Elected member, GFZ Internal Scientific Council · 2026–2029
I study how tectonic structures, crustal fluids and magmatic processes interact to generate earthquakes, swarms and transient deformation.
Mount Etna · Sicily, Italy
Mont Blanc · FrancePınar Büyükakpınar, Torsten Dahm, Sebastian Hainzl & Sofiane Taki-Eddine Rahmani
Accepted for publication · 2026
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View photoAt the 40th General Assembly of the European Seismological Commission in Istanbul, I convened and chaired Session 23, “Earthquake Swarms: Processes, Physics, and Implications”.
The session brought together around 20 studies on earthquake swarm processes. I also presented two contributions and exchanged ideas with colleagues from across the international seismological community.
The conference took place in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 6 to 11 September 2026.
View photoLater in September, I joined the AG Seismologie 2026 meeting at the Kardinal Schulte Haus in Bensberg. Held from 21 to 24 September 2026, the meeting brought together the German seismology community for scientific exchange.
In a new interview, I reflect on how the 1999 İzmit earthquake shaped my path into seismology, my research career between Türkiye and Germany, and my current work on earthquake swarms, crustal fluids and international collaboration.
Published in Turkish and German by deutschland.de.
My work combines earthquake source physics, observational seismology, dense seismic networks and data-driven analysis. Starting with small earthquakes and high-resolution observations, I investigate fault-zone behaviour, crustal structure and geohazards at larger scales.
My research spans Türkiye, Central Europe, Iceland, Italy, Ethiopia, Iran and India. At the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, I lead independently funded research and coordinate international, cross-border seismic experiments.
Resolving how fluids, magma and inherited structures control earthquake-swarm initiation, migration and rupture.
Designing Large-N experiments and turning continuous waveforms into quality-controlled, high-resolution catalogs.
Combining machine learning, waveform similarity and source inversion to reveal activity missed by conventional catalogs.
I organize and chair scientific sessions, contribute invited talks, join international workshops and participate in field campaigns across active tectonic and volcanic regions. I was elected to the GFZ Internal Scientific Council for the 2026–2029 term.
My research has reached wider audiences through international news, public-facing science communication, public seminars and expert commentary.
Explore engagement & outreach →Principal Investigator based in Potsdam, Germany, with sustained collaborations across European and international research networks.