Mehmet Cüneyd Demirel, a researcher at Istanbul Technical University Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences, took part as a researcher in an ambitious research project to understand the sequential effects of the disaster after one of the biggest natural disasters Turkey has experienced in his scientific career. In the project titled "Simultaneous landslides and sequential hazards of the February 6, 2023 Türkiye earthquake: Preliminary database development and modeling analysis", he had the opportunity to deepen his researcher identity by taking responsibility for both data collection in difficult terrain conditions and advanced modeling processes.

Within the scope of the project, the mechanisms of landslides triggered by the February 6 earthquakes and the successive flood disasters caused by these slides were examined. Demirel collected critical data from the field with field trips and on-site inspections in the earthquake zone. Using LiDAR imaging technology with the drone, it created high-resolution models of riverbeds blocked by landslides and integrated this data into hydrological and Landlab models to analyze how the disaster led to a chain reaction.

"Seeing this destructive interaction of nature within itself in a geography devastated by the earthquake took my scientific curiosity and problem-solving skills to the next level. Experiencing how a trace in the field, a drone image, and a hydrological model can come together to unlock the mystery of a major disaster solidified my identity as a researcher between the field and the laboratory. The education I received at ITU was very effective in developing a solution to such a complex and multidisciplinary problem with an analytical approach," says Demirel.

Mehmet Cüneyd Demirel, who undertook the lead of the project, not only revealed the mechanism of the disaster with the results he obtained, but also took the first steps towards developing preventive measures and forecasting models for similar disasters in the future. With the video shot within the scope of the project and published on YouTube, the findings of the study were shared with large audiences and contributed to social awareness.

While ITU transforms the complex data behind one of Turkey's biggest natural disasters into a tool to understand the big picture, it also gives our researchers like Mehmet Cüneyd Demirel the opportunity to take firm steps forward in the scientific world and contribute directly to social security. This experience of Demirel is the most up-to-date proof that our university is an institution that offers scientific knowledge for the benefit of society.