The UNU Visiting Lecturer in 2019 was the hydrogeologist and environmental scientist Prof. Dr. Alper Baba from Izmir, Turkey.
Dr. Alper Baba was born in April 1970 in Turkey. He holds a degree in geology and a doctorate in the field of hydrogeology from the Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, since the year 2000. He worked at the Department of Geological Engineering at the Dokuz Eylül University and Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University from 1996 to 2009. In 2003, Dr. Baba attended UNU Geothermal Training Programme in Iceland, where he focused on environmental aspects associated with utilization of geothermal energy. He was a visiting professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at Wayne State University (USA) in 2005, and in 2012 in Environmental Science at the University of Toronto (Canada).
Since 2009, Dr. Baba has been a full professor at the Izmir Institute of Technology in hydrogeology and director of its Geothermal Energy Research and Application Center. He has 25 years’ experience working with geothermal energy, as well as in hydrogeology and environmental geology in different parts of the world. He teaches and conducts research in the field of geothermal energy, groundwater contamination and hydrogeology and has collaborative research engagements with universities and research organizations in Canada, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Poland, UK, and USA. He has coordinated a variety of national and international R&D projects in co-operation with research institutes and companies; among them are NATO funded projects. Dr. Baba received the “Successful Young Scientists Award” from the Turkish Academy of Science and was awarded the “Gold Medal” from the Turkish Geological Engineering Association. Dr. Baba is the author of many peer-reviewed scientific publications and contributions to international conferences. He is the editor of the books “Groundwater and ecosystems”, “Climate change and its effects on water resources, issues of national and global security” (NATO Science Series, Springer), and “Geothermal systems and energy: Turkey and Greece” (CRC Press).
Dr. Alper Baba gave a series of lectures on geothermal development in Turkey in recent years, and the environmental aspects of geothermal development and associated problems at Orkugardur, Grensásvegur 9, in the Víðgelmir lecture room, September 2-6, according to the following agenda. Each lecture was about one hour plus discussion. In view of Turkey’s extraordinary progress in developing their geothermal resources in the past 10 years, the lectures were very interesting for everyone within geothermal sector.
Monday, September 2 - 9:00-10:15
Present and future situation of geothermal energy in Turkey.
Tuesday September 3 - 9:00-10:15
Application of geothermal energy in Turkey.
Wednesday September 4 - 9:00-10:15
Environmental problems of geothermal resources.
Thursday September 5 - 9:00-10:15
Importance of cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment for geothermal resources.
Friday September 6 - 9:00-10:15
Innovative applications of geothermal energy for environment.
The lectures were open for everyone and free of charge. The lecture series was well attended by both UNU-GTP Fellows and interested members of the Icelandic geothermal community.