On Thursday, April 10, Bedirhan Işık, one of the research assistants from our department, delivered a presentation titled “Environmental Solutions with Microalgae” at İzmir Çiğli Science High School. Within the scope of the presentation, the field of environmental engineering was introduced, the impacts of climate change were discussed, and the role of microalgae in addressing environmental problems was explored. Furthermore, he shared examples from his ongoing academic projects with the students.

This type of activity is particularly closely aligned with the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs):

Goal 4 – Quality Education:
Scientific awareness is increased, and environmental consciousness is instilled in young individuals at an early age.

Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation:
The potential use of microalgae in wastewater treatment directly contributes to this goal.

Goal 13 – Climate Action:
Topics such as CO₂ capture by microalgae and the reduction of carbon footprints contribute significantly to climate action efforts.

Goal 14 – Life Below Water:
The role of microalgae in preventing eutrophication supports the protection of aquatic ecosystems.

Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals:
Collaboration between academia and high schools highlights the importance of knowledge sharing and collective efforts toward sustainable solutions.