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Symposium photos are now available.

The ISASTECH 2025 Symposium Full Paper Proceedings Book is now accessible.


Welcome to ISASTECH 2025

We are pleased to invite you to the 4th International Symposium on Automotive Science and Technology (ISASTECH 2025) to be held in Kocaeli, Türkiye on 18-20 September 2025. The Symposium will be held in-person for participants from Türkiye and virtually for those who cannot travel to our country from abroad.

The 4th International Symposium on Automotive Science and Technology (ISASTECH 2025) is organised by the Automotive Engineering Department of Kocaeli University and supported by major automotive manufacturers and automotive industry organisations such as Ford Otosan, Hyundai Türkiye, TAYSAD, Exitcom, İŞBİR Generator etc., at the Kocaeli Congress Centre, İzmit-Türkiye.

The aim of the symposium is to increase cooperation in the automotive sector by providing physical interaction between the university and the industry. As a result of the symposium, a scientific inventory of the sector will be prepared, which will include and forecast the R&D activities of the automotive manufacturers in and around the province of Kocaeli.

The symposium is organised every 2 years as an event of the Turkish Society of Automotive Engineers (OMD). OMD has a journal called "International Journal of Automotive Science and Technology" which is indexed by many indexes, especially TRDizin and Scopus. Selected papers are sent for peer review for publication in "International Journal of Automotive Science and Technology", "Journal of Polytechnic - ESCI" and SAE Journals-EI.

We would be honoured to see you at ISASTECH 2025.

We look forward to seeing you at ISASTECH 2025.


Keynote Speakers


10:30 - Berke ERCAN (TAYSAD, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors)

Berke Ercan holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Yıldız Technical University and a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Istanbul University. He completed his Master's degree in Automotive Engineering at Kocaeli University, where he is currently pursuing his doctoral studies in the same field. With over 30 years of professional experience in the automotive industry, spanning both OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, he has held a wide range of executive and technical leadership roles including Engineer, Chief Engineer, Engineering Manager, Technical Director, Plant Director, Deputy General Manager, and General Manager at Renault (Bursa, France, Spain), Valeo-Nursan Electrical Systems, Net Group, and Cavo Automotive. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, he actively contributes to professional and academic communities as a member of the Chamber of Electrical Engineers (TMMOB EMO), Société des Ingénieurs de l’Automobile (SIA), various Chamber of Industry Committees, and Advisory Boards of several University Engineering and Technology faculties. He has also held executive roles such as Secretary General, Board Member, and Chairman of the Board of Yıldız Technical University Alumni Association, Yıldız Technical University Social Association and Vice Chairman of the Board of the Automotive Suppliers Association of Turkey (TAYSAD). He speaks French, English and Italian.

10:50 - Berzah OZAN (FORD Otosan, ADAS & Autonomous Driving System Leader)

Berzah Ozan currently serves as “Chief Functional Engineer of ADAS & Autonomous Driving Systems” at Ford Otosan, where he has been working for the past five years.
Born in Ankara in 1987, Berzah completed his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Middle East Technical University in 2008. He began his professional journey the same year at Ford Otosan as a Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, while simultaneously pursuing a Master’s degree in Automotive Engineering at Istanbul Technical University, which he successfully completed in 2012.
With a strong foundation in engineering and a passion for innovation, Berzah has played a pivotal role in advancing Ford Otosan’s capabilities in ADAS & Autonomous Driving technologies. His leadership in the development of cutting-edge technologies continues to drive the company’s vision for safer, smarter, and more efficient transportation.


11:10 - Barbaros YILDIRIM (HYUNDAI MOTOR TURKIYE, Administration General Manager)

Barbaros Yıldırım graduated from Istanbul Technical University in 1997 with a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. He began his career as a Marine Engineer at Dünya Denizcilik and joined Hyundai Motor Türkiye in 2000. Since then, he has held various positions including Maintenance Engineer, Maintenance Chief, Assistant Plant Manager, Maintenance Manager, Employee Relations Manager, and Deputy General Manager. During his career, Barbaros Yıldırım has been responsible for many areas, such as managing maintenance teams, organizing production machinery and energy systems and planning new machinery investments and construction projects. Since 2022, he has been serving as the Administration General Manager at Hyundai Motor Türkiye, overseeing the departments of People & Culture, Legal, Administrative Affairs, Corporate Communications, Information & Communication Technologies, and Health, Safety & Environment. Barbaros Yıldırım is also a Member of the Board of Directors at the Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD).


11:30 - Mehmet KÜRÜMLÜOĞLU (Fraunhofer IAO - Research Department for Advanced Systems Engineering)

Mehmet Kürümlüoğlu holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Stuttgart (equivalent to a German master's degree). In 1998, he started working as a researcher and project manager at the Institute for Human Factors and Technology Management (IAT) at the University of Stuttgart. Since 2002, he has been working at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering in Stuttgart. He is head of the Advanced Systems Engineering Research Department and director of the Fraunhofer IAO PDM/PLM Consulting Center. He teaches Product Lifecycle Management at the FOM University of Applied Sciences and the University of Stuttgart. He is also an instructor for the certification course "PLM Professional". He has gained extensive experience in many national and international consultancy and R&D projects in the fields of Advanced Systems Engineering, Digitalization in Product Formation, Industry 4.0/5.0, PLM systems, Digitalization Strategy, Strategic R&D Management and Technology Management. He has worked in various sectors such as automotive, machinery/special machinery, component production, home appliances and medical technologies.


11:50 - 12:15 - Questions & Answers


Sessions


13:30 - 14:15 - Session 1: Electric Vehicle and Battery Technologies (Prof. Dr. Engin ÖZDEMİR, Kocaeli University)

Prof. Dr. Engin Ozdemir received the bachelor and master degrees in electrical engineering from Yildiz Technical University in 1991 and 1994 respectively. Then he received his Ph.D. degree in the same field from Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkiye, in 1998. He became an Assistant Professor, an Associate Professor, and a Full Professor in 1998, 2008, and 2013, respectively. He was the Head of Department in Energy Systems Engineering and acting Dean Faculty of Technology in Kocaeli University, Turkiye. He is currently a Full Professor with Kocaeli University Faculty of Technology, Department of Energy Systems Engineering. He is a senior member of IEEE and has authored or coauthored more than 50 journal papers, 45 conference papers in different subjects, including power electronics, smart grid, electric vehicles, energy storage and renewable energy sources.




Mert UYGUN, M.Sc. - Ottomotive, CCO

Mert UYGUN has over 20 years of experience in renewable energy and mobility. After completing his undergraduate and graduate studies in aerospace engineering at Istanbul Technical University, he worked at leading companies in the industry, including Mercedes-Benz Türk, Chrysler, Altınay, Yeo Technology, and Vestel.
Throughout his management career, he has led the R&D and production teams in the realization of numerous electrification projects, including the transformation of Ford Transit chassis into fully electric vehicles and the qualification of the Gölcük Otosan factory as an accredited superstructure. He has also served as the domestic battery supplier for many other major manufacturers in various commercial and military vehicle projects.
The company also commissioned Türkiye's first commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage system in Gölbaşı, Ankara, and played an active role in developing energy storage systems. Currently, Uygun is the GMM responsible for commercial activities at Ottomotive, a domestic battery and system manufacturer.
UYGUN is fluent in German and English and plays an active role in the Battery Association, of which he is a founding member. He contributes to the development of national policies and strategies on energy transformation issues.
He is married and has a daughter.


Betül TAVACI SAYGILI - Sustainability and Environmental Coordinator at Automotive Manufacturers Association

Betül Tavacı Saygılı is the Sustainability and Environment Coordinator at the Automotive Manufacturers Association of Turkey (OSD). She leads the Turkish automotive industry on a wide range of critical issues, including building consensus on sustainability and environmental matters, ensuring compliance with national and international legislation, and monitoring key EU Green Deal initiatives such as CBAM and the Emissions Trading System (ETS). Her role also involves providing stakeholder input on climate policies, promoting circular economy practices, driving climate action, and minimizing environmental impacts across the industry.
Prior to this role, she held various leadership positions at Ford Motor Company for nearly 13 years. As an Environmental Leader, she oversaw projects related to the identification and reduction of environmental impacts at Ford’s production sites in Kocaeli, Eskişehir, and Sancaktepe — as well as supporting environmental and sustainability integration for Ford Romania. She was responsible for designing and implementing environmental initiatives, monitoring environmental legislation, defining corporate environmental and energy strategies, and setting emission targets aligned with science-based goals. She also managed sustainability reporting and environmental data for indices such as CDP and S&P Dow Jones, contributed to environmental policy development, and led risk and opportunity management in the field of sustainability.
With over 13 years of experience in the automotive sector, she is a seasoned sustainability and environmental professional.
Betül holds a double bachelor’s degree (double major) in Environmental Engineering (2009) and Civil Engineering (2010) from Kocaeli University. She completed her master’s degree in Environmental Engineering at Gebze Technical University (formerly Gebze Institute of Technology) in 2012, where she also worked as a Project Assistant on a research project focused on the anaerobic treatment of explosive industrial wastewater.
Her core competencies include environmental legislation analysis (both national and international), sustainability reporting, stakeholder engagement, creating environmental and sustainability strategies, and particularly, developing decarbonization strategies. She is passionate about helping organizations align with global climate goals and supporting the transition to a more resilient and sustainable automotive future.


Nedim Uğur BAKOĞLU – ASPİLSAN - Battery Development Manager

Nedim Ugur BAKOGLU currently works at the Engineering Directorate of ASPILSAN Energy Inc. as a Battery Development Manager. In this current role, he is focus on HV(High Voltage) & LV(Low Voltage) Battery Packs and Charging Systems Development for Defence, Aviation, Automotive, Energy, Industrial and Space Platforms. He is responsible for managing the scope & goals and technical project management from concept up to start of production and system&functional integration, leading multidisciplinary teams which includes hardware, software, mechanics, system, safety and test engineering teams.
He holds a Electrical & Electronics Engineering B.Sc. degree in Karadeniz Technical University. Nedim Ugur Bakoglu's fields of interests are Battery Management Systems, Li-İon Batteries, Electrical Vehicles, Energy Storage Systems, Engineering Management, Defence & Automotive Applications. He managed several national and international funded research projects such as HORİZON Europe and TÜBİTAK 1511 & 1505 projects. He also took part in many comprehensive automotive and defense projects. These projects include a L7 class lightweight electric vehicle battery development project, digital battery passport(DBP) Project and M2 class electric vehicle battery development project which is compatible with automotive standards such as UN ECE R100 & R10.


14:15 - 15:00 Session 2: Innovation for Sustainable Automotive (Özak DURMUŞ, FORD OTOSAN)

Özak Durmuş is the Product Sustainability Leader at Ford Otosan. After earning a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Hacettepe University, he joined the company in 2013 and has since risen through a series of R&D roles to steer Ford Otosan's battery-circularity, LCA and sustainable-materials strategy. An expert in Life-Cycle Assessment (SimaPro, Sphera, GREET, OpenLCA) and circular-economy implementation, he currently directs 13 funded research projects—nine Horizon Europe, two ERA.Net and two SAYEM-TÜBİTAK—focused on advanced recycling technologies, critical-raw-material recovery, sustainable material applications on automotive components and second-life applications for EV batteries.
His flagship "ReCube" initiative has become an industry touchstone, earning the Executive, Excellence and People's Choice prizes at the Ford Vehicle Components & Systems Engineering Innovation Awards 2020 and the Re|Focus Sustainability & Innovation Award from the Plastics Industry Association in 2021. Another project he conceived and leads, "FOUS"—Ford's first energy-storage system built from production-scrap batteries—has captured the Henry Ford Technology Award (Service & Experiences category), the 2024 Sustainable Business Award for Circular Economy Adoption and Turkey's Ministry of Industry & Technology Efficiency Award.
A frequent keynote speaker and Ford Otosan delegate to the ACEA Circular Economy Group and the FISITA Carbon Neutrality & Circular Economy Working Groups, Özak pairs deep technical acumen with strategic vision to embed circularity in every design decision and accelerate the automotive sector's transition toward a net-zero, resource-positive future.


Assoc. Prof. Neslihan YUCA DOĞDU - İTÜ Energy Institute

Neslihan YUCA is an associate professor at Istanbul Technical University's Energy Institute. Since 2010, Assoc. Prof. YUCA has worked on materials suitable for Li-ion batteries in various laboratories, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He is also the founder of Enwair. She earned her Ph.D. in high-density silicon-based anode design for Li-ion batteries. She has a master's degree in carbon nanotube materials and hydrogen storage. He has significant publications, patents, and national and international projects related to Li-ion batteries. In addition to his academic work, Assoc. Prof. YUCA is the R&D Director at Pomega, the first private-sector enterprise in Türkiye, where he contributes to the production processes of Li-ion batteries.


Murat ILGAR - CEO of Exitcom

Murat ILGAR is the CEO of Exitcom, a recycling company with facilities in Türkiye and Germany. He has many years of experience in recycling critical and strategic raw materials, waste management, and circular economy processes. He manages state-of-the-art facilities in Türkiye and Europe, specializing in the recovery of batteries, electronic waste, and industrial waste. ILGAR has played an active role in numerous national and international projects and is a leading figure in the industry thanks to his vision of sustainable resource management and the green economy.




Mehmet Ali ORAL - RAVAGO Petrokimya Üretim AŞ R&D Manager

Mehmet Ali Oral is a Materials & Metallurgical Engineer with PhD degree in Polymer Science & Technology. He has been working as R&D Manager at Ravago Petrochemicals for last 6 years with +20 years' experience in the industry. Mainly dealing with compound development process according to customer specifications/needs starting from lab scale to customers' final product life tests.


15:30 - 16:15 Session 3: Digital transformation in the automotive industry (Mehmet KÜRÜMLÜOĞLU, Director of the Fraunhofer Advanced Systems Research Center)

Mehmet Kürümlüoğlu holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Stuttgart (equivalent to a German master's degree). In 1998, he started working as a researcher and project manager at the Institute for Human Factors and Technology Management (IAT) at the University of Stuttgart. Since 2002, he has been working at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering in Stuttgart. He is head of the Advanced Systems Engineering Research Department and director of the Fraunhofer IAO PDM/PLM Consulting Center. He teaches Product Lifecycle Management at the FOM University of Applied Sciences and the University of Stuttgart. He is also an instructor for the certification course "PLM Professional". He has gained extensive experience in many national and international consultancy and R&D projects in the fields of Advanced Systems Engineering, Digitalization in Product Formation, Industry 4.0/5.0, PLM systems, Digitalization Strategy, Strategic R&D Management and Technology Management. He has worked in various sectors such as automotive, machinery/special machinery, component production, home appliances and medical technologies.


Ata GÜLERYÜZ - Founder & CTO, RIMIT GmbH

Ata Güleryüz holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Stuttgart. From 2002 to 2005, he worked as a data manager and software test specialist at IBM in Stuttgart. From 2005 to 2008, he worked as a systems engineer specializing in technology and information management at Robert Bosch GmbH. From 2009 to 2022, he served as CIO and CDO in the automotive sector at Bosch Mahle Turbosystems, BMTS Technology Group and Stoba Group. Since 2022, he has worked as CTO and Co-Founder at RIMIT GmbH in Stuttgart, specializing in IT/OT (Operational Technology) risk mitigation. He combines his expertise in IT/OT enterprise architecture with an end-to-end understanding of ALM (application lifecycle management) engineering methodologies to support clients in the automotive, high-voltage battery, special machinery and aerospace industries.



Aylin Tülay ÖZDEN - Board Member, Doruk Automation & Software Inc.

Aylin Tülay Özden graduated from Istanbul Technical University in 1988 with a degree in Computer and Control Engineering. She continued her master's and doctoral studies in the Department of Control and Control Systems at the same university until 1993, while working as a Research Assistant.
She is one of the co-founders of Doruk Automation and Software Inc., established in 1998, where she served as General Manager until 2017. Since then, she has been responsible for international expansion and business development.
Dedicated to positioning Doruk and its products as a global technology brand, Özden leads the international growth of ProManage, an AI-driven smart manufacturing management system that empowers companies to enhance efficiency and competitiveness.
In line with this vision, she has been serving as the CEO of ProManage Smart Manufacturing Solutions Corp., founded in 2017 in Chicago, USA, where she manages the company's international operations and global market expansion.


Mustafa Can ERCAN - MİTA Mold and Casting

Mustafa Can Ercan graduated from Sabanci University in 2007 with a degree in Mechatronics Engineering. In 2007, he started to work in Mita Kalip Ve Dokum Sanayi A.S, which is known as an aluminum casting and moulding supplier of the automotive sector. In 2009, he graduated from Istanbul University with a degree in Master of Business Administration (MBA).
He is the “Board Member” of Mita Kalip Ve Dokum Sanayi A.S, and he serves as “System Process Coordinator”.
He contributes to digital transformation and system projects within the institution and ensures the sustainability of corporate systems. His main focus is to link operational activities and strategic planning together, and to ensure the sustainability of the relationship between them.


16:15 - 17:00 Session 4: Green transformation in the automotive industry (Tolgahan KAYA, Director of TÜBİTAK Rail Transportation Technologies Institute)

With over 15 years of dedicated experience in mechanical engineering and transportation technology innovation, I have contributed extensively to advancing sustainable and high-performance mobility solutions. At Ford OTOSAN, I led initiatives in powertrain calibration and emissions strategy, with a focus on reducing environmental impact. During my tenure at TÜBİTAK, I commissioned advanced engine and chassis dynamometer facilities, enabling rigorous testing of e-motor, alternative fuel, and hybrid vehicle systems. My research, which includes a PhD thesis on advanced diesel combustion, focuses on reducing soot and NOX emissions, pioneering cleaner diesel technologies. In addition, I led hybrid electric vehicle projects and contributed to powertrain design for Turkey's national electric car initiative. I also managed the development of a groundbreaking V8-1200hp locomotive engine. Currently, as a Manager at TÜBİTAK's Rail Transportation Technologies Institute, I oversee 40+ R&D projects spanning traction, signaling, preventive maintenance, and battery/hydrogen propulsion systems. My role also encompasses advancing TÜBİTAK's Alternative Energy Vehicle Race and Hyperloop initiatives, driving next-generation mobility innovation.


Prof. Dr. Can ERKEY - Koç University – Chemical and Biological Engineering Department

Prof. Dr. Can ERKEY's research has primarily focused on nano-scale material and system engineering for a variety of applications. His research covers hydrogen production, fuel cells, emission control and heat insulation.








Dr. Betül BULUT - AYGAZ / Senior Research and Development Specialist

Betül Bulut holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Hacettepe University and a master's degree in the same field from ITU. She also holds a doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering from ITU.
Dr. Betül Bulut began her professional career in 2012 as a Project Engineer at the Arçelik R&D Centre and has been working at Aygaz since 2018. She currently serves as an Alternative Fuels Specialist at the Aygaz R&D Centre and has experience in chemistry, energy, alternative fuels, materials, and process development.




Dr. Cengizhan CENGİZ - FORD OTOSAN R&D Test Center, Combustion Technical Leader

Cengizhan Cengiz was born in 1983 in Eskişehir. He completed his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University in 2006. Subsequently, he earned a Master's degree from the Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Istanbul Technical University in 2009, during which time he also worked as a Research Assistant on the Tubitak 106M228 Project. In 2009, Mr. Cengiz started his professional career at Ford Otosan A.Ş in the Product Development Center as a CFD Engineer and later transitioned to the role of Calibration Engineer in the Engine Calibration & Control Department until 2019. Currently, he Works as a position of Combustion Technical Leader at Ford Otosan. In 2024, he obtained his Doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Gebze Technical University. His areas of professional interest includes engine combustion, alternative fuel modes, thermodynamic analysis of internal combustion engines, engine design, combustion chamber design, port development, measurement systems, racing engines, as well as calibration & control. Furthermore, he is also leading the operations of single-cylinder research and hydrogen engines.