Nov 2023 - Aug 2024
Kadri Tastan is a CATS Fellow at German Institute for International and Security Studies (SWP). Kadri spent more than six years at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) where he led the Turkey Program of GMF in Brussels. He remains a non-resident Senior Fellow at GMF. Kadri was also an IPC Mercator Fellow at CATS/SWP from July 2021 to October 2022. From August 2011 to June 2017, he was an expert for the EU Department of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) in Ankara. He also taught as an adjunct professor at the TOBB University of Economics and Technology from 2013 to 2015.
Kadri holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris III) and an MSc in International Relations from the University of Panthéon Assas (Paris II).
His main area of research focuses on the EU-Turkey relations, European affairs, geopolitics-geoeconomics, climate, energy and trade.
Oct 2023 - Sep 2024
Dr. Salih Bıçakcı is a CATS Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Studies (SWP), currently on leave at Kadir Has University. As a Professor of International Relations and researcher at the university’s Center for Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection, focusing on cyber security, critical infrastructure protection, hybrid security, and data privacy.
His contributions extend globally, presenting at NATO COEDAT, C2COE, and MARSEC. He served as an academic advisor to COEDAT and taught Cyber Security and Middle Eastern Security courses at the Turkish War College. Notably, he authored Turkey's inaugural Nuclear Power Plant cyber security reports and demonstrated leadership through C-level simulations with industry giants ATOS and MARSH.
Dr. Bıçakcı's influence in shaping global security is characterized by a deep commitment to advancing knowledge and practical contributions in academic and industry spheres.
Sep 2023 - Aug 2024
Erol Kaymak is a CATS Fellow at German Institute for International and Security Studies (SWP). He is on leave at the Eastern Mediterranean University where he is Professor of International Relations. He has produced or contributed to reports on Cyprus published by the United Nations in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the Centre for European Studies (CEPS), CIVICUS, PRIO, as well as the Center for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD).
He served as an advisory board member to the Turkish Cypriot negotiation team between 2010 and 2015. In 2004 Dr. Kaymak was a member of the technical committees that worked with the United Nations to finalize the settlement blueprint prior to submission to referenda. He is coordinator for the Cyprus Chapter of the Greek Turkish Forum. Dr. Kaymak is a former director of a Cyprus-based think tank, the Center for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD).
His main area of research focuses on the Cyprus conflict, as well as the role of domestic, regional, and international actors in facilitating peaceful conflict resolution.
Jun 2023 - May 2024
Dr. Salim Çevik is a CATS fellow. He previously worked as CATS Associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). Prior to joining to SWP, he held research or teaching positions at Lund University (Sweden), Ipek University (Turkey), Bilgi University (Turkey) and Columbia University (USA). He earned his PhD degree in Political Science from Bilkent University (2015, Turkey).
His main area of research focusses on Turkish domestic politics and Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East and Africa.
Jul 2022 - Apr 2024
Dr. Jens Bastian is a CATS fellow and independent economic analyst. He also serves as Senior Policy Advisor at ELIAMEP (Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy) in Athens, Greece.
His work focuses on China’s expanding infrastructure investment and bank lending footprint in Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
From September 2011 to September 2013 he was appointed by the European Commission as a member of the Task Force for Greece. His previous professional experience includes working as Lead Economist for the European Agency for Reconstruction in Thessaloniki, Greece, at Alpha Bank in Athens, Greece, as well as various academic positions held at St. Antony’s College, Oxford, U.K., Nuffield College, Oxford and the London School of Economics, London, U.K. He received his Ph.D. from the European University Institute in Florence, Italy in April 1993.