Nebiye Musaoğlu, a researcher at Istanbul Technical University's Department of Geomatics Engineering, has taken on a central role in an ambitious research project that combines technology and science, aiming to protect one of Turkey's most fragile ecosystems. In the project titled "Establishing the Infrastructure of the Pollution Monitoring System Specific to the Marmara Sea Using Information Technologies", Musaoğlu had the opportunity to develop his researcher identity in a multifaceted way by taking responsibility in a wide range of areas from the analysis of satellite data to mobile application development.
Within the scope of the project, advanced technologies were used to detect and monitor pollution elements such as mucilage that threaten the Sea of Marmara. Remote sensing (UA) data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were integrated, analyzing critical parameters such as water surface temperature, chlorophyll-a distribution, and suspended solids. With the Alemdar-II Research Vessel, an integrated monitoring system called "MARMARA-TRACKING" was developed by collecting instant data from the sea, land and air with special sensors. In this process, Musaoglu carried out the task of transforming huge data from different disciplines into a meaningful infrastructure.
"In order to understand a dynamic system like the Sea of Marmara, we had to bring together many different sources, from satellite images to sensor data, from marine measurements to meteorological analysis. This process has advanced my problem-solving skills and my ability to work with big data. Working with experts from different disciplines to see how knowledge translates into a collective force has broadened my vision as a researcher. The multidisciplinary working culture provided by ITU allowed me to approach this complex problem from a holistic perspective," says Musaoglu.
The project did not only create an academic model; it has also developed practical tools that decision-makers and the public can use. The developed web-based software and mobile application have the potential to increase the speed of response to the problem by allowing instant monitoring of pollution in the Sea of Marmara. The system is also designed to allow monitoring of different problems such as ship detection and illegal fishing.
While ITU produces concrete solutions by combining satellite data and sensor technologies for the ecological future of the Sea of Marmara, it also offers researchers like Nebiye Musaoğlu the opportunity to make an impact in the scientific world and provide social benefits. Musaoğlu's role in this project is one of the most recent examples of our university's mission to transform scientific knowledge into a social tool.