Prof. Nurhan Ecemis | Civil Engineering | Best Researcher Award
Civil Engineering Department, Izmir Institute of technology Turkey
Prof. Dr. Nurhan Ecemis is a distinguished geotechnical engineer specializing in geotechnical earthquake engineering, soil dynamics, and liquefaction. She is a professor at Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH), Turkey, and has served as the department chair since August 2024. She earned her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo and has extensive academic and industry experience, including roles at the University of British Columbia and LANGAN Engineering, USA. Dr. Ecemis has published widely in high-impact journals and has contributed significantly to advancing geotechnical research. Her work focuses on laboratory and field testing methods, numerical modeling, and soil-structure interaction under seismic conditions. Recognized for her contributions, she has received multiple awards and research grants. She actively collaborates with international institutions and participates in global geotechnical engineering projects. Her expertise extends to advanced numerical simulations and experimental modeling in geotechnical engineering.
Publication Profile
🎓 Education
Ph.D. in Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering) – State University of New York at Buffalo, USA (2004–2008). M.S. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering) – Istanbul Technical University, Turkey (2001–2003). B.S. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering, First-Class Honors) – Istanbul Kultur University, Turkey (1997–2001)
💼 Experience
Professor, Chair (2024–Present) – Civil Engineering Dept., Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH), Turkey. Professor (2021–Present) – IZTECH, Turkey. Visiting Professor (2022–2023) – University of British Columbia, Canada. Associate Professor (2015–2021) – IZTECH, Turkey. Assistant Professor (2009–2015) – IZTECH, Turkey. Staff Engineer III (2008–2009) – LANGAN Engineering, New York, USA. Research & Teaching Assistant (2004–2008) – SUNY Buffalo, USA. Geotechnical Engineer (2002–2003) – ENAR Geotechnical Engineering, Turkey
🏆 Awards & Honors
Research Excellence Award – Recognized for outstanding geotechnical research contributions. Best Paper Award – Multiple international conferences in geotechnical and earthquake engineering. National & International Research Grants – Funded by major institutions for geotechnical research. Visiting Professorship – Awarded by University of British Columbia for research collaboration. Reviewer & Editorial Board Member – Leading geotechnical and earthquake engineering journals. Industry Collaboration Awards – Recognized for contributions to engineering consultancy and seismic risk assessment projects
🔍 Research Focus
Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering – Seismic response of soil-structure systems. Soil Liquefaction & Post-Liquefaction Behavior – Laboratory and field investigations. In-situ & Laboratory Testing – CPT, shaking table tests, and cyclic loading studies. Soil Dynamics & Geomechanics – Numerical modeling of soil-structure interaction. Foundation Engineering – Design and analysis under seismic conditions. Numerical & Computational Modeling – FLAC3D, PLAXIS, ABAQUS simulations
Publication Top Notes
Laminar box system for 1-g physical modeling of liquefaction and lateral spreading (2009) – S Thevanayagam, T Kanagalingam, A Reinhorn, R Tharmendhira, … – 70 citations
Simulation of seismic liquefaction: 1-g model testing system and shaking table tests (2013) – N Ecemis – 65 citations
Time-dependent physicochemical characteristics of Malaysian residual soil stabilized with magnesium chloride solution (2016) – N Latifi, ASA Rashid, N Ecemis, MM Tahir, A Marto – 46 citations
Sand-granulated rubber mixture to prevent liquefaction-induced uplift of buried pipes: a shaking table study (2021) – N Ecemis, H Valizadeh, M Karaman – 42 citations
The use of neural networks for CPT-based liquefaction screening (2015) – Y Erzin, N Ecemis – 41 citations
Experimental and numerical modeling on the liquefaction potential and ground settlement of silt-interlayered stratified sands (2021) – N Ecemis – 40 citations
Influence of consolidation properties on the cyclic re-liquefaction potential of sands (2015) – N Ecemis, HE Demirci, M Karaman – 39 citations
Influence of non-/low plastic fines on cone penetration and liquefaction resistance (2014) – N Ecemis, M Karaman – 25 citations
The use of neural networks for the prediction of cone penetration resistance of silty sands (2017) – Y Erzin, N Ecemis – 22 citations
Soil liquefaction-induced uplift of buried pipes in sand-granulated-rubber mixture: Numerical modeling (2022) – H Valizadeh, N Ecemis – 17 citations
Effects of permeability on liquefaction resistance and cone resistance (2008) – S Thevanayagam, N Ecemis – 15 citations
Effects of permeability and compressibility on liquefaction screening using cone penetration resistance (2008) – N Ecemis – 14 citations