New faculty Dr. Veysel Yıldız joins water resources and hydraulics group
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Veysel Yıldız has joined the Water Resources and Hydraulics Group as a faculty member. Dr. Yıldız brings valuable expertise and a strong background in water resources systems and decision-making under uncertainty, which will enhance our team's research and academic endeavors. We warmly welcome him to our department and look forward to his contributions.
Biography
Dr. Yıldız holds a PhD in Civil Engineering with a focus on the design and operation of hydropower plants (HPPs) under deep uncertainty. His recent postdoctoral work at Duke University has centered on adaptive strategies for HPPs facing climate variability and evolving energy grid demands. He brings deep expertise in hydrology, hydraulic systems, numerical modeling, and decision analysis, with a strong track record of developing open-access tools for hydropower planning and operation.
Before transitioning to academia, Dr. Yıldız served as a Civil Engineer and Section Manager at the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) in Türkiye, where he contributed to the planning and management of 100+ hydropower plants. During this time, he also represented Türkiye as a Hydrological Advisor to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and served as the National Focal Point to the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS).
During his time at The University of Sheffield, where he worked in the Fluids Lab, he received the Outstanding Teaching Delivery Award (2023–24) and the Graduate Teaching Excellence Award (2022–23) for his significant contributions to Multidisciplinary Engineering Education. In the international research community, he serves as Co-Convener for the "Innovation in Hydropower Operations and Planning" session at the EGU General Assembly.
Research Interests
Dr. Yıldız’s research lies at the intersection of water engineering and decision science, with a particular emphasis on the integrated design and operation of hydropower systems. His work advances water resources management under deep uncertainty and develops robust climate adaptation strategies for critical hydraulic infrastructure. He specializes in numerical modeling and optimization of coupled energy–water systems, the application of machine learning for operational decision support, and the modernization and capacity reassessment of existing hydropower plants and non-powered dams to address evolving energy demands.
Dr. Yıldız joined the Civil Engineering Department at Boğaziçi University in 2026, where he continues his research and academic activities.
