President
Prof. Dr. Lütfi AKÇA, SUEN President
Prof. Dr. Lütfi Akca was born in Çorum in 1958. He graduated from Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Faculty of Civil Engineering in 1981 as a civil engineer. He started his academic career at ITU Environmental Engineering Department in the same year, completed his PhD in Environmental Engineering in 1988 and became an Associate Professor in 1990. In 1992, he did post-doctoral research in the field of environment at Cornell University, USA for one year. Between 2001 and 2007, he served as a Professor and Head of the Department of Environmental Engineering at ITU.
He supervised many doctorate, master's theses and scientific research projects, and took part in many research projects. At international and national level, he published articles, papers and book chapters, and worked as book and translation editor.
In addition to academic studies, he provided consultancy for public institutions and private sector such as İSKİ, municipalities, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, TÜBİTAK-MAM on environmental issues (water, wastewater, environmental impact assessment, waste management), managed or took part in many application projects.
Between 2007 and 2010, he served as the Director General of Environmental Management at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
He was appointed as the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 2010, and the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs in 2011, and continued this duty until February 2016.
He served as Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister from February 2016 until July 2018. He was assigned as a Senior Consultant at Turkish Water Institute (SUEN) in April 2016.
He was designated as a member of the Board of Local Government Policies under the Presidency as per the Presidential Decision No. 2018/196.
He served as the Director General of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) between May-November 2022.
He is Governor at the World Water Council since December 2022.
He was appointed as the President of SUEN in pursuance of the Presidential Decree dated 20th of April 2023.
Prof. Dr. Lütfi Akca is married with three children and speaks English at advanced level.