Radio-tracking birds in Costa Rican rainforest
  • Professor, School Of Biological Sciences
  • Visiting Professor, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University
  • Founder and Director, Turkish environmental non-profit organization, KuzeyDoğa Society
801-585-1052

Professional Service

  • Ecography. Role: Handling editor. Editorial Board. 01/01/2014 - present
  • Conservation Biology. Role: Handling editor. Editorial Board. 01/08/2012 - present
  • Environmental Evidence. Role: Editor. Editorial Board. 01/2011 - present
  • Biological Conservation - Journal. Role: Editor. Editorial board. 01/01/2010 - 01/31/2019
  • Tropical Conservation Science. Role: Editor. Editorial board. 01/01/2009 - present
  • Biotropica - Journal. Role: Editor. Editorial board. 01/01/2009 - 01/01/2013
  • Endangered Species Research. Role: Editor. Editorial board. 01/01/2008 - present
  • Avian Conservation and Ecology - Journal. Role: Editor. Editorial board. 01/01/2008 - present
  • Hacettepe Journal of Biology and Chemistry. Role: Editor. Editorial board. 01/01/2007 - present
  • Open Journal of Ornithology. Role: Editor. Editorial board. 01/01/2007 - 12/31/2010
  • Alliance of Leading Environmental Researchers and Thinkers ALERT. Role: Member. Member. 01/2013 - present
  • Society for Conservation Biology . Role: Membership chair. European Section, Board of Directors. 10/2004 - 10/2007
  • Harvard Journal of Undergraduate Sciences. Role: Anthropology and Biology editor. Editorial board. 01/01/1995 - 06/15/1997
  • Wildlife Biology. Subject editor. 05/15/2023 - present
  • Frontiers in Conservation and Restoration Ecology. Role: Handling editor. Editorial board member. 03/01/2021 - present
  • Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. Role: Handling editor. Editorial board member. 08/01/2019 - present
  • Turkish Journal of Zoology. Role: Handling editor. Editorial board member. 01/01/2016 - present
  • Zoology in the Middle East. Role: Handling editor. Editorial board member. 01/01/2013 - present

Internal Service

  • Graduate Admissions, School of Biological Sciences. Committee member, 01/01/2024 - present. Department service.
  • Executive Committee, School of Biological Sciences . Section Representative, Ecology and Physiology, 08/15/2022 - present. Department service.
  • SBS Seminar Committee . Member, 01/01/2021 - 06/01/2023. Department service.
  • Alumni Relations and Development Committee. Member, 01/01/2020 - present. Department service.
  • Undergraduate Scholarship, Engagement and Research Committee. Member, 08/15/2019 - 05/15/2021. College service.
  • Honors Committee. 09/2017 - 06/2018. University service.
  • Red Butte Canyon. 09/2016 - 06/2019. University service.

Community Partnership

  • Environmental education of local youth and students on birds and bird conservation. 09/2006 - present
  • Community-based conservation in eastern Turkey. 09/2004 - present
  • Environmental education of local youth and students on biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration and community-based ecotourism. 09/2004 - present
  • Environmental education of local youth and students on birds and bird conservation. 06/1999 - present

Honors & Awards

  • Invited to the St. James Palace dinner with Princess Anne of the United Kingdom as one of top 10 conservationists supported by the Whitley Fund in the past 30 years. The Whitley Fund, 11/09/2023
  • Most cited scientist in Turkey in biology, ecology and ornithology https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6. Scopus, 10/04/2023
  • Most cited scientist in Turkey in biology, ecology and ornithology https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/3. Scopus, 10/19/2021
  • College of Science Award for Fostering Undergraduate Research Excellence. University of Utah, 05/19/2021
  • Creative 50 Award (one of three scientists to receive it). Media magazine of Turkey , 04/01/2021
  • TFSF Award for Conservation Photography. Turkey Photography Artists Association, 03/05/2021
  • Award for Best Environmental Documentary. Turkey Ministry of Forestry, 01/15/2021
  • Most cited scientist in Turkey in biology, ecology and ornithology https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000918. Scopus Elsevier, 10/16/2020
  • Elected Fellow . American Ornithological Society, 04/30/2018
  • Career & Professional Development Center, Faculty Recognition Award. 01/2018
  • Rolex Awards for Enterprise finalist (18 out of 2322 applicants). 01/2016
  • Sabancı Foundation Turkey’s Changemaker for conservation (www.farkyaratanlar.org). 01/2015
  • Ashoka Fellow for the Environment. 01/2015
  • University of Utah Inaugural Citizen Science Award. 01/2014
  • TUBITAK Special Science Award (Turkey’s highest scientific honor, given by the president). 01/2014
  • International Conservation Leadership Award for Wetland Conservation in Turkey. 01/2013
  • National Geographic Society Risk Taker . National Geographic Society, 01/2013
  • Goldman Environmental Prize finalist . 01/2013
  • Whitley Fund 20th Anniversary Special Gold Award (first double Gold Award winner). 01/2013
  • Inaugural Wetland Science Award given by the Government of Turkey . 01/2013
  • Star Turk award, Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) . Assembly of Turkish American Association, 01/2012
  • Çevre College Yeşil Küre award (Green Globe Award for Environment), Turkey . 01/2012
  • Turkey Wetland Council Wetland Conservationist Award – Individual . 01/2011
  • Turkey Wetland Council Wetland Conservationist Award – Organization (KuzeyDoğa). 01/2011
  • National Geographic Society Emerging Explorer . National Geographic Society, 01/2011
  • Essential Science Indicators most-cited 1% in Ecology/Environment in the past decade - 2010-present. 01/2010
  • Elected Turkey’s “Scientist of the Year” by MSNBC NTVBLM science magazine. 01/2010
  • Elected one of the “100 Hopes for the Future of Turkey” by Newsweek Türkiye. Newsweek Türkiye, 01/2010
  • Invited to Princess Anne’s (UK) 60th birthday for achievements in conservation biology. 01/2010
  • Elected Fellow International of the Explorers Club . 01/2009
  • Whitley Gold Award for wetland conservation and ecological research in Kars, Turkey. 01/2008
  • Official commendation for nature conservation by Abdullah Gül, the President of Turkey. 01/2008
  • Selected for inclusion in Who's Who in Science and Engineering . 01/2007
  • Junior Chamber International of Turkey award for environmental and moral leadership. 01/2003
  • Elected one of the top 100 academics of Turkey by Aktüel news magazine . Aktüel, 01/2001
  • Summa cum laude for Harvard University honors thesis . 01/1997
  • Silver medal in the fourth International Biology Olympics, Utrecht . 01/1993
  • Turkish government scientific achievement award . 01/1993

In the Media