The “Sustainable Development Talks” podcast series, prepared by METU CLIMATE, has reached its eighth episode. The series aims to introduce research areas, academic perspectives, and initiatives carried out within METU in alignment with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It features contributions from academics from a wide range of disciplines.
New episodes of the podcast are released on Thursdays, with each episode focusing on a specific SDG. Topics range from renewable energy to water management, from poverty reduction to the conservation of marine biodiversity, all explored through the knowledge and experience of academics at METU.
The following episodes have been released to date:
Episode 1 – SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Prof. Dr. İpek Gürsel Dino from the Faculty of Architecture and Associate Director of METU CLIMATE discusses the impacts of climate change on cities, relevant projects at the university, the future of sustainable cities, and possible opportunities and actions.
Episode 2 – SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Oğuz, Deputy Director of the Center for Wind Energy Research (RÜZGEM) and faculty member at the Department of Civil Engineering, talks about renewable energy sources, the role of wind turbines in energy systems, and technological innovations in onshore and offshore wind energy.
Episode 3 – SDG 13: Climate Action
Prof. Dr. Barış Salihoğlu, Director of METU CLIMATE and the Institute of Marine Sciences, shares the objectives of METU CLIMATE, efforts in sustainability, climate impacts on oceans, the blue economy, the carbon cycle, and environmental challenges such as marine mucilage.
Episode 4 – SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Prof. Dr. Mecit H. Öztop, Research Coordinator at METU and faculty member at the Department of Food Engineering, addresses the effects of climate change on food production and security, sustainable nutrition strategies, functional foods, innovative food processing technologies, and alternative protein sources.
Episode 5 – SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Alp from the Department of Environmental Engineering focuses on sustainable water management strategies, pressures on water resources, water quality protection, the circular economy, and good agricultural practices.
Episode 6 – SDG 1: No Poverty
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar Derin Güre, Senior Researcher at the Center for Solar Energy Research (METU-GÜNAM) and faculty member at the Department of Economics, evaluates the effects of climate change on economic systems, its relation to inequality, the socio-economic contributions of renewable energy, and sustainable economic models.
Episode 7 – SDG 14: Life Below Water
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yücel, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences, discusses the sustainable management of marine ecosystems, deep-sea research, the role of ocean observation systems, and the connection between marine protected areas and the SDGs.
Episode 8 – SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meltem Şenol Balaban, Director of the Center for Disaster Management and faculty member at the Department of City and Regional Planning, explores the relationship between climate change and infrastructure systems, nature-based solutions, sponge cities, and climate-resilient urban planning approaches.
Produced in collaboration with the Center for Audiovisual Research and Production (METU-GISAM), the Sustainable Development Talks podcast series continues to share academic perspectives on climate change and sustainability with the public.
The series is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
