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Department of Environmental Engineering

Assist. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Özcan

  Assist. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Özcan
(Vice Chairperson)
 
Interest Areas
Watershed and Hydro-Climate Modeling
Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources 
Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus
Streamflow Forecasting
Diffuse Pollution and Nutrient Load Management
 Curriculum Vitae
E-mail: zozcan {at} metu.edu.tr
Links:  www.enve.metu.edu.tr
Phone: +90-312-210-5873  Fax: +90-312-210-2646 

 

Positions Held 

Academic Positions Held

  • 10/2025 – Present, Assistant Prof., Middle East Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department
  • 11/2023 – 09/2025, Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Davis, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
  • 11/2022 – 11/2023, Project Assistant/Postdoctoral Scholar, Middle East Technical University, Civil Engineering Department 
  • 03/2014 – 11/2022, Project/Teaching Assistant, Middle East Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department

Administrative Duties

  • 11/2025 – Present, Vice Chairperson, Middle East Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department

Education

  • 09/2016 - 06/2023, Ph.D., Middle East Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department, Turkey 
  • 08/2019 – 06/2020, FULBRIGHT Scholar, University of California Davis, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
  • 09/2014 – 06/2016, M.S., Middle East Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department, Turkey 
  • 03/2012 – 07/2012, ERASMUS Semester at University of Padova, Italy
  • 09/2008 – 06/2014, B.S., Middle East Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department Turkey 

Publications in Refereed International Journals

  • Özcan, Z., Iseri, Y., Ulloa, F. et al, 2025. Hybrid physical–statistical framework for seasonal streamflow forecasting in the Upper Feather River Basin, California. Sci Rep 15, 31968. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15932-7
  • Özcan, Z., Köksal, M.A., Alp, E., 2025. An integrated modeling approach to assess water-energy nexus in a semi-arid watershed. Environ. Model. Softw. 185, 106326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106326
  • Özcan, Z., Trinh, T., Kavvas, M.L., Alp, E., 2024. Assessment of climate change for predicting water–energy–food–ecosystem nexus vulnerability in a semi-arid basin. J. Water Clim. Chang. jwc2024703. https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2024.703
  • Özcan, Z., Willaarts, B., Klessova, S., Caucci, S., Prista, L., Adamos, G., Laspidou, C., 2024. From nexus thinking to nexus implementation in South Europe and beyond: mutual learning between practitioners and policymakers. Sustain. Nexus Forum 32, 6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00550-024-00538-w
  • Özcan, Z., Köksal, M.A., Alp, E., 2020, Evaluation of Water–Energy Nexus in Sakarya River Basin, Turkey. In: Naddeo, V., Balakrishnan, M., Choo, KH. (eds) Frontiers in Water-Energy-Nexus—Nature-Based Solutions, Advanced Technologies and Best Practices for Environmental Sustainability. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13068-8_105
  • Özcan Z., Kentel, E. and Alp, E., 2017, Evaluation of the Best Management Practices in a Semi-Arid Region with High Agricultural Activity, Agricultural Water Management, Vol. 540, 40-49. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377417303025
  • Özcan Z., Başkan O., Düzgün, H.B, Kentel, E., and Alp, E., 2017, A pollution fate and transport model application in a semi-arid region: Is some number better than no number?, Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 595, 425–440. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969717307702
  • Özcan, Z., Kentel, E., Alp, E., 2016. Determination of unit nutrient loads for different land uses in wet periods through modelling and optimization for a semi-arid region. J. Hydrol. 540, 40–49. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.05.074. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022169416303511

Publications in International Conference Proceedings 

  • Özcan, Z., Kavvas, L. M., Iseri, Y., Imbulana, N., Ulloa Henriquez, F., Snider, E., Anderson, M., Integrated Methodology for Seasonal Flow Forecasting: A Case Study of the Upper Feather River Basin, In Proceedings of the 2025 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI), Anchorage, Alaska, May 2025.
  • Kavvas, M. L., Iseri, Y., Imbulana, N., Ulloa Henriquez, F., Özcan, Z., Snider, E., Anderson, M., A Seasonal Forecasting System for the Sacramento River Basin in California, In Proceedings of the 2025 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI),  Anchorage, Alaska, May 2025.
  • Ulloa Henriquez, F., Kavvas, L. M., Iseri, Y., Imbulana, N., Özcan, Z., Snider, E., Daniels, B., Anderson, M., Evaluation of a WEHY-HCM Seasonal Forecasting system of monthly flows for the Yuba River Basin in California, In Proceedings of the 2025 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI), Anchorage, Alaska, May 2025.
  • Imbulana, N., Kavvas, L. M., Iseri, Y., Ulloa Henriquez, F., Özcan, Z., Snider, E., Anderson, M., Seasonal Inflow Forecasting Based on a Physically Based Hydro-Climatic Model for the Shasta Lake Basin, California, In Proceedings of the 2025 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI), Anchorage, Alaska, May 2025.
  • Snider, E., Kavvas, L. M., Iseri, Y., Imbulana, N., Ulloa Henriquez, F., Özcan, Z., Anderson, M., Seasonal Flow Forecasting in the Sacramento River Basin: An application in the American River Watershed, In Proceedings of the 2025 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI), Anchorage, Alaska, May 2025.
  • Özcan, Z., Alp, E., Assessment of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus under Diverse Socioeconomic and Climate Scenarios: The Upper Sakarya River Basin Case. In Proceedings of the 2025 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI), Anchorage, Alaska, May 2025.
  • Alp E., Özcan Z., Özcan C., Özel B., Başkan O., Demir Y., Kentel Erdoğan E., Aydınalp Köksal M., “Evaluation of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus with the Focus on Climate Change in a Semi-arid Watershed”, WEFTECT2020, USA, October 5, 2020. 
  • Özcan Z., Aydınalp Köksal M., Alp E., “Evaluation of Water-Energy Nexus in Sakarya River Basin”, Turkey 2nd Water Energy NEXUS Conference, Salerno, Italy, November 14 -17, 2018, ss.421-424
  • Özcan Z., Aydınalp Köksal M., Alp E., “Least Cost Optimization in Middle Sakarya River Basin with the focus on Water-Energy Nexus” AGU Fall Meeting 2019, San-Francisco, December 9 - 13, 2019
  • Özcan, Z., Alp, E., “Evaluation of Mitigation Strategies for Diffuse Phosphorus Pollution in a Shallow Lake through Integrated Modelling Approach”, IWA-PPFW2017, İzmir, March 22-24, 2017,
  • Özcan, Z., Hatipoğlu, A., Başkan, O., Düzgün, H. Ş., Kentel E., Alp, E., “Integrated Watershed Management for Lake Mogan with the focus of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution”, WEFTEC 2015, Chicago, September 26-30, 2015,
  • Özcan, Z., Kentel, E., Alp, E., “Determination of nutrient loads in Mogan watershed through modeling approach”, DIPCON 2015, Berlin, September 13-18, 2015.  
  • Yücel, Ö., Özcan, Z., Alp, E., “Prediction of Water Quality Parameters Using Statistical Methods: A Case Study in a Specially Protected Area, Ankara, Turkey”, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, December 15-19, 2014, 
  • Özcan, Z., Yücel, Ö., Alp, E., “Phosphorus Budget for Lake Mogan, Ankara, Turkey”, 8th Shallow Lakes Conference, Antalya, October 12-17, 2014.

Theses

1. Ph.D. Thesis

Title: A Holistic Framework for Evaluating the Sustainability of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus Under Multiple Socioeconomic and Climate Change Conditions

Institution: Middle East Technical University 

Year: 2023

https://open.metu.edu.tr/handle/11511/104529

2. M.Sc. Thesis

Title: Evaluation of the Best Management Practices to Control Agricultural Diffuse Pollution in Lake Mogan Watershed with SWAT Model

Institution: Middle East Technical University

Year: 2016

https://open.metu.edu.tr/handle/11511/25775

Scholarships 

  • COST Action | CA20138 | Nexusnet, 6th Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) or Virtual Mobility Activities (VMs), VM Topic 6: Develop publishable proceedings of the Regional Nexus Stakeholder Forum that took place in Split, Croatia on September 28, 2023.
  • COST Action | CA20138 | Nexusnet, 1st NexusNet Training School “Nature and People in the Nexus”, 22 – 26 May 2023, Lisboa, Portugal.
  • Fulbright Visiting Student Researcher, August 2019 – June 2020, California, USA. 
  • ERASMUS, European Commission, March 2012 – July 2012, Padova, Italy. 

Honors / Awards

  • METU Course Performance Award (June 2018)
  • METU Parlar Foundation Thesis Award (December 2016)

Membership in Professional Societies

  • The International Water Association (IWA)
  • Fulbright Alumni Association Türkiye
Last Updated:
29/12/2025 - 16:57

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