Disaster-Resilient Societies Meeting Held at GTU
August 14, 2023
Gebze Technical University and Kagawa University collaborate within the framework of the Research and Education Complex Project for Disaster-Resilient Societies. The delegation members visit GTU and provide information to GTU Rector Prof. Dr. Hacı Ali Mantar regarding the process.
A meeting was held at the GTU Department of Civil Engineering to discuss details of the "SATREPS-MARTEST Project for Establishing a Research and Education Complex to Develop Disaster-Resilient Societies," led by Gebze Technical University (GTU) and Japan's Kagawa University.
The meeting, hosted by GTU, was attended by faculty members and students from GTU's Department of Civil Engineering. Attendees included Prof. Mayumi Sakamoto and Shizuka Tachibana from Hyogo University, Dr. Maki Koyama from Gifu University, Dr. Masaharu Nakagawa from the 3.11 Memorial Network, and Prof. Kunihiko Kumamoto from Edogawa University. The Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) also participated in the meeeting. During the meeting, the activities of the working group under the theme "Urban Disaster Risk Mitigation and Disaster Awareness Enhancement" were evaluated.
The respective delegations visited Rector Prof. Dr. Hacı Ali Mantar to provide information on the decisions made during the meeting and planned activities. Rector Mantar emphasized that the dedicated execution of the project by Turkish and Japanese teams would yield successful outcomes. He stated, "With our goal of developing new technologies in earthquake-related matters and raising awareness in this field, through this project, we aim to enhance the earthquake preparedness of the institutions in Türkiye, making cities and regions more disaster-ready. I would like to emphasize that both Turkish and Japanese teams are highly committed to this project and are collaborating with expert scientists."
Expressing GTU's pivotal role in the project, Rector Mantar continued, "Our university holds solid knowledge in civil engineering as an internationally-recognized institution. I would like to mention that the academics involved in this project have shown great interest and enthusiasm, working eagerly. GTU's Department of Civil Engineering is contributing significantly to the project by combining both theoretical and practical knowledge with the expertise of our Japanese counterparts. Additionally, we are prepared to continue our efforts by involving other components of the project. We would like to assure you that we are with you at every stage of the project's activities. With our belief that this important project will bring substantial benefits to Türkiye and the world, we are continuing our work."
During the meeting, planning was also conducted for the activities to be carried out in the disaster-stricken region following the Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes, as well as surveys to be conducted with earthquake survivors. The results of these efforts will form the basis for identifying earthquake evacuation behaviors and how they can be applied to disaster preparedness activities in the Marmara Region.
The project members also contributed to the commemorative events of the 1999 İzmit Earthquake. In addition to all of this, project members will visit the earthquake-affected area, examine it, and collaborate with different institutions and authorities in the region to carry out joint activities.
