The “100th Year Engineering Congress” has begun at BEUN.

The Opening Ceremony of the 100th Year Engineering Congress was held with the participation of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer.

In 2024, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, which registered its establishment in 1924, is celebrating its 100th anniversary as the first university of the Republic. The “100th Year Engineering Congress” Opening Ceremony was organized with the participation of BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer.

After a moment of silence in memory of the martyrs and the reading of the National Anthem at the Sezai Karakoç Cultural Center, the ceremony was attended by BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, BEUN Deputy Rectors Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan Kutoğlu, Prof. Dr. Bekir Hakan Bakkal, and Prof. Dr. Servet Karasu, BEUN Secretary General Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz, Zonguldak Municipality Deputy Mayor Ferhat Günaydın, General Manager of the Turkish Hard Coal Institution Muharrem Kiraz, Zonguldak Forest Regional Director Faruk Bayraktaroğlu, Zonguldak Youth and Sports Provincial Director Hakan Yüksel, Chairman of the Union of Tradesmen and Craftsmen Muharrem Coşkun, senate members, academic and administrative staff, students, and citizens.

After the reading of the National Anthem, a video prepared in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University was shown. Following the video presentation, a violin and flute concert was performed by lecturers from the BEUN State Conservatory Music Department, Assist. Prof. Emel Doğan Uğurlu and Assist. Prof. Gonca Yerlikaya. After the concert, the congress continued with opening speeches.

In the opening speech of the 100th Year Engineering Congress, BEUN Faculty of Engineering Dean Prof. Dr. Hamit Aydın emphasized the importance of the participation of researchers from many universities in this congress organized in the university’s centennial year, discussing innovative activities in the field of engineering in the modern world and creating new horizons. At the end of his speech, he thanked everyone who contributed to the organization of the congress, especially BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer.

After the speech of Faculty of Engineering Dean Prof. Dr. Hamit Aydın, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer took the stage and expressed his pride and happiness in organizing such a meaningful event on the university’s 100th anniversary, which has an engineering foundation. Rector Özölçer further emphasized that Zonguldak, the capital of labor and energy, and the pioneering institution of academia, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, is a center of industry with its qualified capacity in the field of engineering. He referenced Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s quote: “The light that illuminates the future of the Republic shines on the foreheads of Turkish engineers,” indicating the importance of national development and engineering. He went on to express that technology and engineering are undergoing a rapid transformation in today’s world, stating that many innovative fields such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, nanotechnology, smart cities, and sustainable construction techniques are opening a new chapter in engineering sciences, and he believes that the studies to be discussed at the congress will create a significant foundation for Turkey’s future. BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer concluded his speech by hoping that the congress would guide the academic world and industry representatives.

Following the speeches of BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, the first session of the congress began, where retired Mining Engineer Ekrem Murat Zaman from the Turkish Hard Coal Institution stated that the development of the engineering field, which began with the discovery of coal deposits in Zonguldak, has gained academic discipline with the establishment of the university. He also talked about the historical, cultural, and social development of BEUN, which was founded in 1924 under the name of the Higher Mining Engineering School and is known worldwide today as a prestigious engineering academic institution. At the end of his speech, he thanked everyone who contributed to the organization of such a meaningful event, especially the honorary president of the congress, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer.

After Ekrem Murat Zaman’s speech, Hakan Demiray, the Manager of Eren Energy Power Plant, took the stage and expressed his happiness to participate as a BEUN graduate in the engineering congress organized for the university’s centenary. He then presented on Zonguldak’s role in energy production, emphasizing the significant importance of Zonguldak in meeting the electricity needs of industrialized Istanbul and Sakarya, discussing the historical development of electricity in Zonguldak and its role in Turkey’s energy production from the past to the present. At the end of his speech, he highlighted the importance of industry-university collaboration, stating that the qualified collaborations made between BEUN and Eren Energy have significantly contributed to the economic development of the city and region.

Following Demiray’s presentation, Prof. Dr. Uğur Çevik, a faculty member from Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Science, gave a presentation titled “Digitalization and the Future of Energy.” Çevik pointed out that energy management has become more prominent than energy production globally. He then emphasized the significance of digitalization in energy management, stating that data and data analysis in the energy sector are crucial in the digitalization process. Prof. Dr. Çevik concluded his speech by mentioning that especially in the digital age, it is essential to benefit from digital transformation to build smart grids, manage all processes of renewable energy sources, provide end-to-end management, and manage all this integration flawlessly.

The opening ceremony concluded after the session speeches with BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer presenting certificates of appreciation to the participants and a group photo session.