Semih Kırca

Organisation: DSİ 13th Regional Directorate — Head of the Groundwater Division

Education: University of Southampton — Water Resources Management (MSc)

Semih Kırca graduated in Hydrogeological Engineering from Hacettepe University in 2013 and completed an MSc in Water Resources Management at the University of Southampton. He is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Engineering at Akdeniz University, focusing particularly on the reuse of treated water in groundwater. He aims to develop his expertise through multidisciplinary education.

He began his professional career as a hydrogeological engineer with a master’s degree at the General Directorate of Water Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. After a short period at the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, he became Head of the Groundwater Division at the DSİ 13th Regional Directorate. He has taken part in hydrogeological surveys of river basins across Türkiye, carried out dye-tracer tests for source protection and hydrogeological studies, and contributed to an international study identifying the freshwater–saltwater boundary in the Gulf of Antalya. Since 2024, he has represented DSİ and Türkiye internationally as a member of the Executive Committee of the UNESCO Groundwater Youth Network (GWYN).

His expertise includes groundwater legislation, hydrogeological modelling, climate–water relationships, GIS-based analysis and geostatistical assessment. He speaks advanced English and combines scientific research with practical application in individual and team projects. He is married and has two children.