Our Faculty hosted a scientific event as part of the activities for Earthquake Awareness Week, held from 1 to 7 March. The online seminar, entitled ‘Applications of Optimisation in Disaster Management’, featured Prof. Dr Sibel SALMAN, a lecturer at Koç University, as the speaker.

Our Dean, Prof. Dr. Handan UCUN ÖZEL, delivered the opening address, drawing attention to the reality of earthquakes in our country and emphasising the vital importance of the effective use of resources and scientific decision-making mechanisms in disaster management.

In her presentation, Prof. Dr. Sibel Salman approached disaster management as a cycle, explaining how industrial engineering and operations research methods are applied in the processes of risk reduction, preparedness, response and recovery. She shared concrete examples from critical projects being carried out specifically in Istanbul, such as the reinforcement of transport networks, the site selection of emergency response centres, the evacuation of the injured, and the planning of field hospitals.

Highlighting the importance of ‘decision support systems’ in making the most appropriate decisions under the uncertainties of a disaster, Salman also answered participants’ questions. At the end of the seminar, our Dean, Prof. Dr. Handan UCUN ÖZEL, presented Prof. Dr. Sibel SALMAN with a certificate of appreciation for her valuable contributions.