Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün (born 1973, Istanbul) is a Turkish academic, engineer, and public administrator. He has held various academic and administrative positions in higher education and research institutions, and has undertaken senior managerial and strategic roles in the defense industry. As of June 2023, he serves as the President of the Presidency of Defense Industries of the Republic of Türkiye.

Education and Academic Qualifications

Haluk Görgün, born in Istanbul in 1973, completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Yıldız Technical University. He pursued his doctoral studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York State, United States of America, and graduated from this program in 2003.

After completing his doctorate, he continued his academic activities between 2004 and 2005 at the University of Connecticut, where he participated in advanced research projects.

Upon returning to Türkiye, Görgün began his academic career in 2005 as a faculty member at Yıldız Technical University. He was promoted to associate professor in 2008 and became a full professor in 2013. Throughout his academic career, he has produced scientific publications and projects in various engineering disciplines, with a primary focus on electrical engineering, control systems, and automation technologies.

Academic Positions and Scientific Contributions

Prof. Dr. Görgün’s academic career has been shaped not only by teaching and educational activities but also by administrative responsibilities. He founded the Department of Control and Automation Engineering at Yıldız Technical University and served as its founding head. From 2009 to 2013, he held the position of department head, during which he led the development of numerous graduate programs. His contributions to academic infrastructure helped lay the foundation for the creation of innovative programs within Türkiye’s higher education system.

Between 2007 and 2010, Görgün served as Türkiye’s delegate to the Energy Sector under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme. In this capacity, he provided technical advisory and representation services for the integration of EU research funding into Türkiye. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors of Yıldız Technical University Technopark, acted as Coordinator of Scientific Research Projects (BAP), and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Science Application and Research Center. From 2010 to 2013, he served as editor-in-chief of the YTÜ Sigma Journal of Engineering and Natural Sciences.

Administrative Activities and Rectorship

Parallel to his academic career, Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün has held various administrative positions in higher education institutions. He served as Deputy Director and later Director of the Institute of Natural Sciences at Yıldız Technical University, and as Vice Rector. In 2013, he was elected as an associate member of the Türkiye Academy of Sciences (TÜBA).

In November 2014, he was appointed Rector of Gebze Technical University, a position he held until April 2018. His tenure as rector was particularly marked by policies that promoted institutional collaboration between the university and industry. During this period, strategic decisions were made to enhance the university’s research and development capacity, and project-based structures integrated with industry were established. Throughout his term, he was repeatedly honored with the title “Rector of the Year” by various organizations for four consecutive years.

Institutional Representation and Foundation Activities

In addition to his academic and administrative roles, Prof. Dr. Görgün has served on the boards of various foundations and committees. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Bilişim Vadisi and has held responsibilities in numerous commissions and scientific councils within TÜBİTAK and the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). He also serves as Chairman of the Türkiye Defense Industry Council within the Türkiye Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Union (TOBB). Furthermore, he has held the positions of member and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gebze Technical Education and Research Foundation, and has been a member of the Boards of Trustees of the Türkiye Foundation for Basic Sciences Research, Yıldız Technical University Foundation, and OSTİM Technical University.

Administrative Roles at ASELSAN

Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün was elected to the Board of Directors of ASELSAN on 15 March 2017. He was re-elected as a board member at the ASELSAN Ordinary General Assembly Meeting on 2 April 2018, and on the same day was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. In accordance with a decision taken on 17 April 2018, he assumed the position of General Manager of ASELSAN on 27 April 2018. During these roles, he directly oversaw projects aimed at enhancing the institution’s managerial, technological, and strategic capacities.

Presidency of Defense Industries

On 5 June 2023, he was appointed to the position of President of the Presidency of Defense Industries by decision of the President of the Republic of Türkiye. This position is a senior public administration role responsible for formulating and implementing strategic decisions in line with Türkiye’s defense policies and technological development vision. In this capacity, Haluk Görgün leads the coordination of policies aimed at expanding Türkiye’s domestic and national production capacity in defense technologies.

Personal Information

Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün is married and the father of two children. He continues to produce scientific publications, research projects, editorial work, and applied research initiatives based on industry collaboration alongside his academic and professional career.