Ipek Erzi holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and a M.S. in Environmental Science and Management from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. She received a M.S. and a PhD from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. Her research focused in financing brownfield redevelopment. Her post-graduate work with the Brownfields Center at Carnegie Mellon included both local and European cases.
She joined the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), both a Research Funding Organization and a Research Performing Organization, in 2005. As the head of the Engineering Research Grant Groups she was responsible for evaluating academic research proposals through the peer review system and monitoring funded projects. Since 2008 she has been working as a researcher in TUBITAK MRC Environment Institute. She is Turkish delegate and Vice-Chair of COST Earth System Science and Environmental Management Domain Committee. She is also a National Expert on the FP7 Environment Programme Committee. Currently, she is detailed in the Secretariat of the 5th World Water Forum (held in Istanbul, 16-22 March 2009) which has come to be recognized as the largest water event ever.
Inevitably, environmental sicence policy forms the center of her work.
Interview
- In your field, what are the most urgent issues at stake for our unstable Earth?
I work in the field of Environmental Management which, I am afraid to say, is a widely misunderstood discipline. Environmental Management is not the management of the environment but the management of the interaction between humans and the environment. Environmental Management helps develop decision support tools which are the main drivers in science policy making. Researchers make advances in various fields of science that could enable us to cope with global environmental change more efficiently and effectively; however, research results are rarely transposed into policy, curbing implementation. We should be very much aware of the fact that science policy interface is as important as scientific research.
- What are your ambitions for how RESCUE could help address these challenges – how could it help in the short and long term?
Five Working Groups of RESCUE include “Collaboration between natural, social and human sciences in global change studies” and “Interface between science and policy, communication and outreach”. These provide an excellent opportunity for much needed interdisciplinary collaboration and, more importantly, better interaction between scientists and policy makers.
- How do you expect the RESCUE initiative to contribute to COST and especially the DC ESSEM activities and strategic development?
RESCUE outcomes can act as input to COST Actions and can be used for further research, as well as providing strategic feedback for joint activities between Actions, Domains and other organizations. COST Actions and the scientists involved can also provide input to the work of RESCUE. Earth System Science looks at the interaction between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. Environmental Management uses the understanding from Earth System Science to develop decision making tools. In this sense, the aims of the ESSEM (Earth System Science and Environmental Management) Domain correlate with the key objectives of RESCUE.
- How do you see your role as COST liaison person for RESCUE?
COST is an established European institution that supports global scientific cooperation. COST experience from different Domains is a valuable source of information for achieving the goals of RESCUE. Respectively, RESCUE outputs will be of great importance for supporting COST’s efforts in science cooperation. A continuous flow of information and coordination are important factors for a productive partnership.
