Invited Speakers

Biography: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülizar Kurtoğlu Akkaya is an academician in the Department of Environmental Engineering at Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Engineering, Türkiye. She received her Ph.D. from Yıldız Technical University in 2018, with a dissertation on the treatment of landfill leachate using a submerged electro-membrane bioreactor system. Her main research interests include wastewater and leachate treatment, sludge management, electrochemical oxidation processes, circular economy approaches, and bio-based materials. Dr. Kurtoğlu Akkaya has extensive experience in both national and international research collaborations. Her recent studies focus on electrocoagulation, hybrid electrochemical systems, biochar-assisted remediation, and the valorization of waste-derived biomaterials into sustainable polymers and bioplastics. She has coordinated and contributed to several projects funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)—including programs such as 1001, 1507, 2218, and 2219—as well as university-supported research on environmental pollution control and resource recovery. Her works have been published in leading international journals such as Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Separation and Purification Technology and Chemical Engineering Research and Design. Alongside her research activities, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on waste management, sludge control, and environmental economics, and supervises students developing innovative and sustainable solutions for environmental challenges. Currently, Dr. Kurtoğlu Akkaya’s research focuses on developing low-cost, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly materials from renewable and waste-based resources, with an emphasis on biodegradation behavior, cost efficiency, and life cycle assessment (LCA) within the circular bioeconomy framework.