Keynote Speakers
Rector of Istanbul Technical University, Turkey
Environmental Engineering
Keynote Title: "Will be announced"
Bio: İTÜ - Environmental Engineering; 1995, Master’s: İTÜ - Environmental Engineering; 1997, Doctorate: İTÜ - Environmental Engineering; 2002
Born in 1974 in the village of Ziyaret, Suruç district of Şanlıurfa, where his family resided due to his father’s duty; Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu completed his primary, secondary and high school education in his hometown, Antalya. Prof. Dr. Koyuncu graduated from Istanbul Technical University Environmental Engineering Department, which he started in 1990, and finished in 1995 as the second in the department. He completed his master’s degree in 1997 and his doctorate in 2002 in the same department.
Prof. Dr. Koyuncu became associate professor in 2004 and professor in 2010 and is currently working as a professor at the Department of Environmental Engineering, Istanbul Technical University. Besides, since 2019, he has been teaching as a visiting professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University (USA).
In 2002-2003, Prof. Dr. Koyuncu completed his post-doctoral studies in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University, one of the leading universities in the USA, with the scholarship granted by TÜBİTAK NATO B1. Afterwards, he took part in many projects as a visiting researcher at the University of Leuven (Belgium) for two months in 2003 and again at Rice University for a year in 2004.
Prof. Dr. Koyuncu held many academic and administrative positions through his career among which are Director of İTÜ Institute of Science and Technology (2012-2018), Member of İTÜ Board of Directors (2012-2016), Member of İTÜ Senate (2012-2018), Member of İTÜ Civil Engineering Faculty Board (2015-2018) and Member of the Commission for İTÜ Environmental Engineering Department.
Besides his membership of Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA); Prof. Dr. Koyuncu was elected a Member of the Committee for Climate Change and Health under the Asian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and a board member of Membrane Technologies Group under the International Water Association (IWA), positions which he actively carries on.
Prof. Dr. Koyuncu has been a member of Associate Professorship Commission of the Interuniversity Board since 2016. Within TÜBİTAK, Prof. Dr. Koyuncu acted as Presidency for TÜBİTAK Technology and Innovation Support Programs (TEYDEB), Executive Board Member for Biotech Group (2015-2017) and Consultant for TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM) Environment and Cleaner Production Institute (2014-2017).
Prof. Dr. Koyuncu actively took part in numerous applied engineering projects, providing consultancy to many public and private organizations on issues related to his field. Prof. Dr. Koyuncu gave trainings and executed many projects on issues of infrastructure, waste management and recycling under the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs, Union of Municipalities of Turkey (TBB), Turkey Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), the General Directorate of the Etimaden and Turkey Water Institute.
Keynote Title: "Integrating Sustainable Development Goals into University Life: Challanges and Opportunites"
Bio: Prof. Dr. Sibel Balcı works as a faculty member in the Department of Primary Education at TED University Faculty of Education. Dr. Balcı is a distinguished academic in the field of science education, with a particular focus on education for sustainable development. She completed the Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, Middle East Technical University. Dr. Balcı then pursued her Ph.D. at the same institution, where she specialized in eco-schools. Her work has encompassed sustainable development goals, primarily in the context of SDG 4 Quality Education.
Dr. Balcı is also a dedicated educator, teaching courses in environmental education, science education integrated with sustainable development goals and related fields. She is known for her commitment to student success and her ability to inspire future teachers. Beyond her teaching and research, she actively engages in environmental projects and collaborates with partners to develop sustainable environmental solutions.
Currently serving as the Dean of Students, her work with university students involves topics such as sustainable campus practices, gender equality, responsible consumption and production. At present, she is collaborating with a researcher benefiting from the Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship Program to systematically design a core curriculum and extracurricular activities for integrating sustainable development goals into University life.
Prof. Dr. Balcı's work continues to make significant impacts in the field of education for sustainable development, reflecting her dedication and expertise.
Keynote Title: "Future-Ready Education: The Role of English Language and Technology in Meeting SDGs"
Abstract: As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the role of English as a global lingua franca is more critical than ever. This study explores the transformative potential of English language technology in advancing global education and contributing to the achievement of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In an era where digital literacy and technological proficiency are paramount, integrating English language education with advanced technologies presents a unique opportunity to drive sustainable development.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan İlseven
Near East University, Department of Environmental Education, Lefkosa - North Cyprus
Keynote Title: The advantages of the Lefke CMC Area in Cyprus, which is being transformed into a Geopark within the scope of applied environmental education, and the problems that will arise during the implementation of this project
Bio: Artist Serkan İlseven was born on February 17, 1966 in Paphos, Cyprus. After completing his primary education in Paphos and secondary education in Lapta, he graduated from the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Izmir Dokuz Eylül University in 1989. He worked as a teacher and administrator in various high schools affiliated with the TRNC Ministry of National Education between 1990-2009. He served as the Director of Administrative, Financial, Technical and Parliamentary Services in the TRNC Assembly of the Republic between 2009-2019, as the general manager of the Presidency between 2020-2023, and as the undersecretary of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security between 2023-2024. He is currently the chairman of the TRNC Presidency Culture and Arts Committee. He is a member of the Presidential Bi-communal Environmental Committee. He is the Vice President of the TRNC Environmental Protection Foundation. He completed his MA in Physical Geography in 2009 and his PhD in Environmental Education and Management at the Near East University Institute of Educational Sciences in 2014. He became an Associate Professor in 2019. İlseven teaches at the Geography Department and the Environmental Education and Management Department of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Near East University. He has published books titled Geography of Cyprus, Forest and Park Trees of Northern Cyprus, Human, Economic and Political Geography of Cyprus, Physical Geography of Cyprus, Orchids of Cyprus, Principles of Vegetation Geography, Forest and Park Trees of Cyprus. Dozens of his articles have been published in international journals. He started painting in the early 1980s by taking painting lessons from the painter Alper Özkemal. He has held 8 solo exhibitions and hundreds of group exhibitions in Turkey and abroad. Serkan İlseven, whose works are in private collections at home, abroad and in Turkey, was awarded the XIIIth State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition Award in 1998, the PGM Award in 2000 and the Fergani Award given by the Near East University to master painters in 2020. He participated in the TURKSOY Painters Meeting (Mersin) in 2002 and the International Art Days (Izmir) in 2004 as the TRNC representative. He is the father of two daughters named Polen and Dolin.
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