TÜBİTAK 2221 Support for GTU Academic
April 18, 2024-GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
Within the scope of TÜBİTAK's 2221 program, Prof. Dr. Selçuk Toprak, Faculty Member at the Department of Civil Engineering at Gebze Technical University (GTU), and Dr. Craig A. Davis (USA) will collaborate on increasing earthquake resilience in infrastructure systems.
As part of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye's (TÜBİTAK) Fellowships for Visiting Scientists and Scientists on Sabbatical Leave Support Program, Dr. Craig A. Davis has been invited to Türkiye upon the application of Prof. Dr. Selçuk Toprak, Faculty Member at the Department of Civil Engineering at GTU. The collaborative work of Prof. Dr. Selçuk Toprak and Dr. Davis in our country will focus on the analysis and improvement of earthquake preparedness strategies for urban infrastructure systems such as drinking water and sewage. The study aims to enhance the resilience of these systems against seismic activities. Additionally, Prof. Dr. Selçuk Toprak and Dr. Davis will evaluate newly-obtained data from recent earthquakes to update and improve existing earthquake preparedness and continuity strategies. This project will not only enhance the direct response capabilities of institutions dealing with drinking water and sewage in earthquake-prone areas, but also facilitate significant sharing of knowledge and practices with counterparts affected by similar disasters abroad.
During the studies, meetings, seminars, and conferences will be held with Water and Sewerage Administrations in regions affected by the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and other regions in Türkiye expecting future earthquakes, aiming to work on the creation/improvement of earthquake-resistant infrastructure systems.
Dr. Craig A. Davis is an expert in geotechnical engineering, earthquake engineering, and infrastructure resilience with a long-standing career. Having served in various managerial positions at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for 31.5 years, Dr. Davis has led numerous national and international projects and made significant contributions to earthquake risk reduction and infrastructure resilience. Dr. Davis has held significant roles in various organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the National Institute of Building Sciences, and has won numerous awards in the field of infrastructure engineering. Additionally, he has published over 185 technical papers and organized numerous international workshops and symposiums.
The TÜBİTAK 2221 support reflects the alignment with comprehensive goals aimed at strengthening our national science ecosystem by encouraging leading researchers in their fields to come to Türkiye to engage in various academic and R&D activities such as research, giving seminars, providing part-time education, and writing joint projects.
