Biography

Zafer Bozkus was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1960. Studied Civil Engineering at Istanbul Technical University and received his B.Sc.. degree in Civil Engineering specializing in reinforced concrete structures with a minor on hydraulics. Graduated with the honors taking the first place among the graduating class of 1982. In the same year, he won a scholarship after passing a nationwide examination to go abroad for graduate studies. Studied the English Language at Boston University in Boston, Mass. during Jan-Sep 1983. Moved on to Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI to specialize in Hydraulics in September, 1983. Received his MSc. degree there in Civil Engineering in December, 1985. Started his Ph.D. studies in the same university under the guidance of Prof. David C. Wiggert in January, 1986. Received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award in May 1989. His Ph.D. study topic was on fluid transients in pipe line systems and called “The Hydrodynamics of an Individual Transient Slug“. Received his Ph.D. degree and went back his home country, Turkey in May 1991.

After serving in the Turkish Army in Burdur for 2 months, started working at the Hydraulic Laboratory of the Technical Research and Quality Control Department of the State Hydraulic Works (DSI:Devlet Su İşleri) in October 1991. Worked there as a research engineer until April of 1995 while teaching at Civil Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University on a part-time basis. At DSI, the responsibilities included conducting experimental and theoretical investigations on various hydraulic problems such as river training to avoid floods, prevention of cavitation on the discharge channels of the dam spillways, reduction of scouring downstream of the spillways, designing orifismeters in pipelines, analyzing fluid transients aspects in existing pipelines, improving various features of the design projects of hydraulic structures by physical modeling. In addition, took part in organizing the UNESCO sponsored “Post Graduate Course in Sediment Transport Technology” in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

Joined the Civil Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University in April 1995 as an Instructor of fluid mechanics and hydraulics at the Hydraulics Laboratory. Taught various undergraduate and graduate courses such as CE371 (Now CE272), CE372, CE374, CE410, CE419, CE470 (Now CE539), and CE534 whose contents are explained in the “Courses” section.

Appointed as the Assistant Professor in 1997. Took two years off between 1998 and 2000 to work as the Deputy General Manager of a major Turkish Construction Company. Obtained the Associate Professor title in April 2005 and appointed as the Associate Professor in December 2005, and took the title of, and appointed as full Professor in September 2013.

Current research interests are fluid transients in pipelines, numerical simulations of  dam-break problem, experimental investigation of scouring around bridge piers, experimental investigation of energy dissipation by screens.

Married and has two children, a daughter and  a son.

Office: K3 – 210 at Hydraulics Laboratory

Middle East Technical University

Department of Civil Engineering

06800  Ankara, Turkey

Phone: (90-312) 210-5409 or 210 5450 (Secretary)

e-mail: bozkus@metu.edu.tr

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zafer_Bozkus

https://scholar.google.com.tr/citations?user=kyBb6okAAAAJ&hl=tr