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Awards Activities
A Sustainable Fruit Farming Model in High-Altitude Marginal Lands Through Soil Reclamation and Passive Water Harvesting
This project was initiated to reclaim abandoned, marginal, ancestral lands located at high altitudes for agricultural use, thus making them available for future generations.
The field research, data collection process, and modeling for this project were all carried out by me.
The scientific data analysis and reporting discipline used in this study was shaped by the methodology training I received within the scope of the Lumière Research Program, which I participated in in 2024, and the Istinye University Summer Research Internship Program, which I participated in in 2025.
The project's adherence to academic standards and its technical infrastructure are based on the fundamental scientific research practices I acquired in this program.
Soil Salinity Management in Marginal Lands
And
Sustainable Fruit Farming Through Passive Water Harvesting
This project focuses on a breeding model developed to address irrigation-induced salinity and saturation crises that emerged during agricultural trials in high-altitude areas.
With groundwater levels dropping dramatically in the last 20 years, the high mineral and salt content of water extracted from deeper boreholes, combined with excessive irrigation due to low rainfall and evaporation, is accumulating on the surface, poisoning the soil and leading to irreversible chemical degradation.
The seismic activity following the 2023 earthquake accelerated the infiltration of salty minerals into groundwater channels, further increasing the risk of salinization in aquifers.
This situation has become a problem that threatens not only agricultural production but also drinking water security.
Serçekuyusu Phenolic Apricot Cultivation and Processing Facility Project
This project, which is still in the study, research and development phase, will be implemented within the next 3 years.
The most fundamental bottleneck in the current apricot industry is the hygiene and quality risks posed by traditional tent-based sulfurization and open-air drying methods.
These primitive methods leave the product vulnerable to dust contamination and uncontrolled chemical residues, making it difficult to enter premium global markets.
Export-oriented entrepreneurs in the region are forced to build massive washing and processing plants to make products they buy from local producers marketable; however, this creates an unsustainable cycle that leads to the waste of already limited water resources.
As part of our project plan, we aim to integrate solar-powered drying cabinets, similar to the energy-efficient models developed by İnönü University, into the system. These cabinets, which achieve precise humidity levels using only solar energy in a closed and controlled environment, will preserve the natural color and high Brix profile of the fruit.
