EU Support for Projects by GTU Academics

July 24, 2024-GTU Office of Press and Public Relations

Two projects by GTU academics, one by Assoc. Prof. Müge İşleten Hoşoğlu from the Institute of Biotechnology and the other by Prof. Selçuk Toprak from the Faculty of Engineering's Department of Civil Engineering, are to be supported by the European Union (EU).

Under the Horizon Europe Program's call for "Excellence Hubs" in 2023, part of WIDERA (Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area), the "Excel4Pro" project, coordinated by TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center and led by Assoc. Prof. Müge İşleten Hoşoğlu from GTU's Institute of Biotechnology, has been granted a €6 million fund. This project, titled "Strengthening the Capacity of Excellence Hubs of Türkiye Greece, and Ukraine to Support Innovation Ecosystem of Novel Foods Based on Plant Proteins," includes GTU's Industrial Biotechnology Research Group as one of its partners.

The project aims to address the challenge of meeting sustainable protein demands, exacerbated by population growth and climate change, by exploring innovative alternative protein sources to animal proteins. The project seeks to create a regional synergy network for the plant-based protein food economy by fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration among existing Centers of Excellence in Türkiye, Greece, and Ukraine.

Other partners from Türkiye include the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Kerevitaş, YTÜ Yıldız Teknopark, The Good Wild, and Foodback.

Another project supported under the European Union Projects is titled "Circular Economy Pathways for the Energy Transition, to be led by Prof. Selçuk Toprak from the GTU Faculty of Engineering's Department of Civil Engineering, with Gebze Technical University (GTU) participating as a partner.

The project, abbreviated as CESynergy, will be conducted by the Silesian University of Technology from Poland. It will involve partners from Gebze Technical University from Türkiye, Bremen University from Germany, Lisbon University from Portugal, Training 2000 from Italy, and the Institute of Innovation and Responsible Development (Instytut Innowacji i Odpowiedzialnego Rozwoju) from Poland. The CESynergy project will be carried out at Gebze Technical University under the leadership of Prof. Selçuk Toprak, with a team consisting of Prof. Banu Çetin, Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Balçık, and Research Assistant Oğuz Dal, through a collaboration of the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

CESynergy aligns with the priorities of the Erasmus+ Program, particularly in combating climate change and promoting innovative teaching and learning practices in higher education. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting renewable energy sources (RES) like solar and wind energy, which have a much lower climate impact and material intensity compared to fossil fuels. A unique aspect of CESynergy is its focus on the circular economy, highlighting the responsible use of critical raw materials used in renewable energy sources. This approach ensures a balanced strategy between greenhouse gas reduction and sustainable material consumption. The project also aims to enhance the comprehensive understanding of resource consumption and circularity in energy systems and the transition process, promoting holistic thinking. CESynergy intends to equip educators with versatile resources to integrate climate protection, sustainability, and energy engineering into their programs. Additionally, by providing adaptable educational modules and case studies, the project aims to elevate pedagogical standards and raise awareness about circularity in energy systems. This innovative EU project is expected to bring positive changes in the fields of energy transition and sustainability.