Researchers

Our Team

Researchers

İsmail Demir

Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir

Board Member and Leading Researcher

Prof. Dr. Yücel Acer

Board Member and Leading Researcher

Prof. Dr. Nil Kula

Board Member and Leading Researcher

Prof. Dr. Xxx Ademuni-Odeke

Special Adviser and Senior Researcher

Doç. Dr. Ali İbrahim Akkutay

Senior Researcher

Dr. Ceren Cerit Dindar

Senior Researcher

Dr. Hakan Koçak

Senior Researcher

Büşra Deniz

Researcher

Çağrı Ünal

Researcher

Derya Ulutürk

Researcher

Emre Önsöz

Researcher

Halil İbrahim Akcan

Researcher

Hüsna Kübra Karadağ

Project Researcher

Muhammed Eren Başaran

Researcher

Özge Durukan

Project Coordinator

Zeynep Mirvan Korunç

Researcher

İsmail Demir

Prof.dr. ismail demir

Prof. Ismail Demir is a highly accomplished professional with an extensive educational background and notable contributions in maritime law. He studied law at Ankara University Faculty of Law and graduated with an honor degree in nineteen eighty-seven (1987). After completing his LLM in 1997, he delved deeper into the realm of maritime law and successfully defended his doctoral thesis on “Salvage within the Framework of the London Convention” in 2009. Prof. Demir’s main area of study focuses on maritime trade and marine pollution. He successfully served as the First Legal Counselor at the Undersecretariat of Maritime Affairs of the Prime Ministry between 1997 and 2001. In recognition of his expertise and dedication, Prof. Demir was appointed as a Professor in the Department of Maritime Law in 2021. Since 2020, Prof. Demir has been an esteemed member of the Board of Directors at the Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law. In 2023, he assumed the prestigious role of Leading Researcher at DEHUKAM. In 2024, he was appointed as the head of the Department of Maritime, Transportation Law and Politics.

Prof.dr. YÜCEL ACER

Prof. Yücel Acer is a distinguished academic and legal expert with a wealth of experience in the field of international law. With a doctorate from the University of Bristol and a postgraduate degree from the University of Sheffield, both specializing in International Law, Prof. Acer has received a comprehensive education in his field. He also completed his undergraduate studies at Ankara University, majoring in International Relations.

Prof. Acer has held various academic positions throughout his career, including professorships at Yıldırım Beyazıt University and Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. He has also served as an associate professor and assistant professor, contributing significantly to the development of the field of international relations.

In addition to his academic roles, Prof. Acer has gained valuable administrative experience. He has held positions such as department head, dean, director of institutions, and vice dean at different universities. Notably, he served as the rector of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University from 2015 to 2019, demonstrating his leadership and management skills.

Currently, Prof. Acer serves as the head of the Department of International Law at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University. He has been involved in various administrative roles and continues to make significant contributions to the academic and legal communities. With his extensive knowledge, research expertise, and leadership qualities, Prof. Yücel Acer has established himself as a respected figure in the field of international law and academia. 

Prof. dr. Nİl kula

Prof. Dr. Nil Kula has been graduated from Istanbul Bilgi University School of Law in 2005. She has acted as a maritime lawyer in between 2006-2010 in Sacaklioglu Law Firm in İzmir. In 2008, she has completed her master thesis named “The execution of the prevention of the marine pollution and compensation of the damages occurred upon the pollution by Turkish public authorities” that has been prepared in Dokuz Eylul University Social Sciences Institute Public Law Program, The same year, she has commenced her doctorate education in the same university and same institute under Maritime Business Administration Program and concluded the program in 2012 with her doctorate thesis named as “An Evaluation on the Liabilities and Liability Insurance Cover of Freight Forwarder as a Multimodal Transport Operator”. In 2013 she has studied in University of Texas School of Law with TUBITAK Post-Doctorate Scholarship and in 2018 she has studied in University of San Francisco School of Law with FULBRIGHT Academic Scholarship. In 2010 she has been appointed as researcher to Dokuz Eylul University Maritime Faculty. In 2013 she has been appointed to the same institution as assistant professor. In 2016 she has been granted as Associate Professor in Maritime Law and in 2022 she has been appointed as Professor to Dokuz Eylul University Maritime Faculty Department of Maritime Business Administration. Still she is Head of Department of Maritime Economy and Policy. Prof. Dr. Nil Kula is a member of the board of directors of Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM). The same year she has been appointed as director of the Dokuz Eylul University Eagean Region Application and Research Center. In 2021 she has also been appointed as director of the Dokuz Eylul University Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology. She is still in charge with her all duties. She is giving lectures on maritime law, transport law, marine insurance law in Turkish and English languages. She has 6 books and 32 single author articles and many papers that has been submitted to national and international conferences.

Prof. Dr. Ademuni-Odeke

Prof. Ademuni-Odeke is a distinguished scholar and legal expert with extensive international experience. Prof. Ademuni-Odeke holds a remarkable academic record, including:
He completed his LLB in Law from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1978. He obtained his LLM from the Institute of Maritime Law, University of Southampton, in 1979. In 1982, he completed his PhD in Institute of Maritime Law, University of Southampton.
He possesses several professional qualifications, including a Certificate in Management Curriculum from the United Nations. Prof. Ademuni-Odeke has served on the editorial boards of prestigious journals like The Denning Law Journal, Maritime Policy and Management, and DEHUKAMDER. He has held visiting professorships and scholar positions at numerous universities worldwide, including the University of Vienna, Central European University in Budapest, and Universitie Paris X. He has also been associated with the UN/IMO World Maritime University and UN/IMO International Maritime Law Institute for several years. Since 2018, Prof. Ademuni-Odeke has held the position of Professor of International Maritime Law and Policy and Special Advisor at DEHUKAM. Previously, he held positions as a visiting scholar at the Institute of Maritime Law at the University of Southampton, a Fulbright/Lloyd’s of London Insurance Scholar & Visiting Professor at Tulane University Law School, and a Visiting Research Professor in International Maritime Law and Policy at Southampton Solent University. He also served as an In-House Legal Consultant at the United Nations Secretariat in New York and the UN Procurement Division. Prof. Ademuni-Odeke has an extensive list of publications, including books, articles, and chapters in books. His book titles include “The Law of International Trade,” “Bareboat Charterparties,” “International Trade HLT,” and “Commercial Law HLT,” among others.

Doç. Dr. Ali İbrahim Akkutay

Ali İbrahim AKKUTAY completed his undergraduate education at Ankara University Faculty of Law between 2000-2004. In 2005, he started his master’s degree at Ankara University Institute of Social Sciences and in the same year he was appointed as a research assistant at Gazi University Faculty of Law, Department of International Law. In 2007, after completing his master’s degree with his master’s thesis titled “The Effect of International Treaties on Domestic Law”, he started his doctorate education at Gazi University Institute of Social Sciences and completed his education in 2011 with his study titled “Diplomatic Protection and Human Rights Relationship”. In 2019, he was entitled to receive the title of associate professor in the field of Public International Law with his work titled “The Concept of the Continental Shelf, the Rights and Authorities Created by the Continental Shelf and the Continental Shelf Beyond 200 Nautical Miles within the Framework of the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Delimitation of Maritime Areas”. He was appointed as a doctoral faculty member to Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, which was established by separating from Gazi University, in 2018. Since 2019, he has been working as an Associate Professor at the same institution and since January 2024, he has been working as an Senior Researcher at DEHUKAM. He has published numerous books, articles and papers in various fields of international law, especially international law of treaties, international law of responsibility and international law of the sea.

Dr. Ceren Cerit Dindar

Dr. Ceren Cerit Dindar graduated with LLB from Ankara University in 2009. Following her graduation and legal internship period, she was called to Ankara Bar in 2010. She obtained her LLM degree in International Commercial and Maritime Law at Swansea University, United Kingdom in 2013. She was later awarded the degree of PhD in Maritime Law by the same university in June 2019. Her PhD research mainly focuses on legal issues concerning delivery and redelivery of the vessel in time charters. Full scholarship was provided by Turkish Ministry of Education for her LLM and PhD studies. She held the position of research assistant at the Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law (IISTL), Swansea University during her PhD period.

Dr. Dindar is currently working as an assistant professor at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University (AYBU), Law Faculty. She is the head of the Maritime Law Department since 2022. She is also the coordinator of LLM programme in Maritime Law which has been offered at AYBU, Law Faculty since September 2021. She teaches “Carriage of Goods by Sea” and “The Law of Charterparties” modules under the LLM programme. As of 2023, she also serves as a dedicated senior researcher at DEHUKAM. She is the coordinator of the project titled “Legal Problems Relating to the Autonomous Vessels in Turkey and Potential Solutions” funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey under the “1001-Supporting Scientific and Technological Research Projects Program”. As a keen public speaker, Dr Dindar has presented papers at various conferences and has published several articles in the field of Maritime law in academic journals such as Journal of International Maritime Law.

Dr. Hakan Koçak

Dr. Koçak graduated from TOBB University of Economics and Technology with a bachelor’s degree in Law and International Relations (as double major) and received his master’s degree from Ankara University with a dissertation titled “Compulsory Licence on the Grounds of Non-working in Patent Law”. He completed his PhD at Hacettepe University with a doctoral thesis titled “Reinsurance Contracts” and has published articles in the fields of intellectual property law and insurance law in different journals. 

BÜŞRA DENİZ

Büşra Deniz completed her undergraduate studies at Ankara University Faculty of Law in 2020. Since 2021, she has been pursuing her master’s degree in the program “The Sea and Maritime Law,” conducted in English at Ankara University Institute of Social Sciences. Her master’s thesis focuses on “The Protection of the Marine Environment under the Bucharest Convention and the Position of Türkiye”
In addition to her academic pursuits, Büşra Deniz serves as a Researcher at DEHUKAM, contributing to various projects and studies. Currently, she is involved as a Marine Envrionment Law Expert in the “Project for Capacity Development in Marine Environment Law within the Framework of the Barcelona Convention and Other International Documents” and the “The Project for Exploring Potential Natural Sites with the Aim of Increasing the Protected Areas in Türkiye” in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change.
Furthermore, she is actively engaged as a Project Scholar in the TÜBİTAK 1001 project titled “Research on Alternative Resolution Methods in Maritime Disputes and Establishment of a Maritime Arbitration Center in Türkiye”. Büşra Deniz is proficient in advanced-level English.

ÇAĞRI ÜNAL

Çağrı Ünal graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Law in 2023. During his bachelor’s degree, he worked as intern student at DEHUKAM between 2021 and 2023. In 2023, he founded the Maritime, Polar and Climate Law Research Society at Ankara University and assumed the presidency. Since 2024, he continues his master’s degree in the “Sea and Maritime Law” program at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Institute of Social Sciences. In addition to his academic studies, Çağrı Ünal, as a Researcher at DEHUKAM, carries out activities in the field of marine environment law and contributes to various projects and studies. 

 Currently, he is working as Marine Environmental Law Expert in the “Project for the Research of Mooring Buoy Systems and Marine Inspection Processes” with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and as a Project Scholar in the “Research on Alternative Resolution Methods in Maritime Disputes and Establishment of a Maritime Arbitration Center in Türkiye” under the TUBITAK 1001 call. He is proficient in advanced-level English.

DERYA ULUTÜRK

Derya Ulutürk completed her undergraduate studies at Başkent University Faculty of Law in 2019. Since 2021, she has been pursuing her master’s degree in the “Sea and Maritime Law” program at Ankara University Institute of Social Sciences, which is conducted in English. Her thesis focuses on “The Legal Implications of Climate Change in the Mediterranean: Evaluation of Adaptation and Mitigation Measures.”

Working as a researcher within DEHUKAM, Ulutürk is actively engaged in various activities related to education, conferences, and projects within the institution. Currently, she serves as a marine environmental law expert in the “Project for Capacity Development in Marine Environment Law within the Framework of the Barcelona Convention and Other International Documents” and the “The Project for Exploring Potential Natural Sites with the Aim of Increasing the Protected Areas in Türkiye” conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. 

Additionally, she is a project scholar in the TÜBİTAK 1001 project titled “Research on Alternative Resolution Methods in Maritime Disputes and Establishment of a Maritime Arbitration Center in Türkiye.” Derya Ulutürk is proficient in advanced English and lower-intermediate German.

emre önsöz

Emre Önsöz completed his undergraduate studies at Ankara University Faculty of Law in 2022. In the same year, he began his master’s degree in Maritime Law with a thesis program at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, focusing on “The Legal Aspect of Offshore Wind Energy Activities” under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Yücel Acer. He completed his legal internship at Ankara Bar Association in 2023. Working as a part-time student at DEHUKAM from 2021 to 2023, Emre Önsöz started his career as a researcher at the same institution in 2023, actively participating in various projects and activities.

Within DEHUKAM, he is involved as a researcher in the “Research Project on the Rights and Authorities of Türkiye on Living Resources in the World’s Seas” which is supported under the TÜBİTAK-1001 program. Additionally, he serves as the institutional representative in the ERASMUS KA154-YOU project titled “The Role of Youth in Türkiye’s Marine Climate Strategy.” He is also engaged in research activities in the fields of Maritime Energy Law and Maritime Security Law. Emre Önsöz served as an editor for the “3rd Eurasian Law Congress” proceedings published by DEHUKAM Publications and as an assistant editor for the “Impact of the Ukraine-Russia War on Marine Insurances Conference” proceedings.

HALİL İBRAHİM AKCAN

Halil İbrahim AKCAN graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Law in 2020. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Maritime Law at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University. In 2021, he started working as a research assistant at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Law, Department of Maritime Law, and continues in that position. In 2023, he began working as a part-time researcher at DEHUKAM. He is proficient in English.

Özge durukan

Özge Durukan, Bilkent Üniversitesi Amerikan kültürü ve edebiyatı bölümünden 2010 yılında mezun olmuştur. Mezuniyetinin ardından Avrupa komisyonu bursu ile Belçika-Brüksel’de yaşayan göçmenlere İngilizce eğitim hizmeti vermiştir. Ankara Üniversitesi SBF Küresel ve bölgesel çalışmalar ve Başkent Üniversitesi Amerikan kültürü ve edebiyatı dalında 2 tez yazmıştır. Aynı zamanda uluslararası IDEA konferansları kapsamında eko feminizm alanında sunumlar yapmıştır.

Ankara Üniversitesi bünyesinde okutmanlık yaptıktan sonra 2017 yılından itibaren ulusal ve uluslararası kapasite geliştirme, Ar-GE hizmeti, bakanlık ve ilgili kamu kurumlarına teknik destek, proje danışmanlığı alanlarında çeşitli STK, A.Ü. TTO ve son olarak ülkemizde ve yabancı ülkelerdeki danışmanlık kurumlarında çalışmıştır. DEHUKAM bünyesinde Proje Koordinatörü olarak görevine devam etmektedir.

zeynep mirvan korunç

Zeynep Mirvan Korunç successfully graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Language and History-Geography, Department of American Culture and Literature in 2020. Following her undergraduate studies, she pursued further academic advancement and was admitted to the English-taught, thesis-based Master’s program in International Relations at Hacettepe University, Institute of Social Sciences, where she continues her education.  

Since 2021, Zeynep Mirvan Korunç has been working at Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM). Combining her expertise in international relations with maritime law, she actively contributes to the institution’s efforts in fostering international collaborations, managing academic and institutional activities, and closely following global developments in the field of maritime law.

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