Prof. Barbaros GÖNENÇGİL

Prof. Dr. Barbaros Gönençgil was born in İstanbul in 1966. In 1987, he graduated from İstanbul University (İ.U.) Department of Geography. He received his master's degree and doctorate on Climatology at the University of İstanbul. In 1993, he started working as an assistant at İstanbul University Geography Department and he is currently the head of Geography Department, the head of Physical Geography Division in Geography Department and Open and Distance Education Faculty Geography Programme of İstanbul University. He is also a member of the Istanbul University Senate. Prof. Gönençgil is also the founder and the head of the Climate Change Division in İstanbul University Social Sciences Institute.

Prof. Dr. Gönençgil’s study areas concentrate on climate and environment. The courses he teaches are also on the same subjects. He has approximately published 90 articles, papers and books and has more than 100 conference, symposium and panel presentations. In addition, he has taken part in about 20 projects as an executive and has published many articles in popular science magazines. He was a visiting professor in Socrates/Erasmus Teaching Staff Mobility Programme in University of Leipzig, Germany in Faculty of Physics and Geosciences, Institute of Geography in 2007. He was also visiting professor at Sorbonne and Paris 8 Universities in 2018 and 2022. He was one of the authors of Discovery Geographical Atlas published in Turkey.

Prof. Dr. Gönençgil is the President of Turkish Geographical Society. At the same time, he is the editor of the Journal of Turkish Geography and Journal of Geography. He has taken part in several trainings for Geography teachers, organized by Turkish Geographical Society. He was head of the Local Organizing Committee of the IGU/IGC 2021 İstanbul. He is also the LOC Chair of the 2026 IGU Istanbul Regional Conference and he also been serving as the National Coordinator of the Geography Olympiad since 2024.

Prof. Dr. Gönençgil has volunteered for many years in non-governmental organizations related with the environment. He is one of the founders of the Turkish Foundation for Environmental Education, which is a member of the International Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). At the same time he has worked for International Eco-Schools Program in Turkey. He is a volunteer member of another environmental association in Turkey, namely the Turkish Environmental and Woodlands Protection Society, founded in 1972. He was the chair of this society between the years of 2003 – 2012.

Since 2010, Prof. Dr. Gönençgil has been attending the IGU conferences and congresses.  He is also the member of the local organizing committee in Turkey for the International Geography Olympiad (iGEO). He attended 2012 and 2014 Geography Olympiads as a team leader. Besides, he is member of Climatology and Mountain Commissions of IGU, and co-organizer of Commission of Mediterranean Basin (COMB) 2016 Annual Meeting in Turkey.

He served as IGU VP between 2016 -2021, from 2021 he is IGU Secretary General.