BACKGROUND

Research Interests

  • Investigation of the impact of the climate change on hydrometeorological variables (in particular precipitation, wind, runoff, temperature, and soil moisture)
  • Forecasting hydrometeorological variables in short-term, medium-range, and climate projections perspective.
  • Water and energy cycling using tools supported by numerical models, data assimilation and remote sensing.
  • Analysis and prediction of drought.
  • Soil moisture timeseries rescaling, error quantification, and fusion.

Educational Background

  • Ph.D., George Mason University, ESGS Department, (2010) (Download Dissertation)
  • M.S., Vrije University Amsterdam, Hydrogeology (2005)
  • B.S., Middle East Technical University, Civil Engineering (2003)

Experience

  • 2024 – current: Professor at Civil Engineering Department, Middle East Technical University
  • 2018 – 2024: Associate Professor at Civil Engineering Department, Middle East Technical University
  • 2014 – 2018: Assistant Professor at Civil Engineering Department, Middle East Technical University
  • 2013 – 2014: Instructor at Civil Engineering Department, Middle East Technical University
  • 2012 – 2013: Senior Research Scientist at Science Systems and Applications Inc..
  • 2010 – 2012: Research Associate at US. Department of Agriculture, Hydrology and Remote Sensing Lab.
  • 2008 – 2009: Center for Research on Environment and Water
  • 2006 – 2010: PhD Student at George Mason University
  • 2004 – 2007: Visiting Scientist at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hydrology and Remote Sensing Lab.

Awards & Fellowships

Projects

  • 2022 – 2025, Araştırmacı (Researcher): High Resolution Assessment of the Climate Change Impacts over Extreme Precipitation in Turkey using State of the Art Climate (CMIP6) Models (TUBITAK 3501, Grant Number 122Y259). İklim Değişikliğinin Türkiye’de Aşırı Yağışlara Etkisinin En Güncel İklim Modelleri (CMIP6) İle Yüksek Çözünürlükte Değerlendirilmesi  (TUBITAK 3501, Proje No 122Y259)
  • 2022 – 2025, Araştırmacı (Researcher): Improving Hydrological Predictions using a Spatially Distributed Hydrologic Model and Remotely Sensed Products: Utility of Model Calibration and Data Assimliation Techniques (TUBITAK 1001, Grant Number 121Y468). Hidrolojik Tahminlerin Alansal Dağıtımlı bir Hidrolojik Model ve Uzaktan Algılama Ürünleri Kullanılarak İyileştirilmesi: Model Kalibrasyonu ve Veri Asimilasyonu Yöntemler (TUBITAK 1001, Proje No 121Y468)
  • 2022 – 2025, Araştırmacı (Researcher): Investigation of the Effects of Climate Change on Surface Water Potential in Coruh Basin and Energy Production in Successive Dams (TUBITAK 1001, Grant Number 121Y456). Iklim Degisikliginin Çoruh Havzasindaki Yüzey Su Potansiyeline Ve Ardisik Barajlardaki Enerji Üretimine Etkilerinin Incelenmesi (TUBITAK 1001, Proje No 121Y456)
  • 2021 – 2024, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Investigation of the relationship between the spatiotemporal dynamics of terrestrial water and carbon storage with reference to climate change, land use, land cover, and land management through data-driven modeling over Turkey (TUBITAK 2525, Grant Number 120R065). Türkiye’Deki Karasal Su Ve Karbon Depolarına Ait Mekânsal-Zamansal Dinamikler Arasındaki Iliskinin Iklim Degisikligi, Arazi Kullanımı, Arazi Örtüsü Ve Arazi Yönetimi Açısından Veri Güdümlü Modelleme Yoluyla Incelenmesi (TUBITAK 2525, Proje No120R065)
  • 2020 – 2023, Araştırmacı (Researcher): Estimation of Medium and High Resolution Evapotranspiration Using Remote Sensing Observations (TUBITAK 3501, Grant Number 120Y050). Uydu Görüntülerinden Yüksek ve Orta Çözünürlüklü Gerçek Evapotranspirasyon Hesabı (TUBITAK 3501, Proje No120Y050).
  • 2020 – 2021, Danışman (Researcher): Accuracy Assessment of Short-term Frontal and Convective Precipitation Forecasts Over Turkey (TUBITAK 3501, Grant Number 120Y307). Türkiye Üzerinde Konvektif ve Cephesel Yağiş Tahmininde Model-Tabanli Kisa Vadeli Yağiş Tahminlerinin Doğruluk Değerlendirmesi (TUBITAK 1002, Proje No120Y307)
  • 2018 – 2021, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Estimation of Homogeneous High-Resolution Radar Based Precipitation Map Improved Using Station Based Observations Over Turkey (TUBITAK 1001, Grant Number 117Y118). Türkiye Üzerinde Yer Gözlem Verileriyle Iyileştirilmiş Yüksek Çözünürlüklü Homojen Radar Yağiş Haritasi Elde Edilmesi (TUBITAK 1001, Proje No 117Y118).
  • 2018 – 2021, Araştırmacı (Researcher): Evaluation of Integrated Atmospheric-Hydrologic Modeling System for Flood Events at Two Different Basins (Grant from Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey; TUBITAK 1001, Grant Number 116Y193). Bütünleştirilmiş Atmosferik-Hidrolojik Model Sisteminin Taşkın Olayları için İki Farklı Havzada Değerlendirilmesi (TUBITAK 1001, Proje No 116Y193).
  • 2019 – 2020, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Analysis of the Variability of the Change in the Groundwater Mass over Euphrates-Tigris Basin (TUBITAK 1002, Grant Number 119Y101). Fırat Dicle Havzasındaki Yeraltı Suyu Kütlesinin Değişiminin Elde Edilmesi ve Doğrulanması (TUBITAK 1002, Proje No 119Y101).
  • 2019 – 2020, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Evaluation of Model-Based Short-Term Precipitation Forecast over Complex Topography (TUBITAK 1002, Grant Number 119Y093). Karmaşık Topografya Üzerine Gerçekleştirilen Model-Tabanlı Kısa Vadeli Yağış Tahminlerinin Değerlendirilmesi (TUBITAK 1002, Proje No 119Y093).
  • 2015 – 2018, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Evaluation of soil moisture observations using hydrological model simulations and remote sensing-based retrievals observations (Grant from Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey; TUBITAK 3501, Grant Number 114Y676). İstasyonlarda Ölçülen Toprak Nemi Değerlerinin Hidrolojik Model Ve Uydu Verileri Yardımıyla Değerlendirilmesi (TUBITAK 3501, Proje No 114Y676).
  • 2015 – 2016, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Calibration of Station-Based Soil Moisture Observations (ODTU BAP Grant Number: BAP-08-11-2015-037). İstasyonlardan Elde Edilen Toprak Nemi Değerlerinin Kalibrasyonu (ODTU-BAP Proje No BAP-08-11-2015-037).
  • 2014 – 2018, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Improving Predictions of Vegetation Condition by Optimally Merging Satellite Remote Sensing-based Soil Moisture Products (Marie Curie FP7 Career Integration Grant, SOILMOISTURE, Grant Number: 630110).
  • 2013 – 2015, Yürütücü (Principal Investigator): Analysis of the added utility of remote sensing-based soil moisture products to drought predictions via data assimilation techniques (Grant from Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey; Project number 113C007). Uydu Kaynaklı Toprak Nemi Ölçümlerinin Kuraklık Tahminlerine Veri Asimilasyonu ile Katkısının Analizi (TUBITAK 2232, Proje no 113C007).
  • 2010 – 2014, Araştırmacı (Researcher), Soil Moisture Rescaling Strategies & Error Estimation Techniques (USDA-ARS)
  • 2010 – 2013, Araştırmacı (Researcher), Project Nile: Distributed hydrological information for water management in the Nile basin (USDA-ARS)
  • 2008 – 2010, Bursiyer (Scholar & Project Principle Investigator), Introducing a Water Budget Constraint to Improve Land Data Assimilation Performance (NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship, NESSF)
  • 2007 – 2008, Bursiyer (Scholar), Optimizing GPM Precipitation Estimation Using High Resolution Land Surface Modeling for Decision Support (NASA)
  • 2006 – 2007, Bursiyer (Scholar), Remote sensing of Vegetation Water Content studies in support of Soil Moisture Experiment 2005 (USDA-ARS)
  • 2004 – 2006, Bursiyer (Scholar), Remote sensing of Vegetation Water Content studies in support of Soil Moisture Experiment 2004 (USDA-ARS)

 

Professional Memberships and Community Activities

  • Member of American Geophysical Union, American Meteorological Society
  • Reviewer at Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, Geoscientific Instrumentation Methods and Data Systems, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, Journal of Arid Land, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres, Journal of Hydrometeorology,Remote Sensing, Remote Sensing of Environment, Natural Hazards, The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Water Resources Research.

Field Experiments

  • 2011, 2010, 2009 Hydrometeorological parameter measurements from stations in Colorado
  • 2009, 2007, 2005 Soil Moisture Measuring Techniques in Maryland, Oklahoma, and Iowa
  • 2004, Groundwater measurement techniques ın Netherlands
  • 2004, Surface-water measurement techniques in Italy
  • 2004, Watershed water balance estimation techniques in Portugal
  • 2004, Watershed water balance estimation and groundwater quality estimation in Denizli, Turkey