‘Eco-friendly’ Center

The impact of a growing global population and global warming, the narrowing of energy resources, significant climate changes, and the need for green transformation projects led Izmir University of Economics (IUE) to take action. Aiming to produce solutions to these global problems and develop remarkable projects on both national and international scales, IUE has made an exemplary move by establishing the Sustainable Energy and Climate Policies Research and Application Center (SENLAB). Prof. Dr. Mehmet Efe Biresselioğlu, who has participated in 15 international projects to date, published more than 40 articles in prestigious journals, and was awarded the TUBITAK Incentive Award in 2020 for his successful work, was appointed as the director of the center.

LOW-CARBON ECONOMY

The center, where a team of 10 people will work, will focus on topics such as energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy resources, and the transition to low-carbon economies. SENLAB, which includes faculty members from various fields such as law, political science, international relations, medicine, communication, and engineering, will also conduct special studies to address social inequality and problems in energy distribution. Moving forward with the vision of ‘a university that produces transformative and creative solutions for a sustainable world’, IUE will elevate its projects in this field with its newly established center.

WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY

Giving information about the center, SENLAB Director Prof. Dr. Biresselioğlu emphasized the need for a proper evaluation of the global, regional, and national impacts of climate policies and the production of appropriate strategies. Prof. Dr. Biresselioğlu said, “The need for a green transformation towards climate change, energy security, and sustainable and resilient energy systems is increasing every day. We cannot remain indifferent to this. As the world’s population continues to grow and global warming affects our lives more with each passing day, the world's energy resources are, conversely, decreasing. We all have responsibilities to make the world more livable. This is the mindset with which SENLAB was established. As a center conducting innovative, solution-oriented, and interdisciplinary studies in the fields of energy and climate policies, we must contribute to the work being done in this field in our country. We embarked on this journey with the belief that we will do successful work in this area.”

EMPHASIS ON ‘SOCIAL AWARENESS’

Stating that the need for increased personal awareness and social consciousness regarding energy, Prof. Dr. Biresselioğlu said, “We set out with the goal of transforming energy and climate solutions into social development. By increasing energy efficiency, contributing to the development and dissemination of clean technologies, and strengthening energy independence, we aim to support the green transformation. We will produce projects in this direction and develop collaborations. We have a highly experienced and strong team specializing in different fields. Our team actively participates in research projects supported by the European Union Horizon 2020, the Research Council of Norway, and Horizon Europe. We are generating new insights on sustainable energy, climate policies, and the green transition. We are determined to establish strong partnerships between academia and sectors. We will contribute to global efforts toward a sustainable, low-carbon future.”