Director
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Davut Solyali
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Davut Solyali is a senior academic, research leader, and innovation strategist in the field of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, with core expertise in renewable energy systems, power systems, and electric vehicle technologies. Dr. Solyali holds a PhD from the University of Bath, UK, and has built an internationally recognized research portfolio. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has held key leadership roles including Mechatronics Program Coordinator in Mechanical Engineering Department, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Consultant to the Board of Trustees at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU). As the Founder and Director of the Electric Vehicle Development Centre (EVDC), he has led nationally acclaimed R&D initiatives and spearheaded the development of pioneering electric vehicle technologies, earning recognition through awards and high placements in competitive technology events.
Dr. Solyali also serving as Technology Competitions and Project Coordinator in the EMU's Rector's Office, where he played a strategic role in fostering university-wide innovation, overseeing interdisciplinary student teams, and supporting high-profile engineering projects. His practical engineering expertise is rooted in several years of industrial experience as a Power Systems Engineer at the UK's National Grid, where he worked on complex transmission planning and system operation strategies for a national-scale power infrastructure.
His scholarly contributions include a significant number of peer-reviewed publications in Q1 journals, conference proceedings, and book chapters in areas such as photovoltaic performance optimization, energy storage systems, electric mobility, and artificial intelligence applications in energy forecasting. He has a proven record of academic leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and technical excellence.
Deputy Director
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Babak Safaei
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Babak Safaei currently is working as Associate Professor at Department of Mechanical Engineering at Eastern Mediterranean University. Also, he has honorary position as Visiting Professor at University of Johannesburg since 2021. Presently, he is director of Nanotechnology and Multifunctional Structures Research Center (NMSRC) at Eastern Mediterranean University. He received his PhD. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tsinghua University. He is the editor-in-chief of the Archives of Advanced Engineering Science, member of editorial boards of many international journals. Since 2021, he was listed in the World's Top 2% Scientists in the Career-Long Impact List and in the single-year Category published by Stanford University and Elsevier.
His research area is as follow: Computational Mechanics, Micro and Nano Mechanics, Composite Materials, Advanced Manufacturing Process in Materials and Lightweight Structures, and Energy Harvesting.
Members
Prof. Dr. Hasan Demirel
Prof. Dr. Hasan Demirel was born in Cyprus in 1969. He received his B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Eastern Mediterranean University in 1992, his M.Sc. from King's College London in 1993, and his Ph.D. from Imperial College London in 1998. He is a Professor at Eastern Mediterranean University, where he has served as Department Chair, Vice-Rector, and Acting Rector. His research focuses on Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, with particular emphasis on biomedical applications. Prof. Demirel has authored over 75 SCI-indexed journal papers, more than 100 conference papers, and has received over 9,000 citations. Since 2020, he has been listed among the “World's Top 2% Scientists" by Stanford University.
His research focuses on artificial intelligence-supported multidimensional signal and image processing. His work includes deep learning-based medical image analysis, 3D face modeling, emotion recognition, and video resolution enhancement. In recent years, he has conducted studies involving machine learning and computer vision techniques in areas such as biomedical engineering, remote sensing, and autonomous systems. In particular, his research involves developing AI algorithms for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, face and emotion recognition systems, and image enhancement techniques based on wavelet analysis.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Amber Eker Bakkaloğlu
Assoc.Prof. Amber Eker Bakkaloğlu, born in 1981 in Famagusta, completed her medical degree and Neurology residency at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. She holds the Turkish Neurological Society Board Certification as well as the European Academy of Neurology Board Certification. She is currently a faculty member at the Eastern Mediterranean University Dr. Fazıl Küçük Faculty of Medicine and the Translational Medicine PhD Program. She also coordinates medical education development and accreditation processes. Together with her students, she has conducted numerous public health studies related to neurological disorders and has carried out community health improvement projects in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and local municipalities. She is the Director of the EMU Faculty of Medicine Clinical Application and Research Center and coordinates research focusing on the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases through the Neuroscience working group.
Her primary clinical and research interests include neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease and cognitive disorders, Parkinson's disease and movement disorders, as well as medical education.
Assist. Prof. Dr. Burak Ali Çiçek
Dr. Burak Ali Çiçek is a marine ecologist whose research focuses on marine biodiversity, habitat characterization, and ecosystem monitoring. He employs advanced remote sensing and in-situ observation techniques, including sonar, echosounders, ROVs, and environmental sensors, to detect and map benthic and pelagic habitats. His work integrates spatial and ecological data to inform evidence-based strategies for marine management, conservation, and habitat restoration. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Çiçek aims to enhance the application of technological innovations in understanding and sustaining marine ecosystems, particularly within the Mediterranean region.
His main research interests are Marine biodiversity, benthic habitats, and the use of remote sensing and in-situ sensing technologies (sonar, echosounder, ROV) for habitat mapping and monitoring. Integration of spatial and ecological data into marine management, conservation, and restoration frameworks.
