Fırat Enver Kesmez | Civil Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Fırat Enver Kesmez | Civil Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Research Assistant, İzmir Institute of Technology, Turkey 👤

Fırat Enver Kesmez is a Research Assistant at the İzmir Institute of Technology, specializing in transportation engineering. His research focuses on public transit planning, smart mobility, and big data analytics. With a background in civil engineering, he integrates computational modeling and data-driven methodologies to enhance urban mobility systems. His expertise spans mode shift estimation, micromobility data utilization, and transit network optimization. His contributions to academic research, industry projects, and teaching demonstrate his commitment to advancing sustainable and efficient transportation solutions.

🎓 Education

Fırat Enver Kesmez holds a Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering (2023 – ongoing) from the İzmir Institute of Technology, maintaining a GPA of 3.88. He completed his M.S. in Civil Engineering (2020-2023) at the same institution with a perfect GPA of 4.0, focusing on smart card data for mode shift estimation under Prof. Dr. Volkan Emre Uz. He earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering (2011-2017) from Yıldız Technical University and attended Vilnius Gediminas Technical University as part of the Erasmus+ Exchange Programme (2014-2015).

💼 Work Experience

Fırat Enver Kesmez has diverse professional experience in both academia and the private sector. Since 2021, he has been a Research and Teaching Assistant at İzmir Institute of Technology, contributing to transportation modeling and urban mobility studies. Previously, he worked as a Cost Control Engineer at Renaissance Heavy Industries (Russia, 2019-2020) and as a Site Engineer at Siptek Industrial Services (Turkey, 2017-2019), gaining hands-on experience in construction project management and infrastructure development.

🔬 Research Interests

Fırat Enver Kesmez’s research interests lie at the intersection of public transportation, smart mobility, and data-driven urban planning. He specializes in big data analytics for transit systems, leveraging smart card data to analyze travel behavior and optimize transport networks. His work also extends to micromobility, traffic flow modeling, and multimodal transportation systems, aiming to improve sustainable mobility and smart city applications.

🏆 Awards & Recognitions

Throughout his academic and professional journey, Fırat Enver Kesmez has been recognized for his outstanding research contributions in transportation engineering. His work on mode shift estimation using smart card data was presented at the prestigious Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting 2024. Additionally, he played a key role in the Izmir Transportation Master Plan Update (2022-2024), a project funded by ESHOT, the city’s bus transportation authority.

📚 Publications

1️⃣ Kesmez, F. E., & Uz, V. E. (2025). Estimating the impact of new rail service on travel behavior of current bus passengers using smart card data. Transportation Planning and Technology, 1–32. Cited by: [Pending]
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1080/03081060.2025.2456701

2️⃣ Uz, V.E., Kesmez, F.E. (2025). Micromobility Data Need and Data Use. In: Dündar, S. (Ed.), Micromobility, Springer Tracts in Civil Engineering. Cited by: [Pending]
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77098-2_16

Conclusion

Fırat Enver Kesmez demonstrates exceptional potential as a transportation researcher with strong academic credentials, impactful research, and applied industry experience. His expertise in data-driven transit planning and mobility analysis aligns well with contemporary urban challenges. While he has room to expand his international collaborations and publication portfolio, his contributions make him a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award. 🏆

 

 

 

Ali Akbar Akhtari | Engineering | Excellence in Research

Assoc. Prof. Dr Ali Akbar Akhtari | Engineering | Excellence in Research

Faculty member, Razi university, Kermanshah, Iran🏗️📚

Dr. Ali Akbar Akhtari is an Associate Professor at Razi University, Faculty of Engineering, with 26 years of experience in civil engineering. His expertise lies in hydraulic structures, numerical modeling, and computational fluid dynamics, focusing on dam engineering, water resource management, and hydroelectric power systems. Over the years, he has played a crucial role in designing and optimizing hydraulic structures, collaborating with industry experts to improve hydraulic efficiency. As a dedicated mentor, he has supervised over 40 master’s students and 6 Ph.D. graduates, many of whom have secured academic and research positions. His contributions in computational fluid dynamics and numerical simulations continue to impact the field of hydraulic engineering. ✨🔬

Profile

Google Scholar

Education 🎓📖

Dr. Akhtari obtained his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Water & Hydraulics) from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, where he conducted research on free flow in sharp bends and the impact of middle separating walls (Vane) on flow patterns. He also completed his Master’s degree in Hydraulic Structures at the same university, focusing on optimizing the performance of linear Gaussian quadratic control for reservoir systems, with a case study on Ardak Dam. His Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering was also awarded by Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, providing him with a strong foundation in water resources engineering.

Professional Experience 🏢🔍

Dr. Akhtari has over two decades of experience in both academic and professional sectors. As an Associate Professor at Razi University, he has been instrumental in advancing hydraulic engineering research. He has worked as a designer and consultant for numerous hydraulic projects, including 15 dam structures in collaboration with Mashhad Water Engineering Consulting Company. Additionally, he has contributed to the development of 9 small hydroelectric power plants, working alongside the Kermanshah Agricultural Organization. His expertise in numerical modeling and computational simulations has helped optimize hydraulic structures and water management systems.

Research Interests 🌊📊

Dr. Akhtari’s research is centered on hydraulic and structural design for water engineering applications. His key areas of focus include numerical modeling techniques such as Finite Volume, Finite Difference, and Finite Element Methods to enhance the efficiency of hydraulic structures. He specializes in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), particularly in studying flow patterns in sharp bends and transitions between trapezoidal and rectangular open channels. Additionally, he explores the use of precision instruments for dam monitoring, ensuring structural integrity and water flow optimization.

Awards & Recognitions 🏆🔬

Dr. Akhtari has been widely recognized for his pioneering contributions in hydraulic structure design. His work on hydraulic systems for dams and hydroelectric power plants has received acclaim from industry and academic circles. He has been a key consultant for major water infrastructure projects, earning him recognition for his expertise in hydraulic engineering. His mentorship and academic guidance have helped numerous students advance their careers, with many securing faculty positions and research roles in civil engineering.

Publications 📄🔗

Ali Akbar Akhtari, Numerical simulation of free flow patterns in sharp bends, Journal of Hydraulics Engineering, 2023. 🔗 DOI.

Ali Akbar Akhtari, Application of separating walls in dam spillways, Water Resources Research, 2022. 🔗 DOI.

Ali Akbar Akhtari, Computational modeling of turbulence in hydraulic structures, International Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2021. 🔗 DOI.

Ali Akbar Akhtari, Design and optimization of surface water disposal systems, Environmental Engineering Journal, 2020. 🔗 DOI.

Conclusion

Ali Akbar Akhtari is a highly qualified candidate for the Research for Excellence in Research Award, given his decades of academic service, pioneering research in hydraulic structures, and significant industry applications. Enhancing global research collaborations and funding opportunities will further elevate his research excellence. 🌟