Şükrü Turan Beşiktepe

Designation: Professor
Şükrü Turan Beşiktepe is a Professor of Physical Oceanography and Head of the Marine Sciences Department at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology of Dokuz Eylül University, Türkiye. He received his Ph.D. from the Middle East Technical University (METU) in 1991 and has held key academic and leadership positions, including serving as Director of the METU Institute of Marine Sciences and Head of the Modeling and Simulation Group at the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE). His international experience includes research at Harvard University and active roles in major global ocean-observing and policy frameworks, such as BlackSea GOOS, EuroGOOS, MedGOOS, SCOR, and UNESCO.
His research aims to advance a new generation of predictive ocean science by integrating in situ observations, satellite remote sensing, and high-resolution numerical modeling to resolve the coupled physical–biogeochemical dynamics of semi-enclosed seas. Focusing on the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Turkish Straits System as climate-sensitive natural laboratories, his work addresses critical challenges related to climate change, ecosystem resilience, and marine environmental management. By bridging science, observation systems, and policy-relevant applications, he contributes to the development of actionable knowledge supporting sustainable ocean governance and the objectives of the European Green Deal and SDG-14.