN’s strategic priorities.

Over the course of her career, Dr Prof Petra Aczél has accumulated nearly three decades of experience in higher education and research governance. She completed her studies at Eötvös Loránd University, where she later earned her PhD and habilitation in linguistics. From the outset, her teaching and research have targeted the intersection of human, technological and societal processes, laying the foundation for her distinctive interdisciplinary approach.

She has held senior academic and leadership roles at several Hungarian and international higher education institutions. She is currently Professor at Széchenyi István University and Head of the Centre for AI and Future Strategies. Previously, she worked at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, where she led the development of an institutional excellence programme; at Corvinus University of Budapest, where she served as Head of Institute for twelve years; at Pázmány Péter Catholic University; and in the United States at the University of Richmond. She has played a key role in establishing four BA programmes, two of which are delivered in English.

Dr Prof Petra Aczél has also contributed extensively to research governance at national level. She is currently a member of the Research Excellence Council and leads research projects at the National Media and Infocommunications Authority. She was a member of the Social Sciences Committee of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee and Vice-Chair of the Standing Interdisciplinary Committee on Communication and Media Studies at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; she is still a member of the latter committee.

Her research focuses on rhetoric, new media communication, artificial intelligence and future skills. She has authored more than 230 academic publications. Her scholarship is marked by an innovative, practice-oriented perspective, with applications ranging from leadership development to organisational and process management. She is actively engaged in doctoral education as both supervisor and lecturer. Alongside her academic work, she is also deeply involved in science communication, reaching broad audiences through her public lectures and professional statements.

Throughout her career, she has led excellence-driven renewal processes at several institutions and developed comprehensive university excellence frameworks. Her interdisciplinary outlook, extensive experience in research governance, and strong commitment to future-oriented technologies position her well to strengthen HUN-REN’s Frontier Science portfolio in a strategic, innovative and international context, while enhancing the societal and economic impact of scientific excellence.