Mustafa Kerem Kockar | Statistical Applications in Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Statistics

Assoc Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kerem Kockar | Statistical Applications in Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Hacettepe University | Turkey

Assoc Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kerem Kockar is a Turkish engineering geologist and geotechnical expert currently serving in the Department of Civil Engineering at Hacettepe University, Ankara. He holds a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Geological Engineering from Middle East Technical University (METU), where his research focused on engineering geological and geotechnical site characterization of Upper Pliocene and Quaternary deposits west of Ankara. He has also conducted research at The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. His key research interests include engineering geology, rock and soil mechanics-particularly tunnelling, dam sites, slopes, and landslides-in-situ geotechnical and seismic site characterization, dynamic and static numerical modelling of geotechnical problems, environmental geotechnology, and engineering seismology with an emphasis on ground-motion amplification, attenuation modelling, earthquake hazard assessment, and enhanced geothermal systems involving hydraulic fracturing and micro-seismic monitoring. He has authored or co-authored 47 documents and has received 650 citations with an h-index of 17, reflecting his strong contribution to the field. He has supervised several postgraduate theses on landslide monitoring, slope stability, fibre-optic methods for early warning, and solar farm foundation design. His professional experience includes academic and research roles at METU, UT Austin, Texas A&M, Gazi University’s Earthquake Engineering Research Center, and Hacettepe University. He also contributes to Turkey’s national seismology and earth-interior advisory commission under the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and has provided expert consultancy on major infrastructure projects such as the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and slope-erosion surveys, showcasing his interdisciplinary expertise in geotechnical fieldwork, seismic hazard analysis, and numerical modelling.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar | Orcid

Featured Publications

Oner, G., Akgun, H., Koçkar, M. K., & Arslan Kelam, A. (2025). Municipal landfill site selection using TOPSIS methodology: A case study for Polatlı, Ankara, Türkiye. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 84(3), 126.

Arslan Kelam, A., Akgun, H., Bobet, A., & Kockar, M. K. (2025). Assessment of complex rock slope instabilities in Mudurnu, Turkey, through kinematic and dynamic analyses: A case study. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 58(2), 2223–2242.

cınar, Ö. F., Aldemir, A., Zervent, A., Yücel, O. B., Erberik, M. A., Anıl, O., & Koçkar, M. K. (2024). Fundamental period estimation of RC buildings by considering structural and non-structural damage distributions through neural network. Neural Computing and Applications, 36(3), 1329–1350.

Askan, A., Altindal, A., Aydin, M. F., Erberik, M. A., Koçkar, M. K., Tun, M., et al. (2025). Assessment of urban seismic resilience of a town in Eastern Türkiye: Turkoglu, Kahramanmaras before and after 6 February 2023 M 7.8 Kahramanmaras earthquake. Earthquake Spectra, 41(1), 146–175.

Sahin, G., Okalp, K., Koçkar, M. K., Yilmaz, M. T., Jalehforouzan, A., Temiz, F. A., et al. (2024). Development of a GIS-based predicted map of Türkiye using geological and topographical parameters: Case study for the region affected by the 6 February 2023 earthquakes. Seismological Research Letters, 95(4), 2044–2057.

Gang Yang | Statistical Genetics and Genomics | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Gang Yang | Statistical Genetics and Genomics | Best Researcher Award

The First Hospital of Lanzhou University | China

Prof. Gang Yang is a distinguished Professor based in China, currently affiliated with The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, with a major research focus on cerebrovascular disease and glioma. Over his academic career, he has made sustained contributions to understanding molecular mechanisms and clinical implications in neurovascular and neuro-oncology fields. His representative works include: “HNF1A induces glioblastoma by upregulating EPS8 and activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway” published in Biochemical Pharmacology, “EPS8 is a Potential Oncogene in Glioblastoma” in OncoTargets and Therapy, “Identifying the role of aging-related genes in intracranial aneurysms through bioinformatics analysis” in Chinese Neurosurgical Journal, “Revisiting sinking skin flap syndrome: a series of case reports and literature review on cranioplasty with PEEK implants” in Neurological Research, and “Ferroptosis in early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage: review of literature” in Chinese Neurosurgical Journal. His body of work interweaves molecular biology, signaling pathways, bioinformatics, and translational neurosurgical topics, with a particular emphasis on how genes such as EPS8 drive glioblastoma progression and how neurovascular injury processes involve oxidative stress and ferroptotic pathways. He is also active in reporting clinical neurosurgical phenomena such as sinking skin flap syndrome and exploring genetic and aging mechanisms underlying aneurysm development, reflecting his dual interest in both basic and clinical neuroscience. Professor Yang’s academic record demonstrates a profound commitment to bridging laboratory findings with clinical applications, enhancing diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies for brain tumors and cerebrovascular conditions. He has authored 8 peer-reviewed publications, which have collectively received 63 citations, resulting in an h-index of 4. His expertise in molecular oncology, vascular neurosurgery, and bioinformatics establishes him as a leading figure in cerebrovascular and glioma research both nationally and internationally.

Profiles: Scopus 

Featured Publications

Kang, J., Xu, X., Tian, S., & Yang, G. (2025). Revisiting sinking skin flap syndrome: A series of case reports and literature review on cranioplasty with PEEK implants. Neurological Research, 47(2), 1–7.