Dr. Baki Ozturk (PhD '03) has been serving as the founding head of the Department of Civil Engineering at Hacettepe University (Ankara, Turkey) since 2013. The Engineering School of Hacettepe University is ranked among the top five engineering schools in Turkey, and Hacettepe University is one of the leading universities in both Turkey and the world.

"I am honored and it has always been a privilege for me to be a graduate of Purdue University," stated Dr. Ozturk. During his time here, he served as the founding president of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) student chapter.