• Ph.D., Villanova University, Villanova, PA USA (2014); Civil and Environmental Engineering
• M.S., Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (2009); Environmental Engineering
• B.S., Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (2008); Chemical Engineering
• B.S., Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (2007); Environmental Engineering

• 01/2017-08/2018, Thermophilic Bio-electrochemical Systems for Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Valuable Organic Compounds (Funding: RIT Grant Writer’s Bootcamp, PI: Dr. Yilmazel)
• 06/2014-07/2016, Capturing Electrical Current via Microbes to Produce Methane (Funding: Global Climate and Energy Project, GCEP, Stanford University, Position: postdoc)

• Yilmazel Y.D., Holmes D., Zhu X., Kim K. and Logan B.E. “Electrical current generation in microbial electrolysis cells by hyperthermophilic Archaea Ferroglobus placidus and Geoglobus ahangari”, 2018, Bioelectrochemistry, 119, 142-149
• LaBarge N., Ye Y., Kim K., Yilmazel Y.D., Hong P., Saikaly P.E., and Logan B.E., “Impact of Acclimation Methods on Microbial Communities and Performance of Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Membrane Bioreactors” Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology [in review].
• LaBarge N., Yilmazel Y.D., Hong P. and Logan B.E., (2017) “Effect of pre-acclimation of granular activated carbon on microbial electrolysis cell startup and performance” Bioelectrochemistry, 113, 20-25.
• Yilmazel Y.D., Johnston D., and Duran M., (2015) “Hyperthermophilic hydrogen production from wastewater biosolids by Caldicellulosiruptor bescii” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40, 12177–12186.
• Yilmaz V., Yilmaz-Ince E., Yilmazel Y.D. and Duran M., (2014). “Is aceticlastic methanogen composition in full-scale anaerobic processes related to acetate utilization capacity?” Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 98 (11), 5217- 5226.
• Yilmazel Y.D. and Demirer G.N., (2013). “Nitrogen and phosphorus recovery from anaerobic co-digestion residues of poultry manure and maize silage via struvite precipitation”. Waste Management & Research, 31 (8), 792–804.
• Alanya S., Yilmazel Y.D., Park C., Willis J.L., Keaney J., Kohl P.M., Hunt J.A., and Duran M., (2013). “Anaerobic Co-digestion of Sewage Sludge and Primary Clarifier Skimmings for Increased Biogas Production”. Water Science and Technology, 67(1), 174-179.
• Uysal A., Yilmazel Y.D., and Demirer G.N., (2011). “Anaerobik olarak curutulmus aritma camurlarindan struvit cokturmesiyle nutrient geri kazanimi” (Nutrient recovery from anaerobically digested sewage sludge by struvite precipitation). ITU dergisi/E Su Kirlenmesi Kontrolu, 21:1 25-32. (In Turkish).
• Yilmazel Y.D. and Demirer G.N., (2011). “Removal and recovery of nutrients from anaerobic digestion residues of poultry manure as struvite”. Environmental Technology, 32, 783-792.
• Uysal A., Yilmazel Y.D., and Demirer G.N., (2010). “The determination of fertilizer quality of the formed struvite from effluent of a sewage sludge anaerobic digester”. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 181, 248-254.

• Yilmazel Y.D. and Logan B.E., (2015). “Enhanced “Electromethanogenesis” by enrichment and isolation of hydrogenotrophic methanogens”. The 5th International Meeting on Microbial Electrochemistry and Technologies. International Society for Microbial Electrochemisty and Technologies (ISMET), Tempe, AZ, USA (poster presentation).
• Yilmazel Y.D. and Logan B.E., (2015). “Enrichment of electrothrophic microorganisms for enhanced electrosynthesis of acetate and methane in microbial electrolysis cells”. Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors (AEESP) Research and Education Conference, New Haven, CT, USA (poster presentation).
• Yilmazel Y.D. and Duran M., (2014). “A Caldicellulosiruptor bescii based hyperthermophilic bioprocess for hydrogen production from manure”, 4th European Conference on Sludge Management, IWA, Izmir, Turkey (oral presentation).
• Yilmazel Y.D. and Duran M., (2014). “Utilization of Untreated Switchgrass by the Extreme Thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor bescii DSM 6725”. American Society for Microbiology 115th General Meeting, Boston, MA USA (poster presentation).
• Yilmaz V, Ince E., Yilmazel Y.D. and Duran M., (2014). “Methanogenic Archaea community structure in full-scale anaerobic processes” Biogas Science, Vienna, Austria (poster presentation).
• Figdore B., Yilmaz V., Yilmazel Y.D., and Duran M., (2013). “Modeling competition among aceticlastic methanogenic species during anaerobic digestion of municipal biosolids”. 3rd International Conference „Ecology of Urban Areas 2013”, Republic of Serbia (oral presentation).
• Alanya S., Yilmazel Y.D., Park C., Willis J.L., Keaney J., Kohl P.M., Hunt J.A., and Duran M., (2011). “Anaerobic Co-digestion of Sewage Sludge and Primary Clarifier Skimmings for Increased Biogas Production”. International IWA-Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste and Energy Crops, Vienna, Austria (oral presentation).
• Yilmazel Y.D., Alanya S., Park C., Eschborn R., Williams M., and Duran M., (2011). “Potential for Methane Production from Anaerobic Co-digestion of Cheese Whey Samples with Sewage Sludge”. International IWA-Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste and Energy Crops, Vienna, Austria (oral presentation).
• Yilmazel Y.D., and Demirer G.N., (2011). “Struvite precipitation from anaerobic co-digestion residues of poultry manure and maize silage”. Efficient and safe production processes in sustainable agriculture and forestry XXXIV CIOSTA CIGR V Conference, Vienna, Austria (oral presentation).
• Yilmazel Y.D., Uysal A., and Demirer G.N., (2011). “Recovery of nutrients from anaerobic co-digestion effluents of poultry manure and sewage sludge as struvite”. Nutrient Recovery and Management Conference, IWA, WEF, Miami, USA [poster presentation].
• Yilmazel Y.D., Morgenschweis, C., Mutlu, G., Antakyali, D., Steinmetz, H., and G.N. Demirer, G.N., (2011). “Phosphorus Recovery Potential in Anaerobic Digestion Residues”. Nutrient Recovery and Management Conference, IWA, WEF, Miami, USA (oral presentation).
• Morgenschweis C., Yilmazel Y.D., Mutlu G., Antakyalı D., Steinmetz H., and Demirer G.N., (2010).  “Modelling of Struvite Precipitation Experiments Conducted in Synthetic Solutions and Different Anaerobic Digester Effluents by Using the Geochemical Model PhreeqC”. Sustainable Solutions for Small Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems, IWA, Girona, Spain (oral presentation).
• Uysal A., Yilmazel Y.D., and Demirer G.N., (2009). “Nutrient Removal and Recovery from Anaerobic Digester Effluent by Struvite Precipitation”, VIII. National Congress of Environmental Engineering, Antalya, Turkey (in Turkish, oral presentation).
• Dogan E., Gedik K., Kaya D., Kocabas A.M., Ozkan-Yucel U.G., Yilmaz O., Yilmazel Y.D. and Demirer G.N., (2008). “The Laboratory Waste Management Implementation in the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Middle East Technical University”, Environmental Problems Symposium: Kocaeli 2008, 14-17 May 2008, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey (in Turkish, oral presentation).

• Yilmazel Y.D., Electrical Current Generation in Microbial Electrolysis Cells at Hyperthermophilic Temperatures, 3^rd Meeting of the North American branch of the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology, October 2016, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
• Yilmazel Y.D., Biohydrogen Production by Hyperthermophilic Microorganisms, College of Engineering, Saint Francis University, March 2016, Loretto, PA.
• Yilmazel Y.D., Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Electricity and Fuel Generation, Department of Environmental Engineering, Middle East Technical University, January 2016, Ankara, Turkey.
• Yilmazel Y.D., “Waste” to Energy: Microbial Electrochemical Technologies for Electricity and Fuel Generation, Millenium Café, Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, November 2015, University Park, PA.
• Yilmazel Y.D., Bioelectrochemical systems for conversion of carbon dioxide to methane and acetate, Department of Chemistry, Juniata College, October 2015, Huntingdon, PA.
• Yilmazel Y.D., A Caldicellulosiruptor bescii based Hyperthermophilic Bioprocess for Hydrogen Production from Renewable Feedstock, KAPPE Environmental Engineering Seminar Series, Pennsylvania State University, February 2015, University Park, PA.

• Judge, Pennsylvania State University – 19^th Annual Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology Student Symposium Poster and Oral Presentations (2016)
• Poster presenter, Pennsylvania State University, 8th Annual Postdoc Research Exhibition (2015)
• Judge, Villanova University – College of Engineering Freshman Engineering (2014 Poster Session)
• Graduate Student Representative, Villanova University – President’s Environmental Sustainability Committee (2012 – 2014)

• Board Member, Villanova University – Engineering Graduate Student Council (2012 – 2014)

Professional Service

• National Science Foundation Proposal Reviewer of (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Proposal Reviewer of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, Transport Systems (CBET) Division
• Session Moderator of Association of Environmental Engineering Scientists and Professors (AEESP) Conference, University of Michigan, June 2016, Ann Arbor MI
• Session Chair of the International Conference on Technology, Engineering and Science (IConTES) November 2017, Antalya, Turkey