Until the establishment of our Department in 1992, mapping activities were already carried out in Zonguldak Hard Coal Basin. Following the discovery of hard coal by Uzun Mehmet of Kestaneci Village of Eregli in 1829, Galata Sarrafs, British and French companies carried out underground mining works with the privileges they obtained. These studies are followed by mining production maps connected to aboveground and underground triangulation networks, as well as concession areas. Therefore, mapping of surface and underground has been given great importance since the first years of hard coal production. Various measuring instruments and historical maps used in those years can be visited in the corridors of the Faculty of Engineering building after being exhibited in the Mine Surveying Exhibition of our Department for many years.
Founded in 1924 in Zonguldak, the first province of the Republic of Türkiye, under the name of Mining Engineering School, which has passed through various stages until today, constitutes the foundation of the Engineering Faculty of our University. Although this school was interrupted from time to time, it continued its education activities until 1961. Our University is located in the Farabi Campus. Dr. It is understood from the books in the private collection of Durmuş GÜNAY Library that topography (cartography) courses are also taught in this school. This Technical School was moved to Istanbul Technical University in 1962 and instead it was decided to open a four-part technical school in Zonguldak, which consists of Mining, Mechanical, Civil and Electrical Engineering. In 1968, construction works started in the campus designated for this school. While the studies continue, the name of the school is changed to Zonguldak State Academy of Engineering and Architecture (ZDMMA) with the law no. The Academy commenced education in 1975 with 200 students admitted to the Mining and Mechanical Engineering Department of the Istanbul State Architecture and Engineering Academy. With the law numbered 2809 enacted in 1981, the Academy is connected to Hacettepe University and its name is changed to Zonguldak Engineering Faculty. With the law numbered 3837 on 11 July 1992, the Faculty is transformed into a university with the name of Zonguldak Karaelmas University. With this transformation, new faculties and departments are opened to the university. Among these departments, our department is named as Geodesy and Photogrammetry Engineering.
The Department has been founded under the name of Geodesy and Photogrammetry Engineering in 1992, and Prof. Dr. Erdal KOÇAK was the first head of Department. Prof. Dr. Hayrettin GÜRBÜZ had a role during this foundation. The graduate and undergraduate programs were started in 1993 and 1994, respectively. The branches were Geodesy, Surveying Technique, Photogrammetry, Cartography and Public Measurements. In 2005, PhD program started. Prof. Dr. Erdal KOÇAK was the first head between 25.04.1994-31.12.1998. Then Prof. Dr. Şenol KUŞCU until 31.12.2012, Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan KUTOĞLU until his appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in 2016, Prof. Dr. Çetin MEKİK until 27.03.2019 and finally Prof. Dr. Hüseyin TOPAN hold this position.
In 2013, taking into account the developments in the world and in our country, it was proposed to change its name as Geomatic Engineering by the joint decision of the Board of the Department. The same name change was made for the graduate programs. All branches mentioned above were combined under the name of Geomatic Engineering.
The chronology of our Department is following:
- 1994-2000: 1300 km2 Bursa Metropolitan Area Digital Photogrammetric Map Production Project Consultancy Project was carried out.
- 1995: In Turkey, was the first department that performs GPS positioning network with its own facilities.
- 1995-1998: Project of Monitoring Tectonic Movements of North Anatolian Fault Line Bolu-Yeniçağa Section Supported by State Planning Organization (SPO) with GPS Observations.
- 1996: Turkey's first urban information system applications with Bursa Metropolitan Area Urban Information System Project Consulting Project began.
- 1997-1998: Technical Consultancy Project for Digital Photogrammetric Mapping Project of GAP Region.
- 1997-2000: Alanya Municipality City Information System Project Consultancy Project was realized.
- 1999-2011: Consultancy Project for Production Project of Digital Photogrammetric Maps of 2300 km2 area within the borders of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality.
- 27.10.1999: Res. Assist. Mehmet Güven KOÇAK started to work in our department.
- 15.05.2002: Res. Assist. Hüseyin TOPAN started to work in our department.
- 2001-2005: TUBITAK and Jülich (Germany) supported "Geometric and Semantic Analysis of Satellite Images Topographic Mapping Purpose In a test site in Turkey," the first project carried out in our country for the purpose of location-based information production from titled satellite imagery has been completed.
- 2005-2006: Zonguldak and Kilimli Digital Photogrammetric Map Production Project Consultancy Project was realized.
- 2005: The first studies were carried out in Turkey to determine surface deformations with InSAR technique.
- 18-24 April 2005: 1st Space Mapping Course was held in cooperation with the Institute of Photogrammetry and Geoinformation of the University of Hannover.
- 2005-2011: InSAR Technique Project for the Investigation of Mining Originated Tasman Formations in Zonguldak Hard Coal Basin in partnership with ERSDAC (Japan).
- 30 October-4 November 2006: II. In cooperation with the Institute of Photogrammetry and Geoinformation of the University of Hannover. Space Mapping Course was held.
- 2007-2010: Prof. Dr. Çetin MEKİK as appointed to TUSAGA-AKTİF Project followed by TÜBİTAK.
- 05.06.2007: Assist. Assoc. Dr. Mehmet Güven KOÇAK left our department and moved to Dokuz Eylül University.
- 2010: ERSDAC (Japan) supported the project for the first time the faults in the Bursa basin was unearthed.
- 2011: European Space Agency Supported AF KAF İsmetpaşa Segment Crypter Rate Change-Investigation of the Possible Marmara Earthquake ”project was realized.
- 2011-2013: Consultancy Project for Production Project of Digital Photogrammetric Maps of 1400 km2 area within the borders of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality.
- 2012: ong Investigation of Soil Movements in Zonguldak İncivez Bahçelievler Neighborhoods ”project was carried out with the cooperation of Zonguldak Governorate and Prime Ministry AFAD and Anadolu University. This project is one of the rare projects where the disciplines of Geodesy, Geophysics, Geology, Geotechnics and Construction work together.
- 2012-2018: Airbus Defense and Space supported "Georeferencing Accuracy Assessment, DEM Generation and Validation, and Information Content Analysis of Pieses Over Extreme Undulating and Mountainous Urban Area with Dense Forest Inland of Zonguldak Test Site" project was realized.
- 06.02.2012: Res. See. Fatih ALİYAZICIOĞLU He started to work in our department.
- 31.08.2012: Res. See. Talha TAŞKANAT and Res. See. Samed İNYURT They started to work in our department.
- 19.11.2012: Res. Assist. Aliihsan ŞEKERTEKİN started to work in our department.
- 2013: TÜBİTAK Supported GPS Atmospheric Water Vapor Estimation Project started.
- 01.01.2013: Head of Department Dr. Şenol KUŞÇU retired from our Department.
- 01.01.2013: Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan KUTOĞLU was assigned to Head of Department.
- 14.03.2013: Assist. Assoc. Dr. Eray CAN has left our department and started to work in Yalova University Transportation Engineering Department.
- 20.09.2013: Assoc. Dr. Mehmet ALKAN left our department and started to work in Yıldız Technical University, Department of Surveying Engineering.
- 2014: Kastamonu – Çankırı Road (Ilgaz Tunnel) Geodetic Network Survey Project was realized.
- 2014: Production of 1/1000 and 1/5000 Scale Vector Maps (M5) Consultancy Project in 1/1000 Scale Orthophoto Maps within 12000 Km2 Area Covering Bursa Regional Border.
- 11.09.2014: Prof. Dr. Shuanggen JIN started to work as a foreign lecturer.
- 15.07.2014-15.01.2016: Within the scope of TÜBİTAK 3001 Initial R & D Projects Support Program, "114Y380: Location-Based Information Production from High Resolution Optical Remote Sensing Images and Development of Methods Used" project was realized.
- 15.05.2014: Assist. Prof. Devanjan BHATTACHARYA started to work in our department.
- 18.03.2014: Res. Asst. Talha TAŞKANAT left our Department and joined to Erciyes University, Department of Geomatics Engineering.
- 01.01.2016-01.01.2018: Within the scope of TÜBİTAK 1001 Scientific and Technological Research Projects Support Program, 115Y239 and 403081 TL budget "Development of Anisotropic Mesh Integration Method and Point Error Model for Three Dimensional Point Cloud Data" project was realized.
- 26.06.2016: Assist. Prof. Devanjan BHATTACHARYA has left our Department of BHATTACHRYA.
- 02.08.2016: Prof. Dr. Kazimierz BECEK started to work as a foreign lecturer.
- 24.11.2016: Assoc. Dr. Weibing DU started to work as a visiting professor.
- 27.01.2017: Res. Assist. Fatih ALİYAZICIOĞLU He left our department and started to work in Bursa Metropolitan Municipality.
- 01.10.2017: Assoc. Dr. Weibing DU left our Department.
- 15.01.2018: Res. Assist. Aliihsan ŞEKERTEKİN He left our department and started to work in Çukurova University, Ceyhan Engineering Faculty, Map Engineering Department.
- 08.03.2018: Prof. Dr. Shuanggen JIN left our Department.
- 27.03.2019: Assoc. Dr. Hüseyin TOPAN was appointed as Acting Head of Department.
- 26.04.2019: Prof. Dr. Kazimierz BECEK has left our department.
- 03.07.2019: Prof. Dr. Çetin MEKİK left our department where he worked for 23 years and transferred to Hacettepe University Geomatic Engineering Department.
- 25.11.2019: Res. Asst. Dr. Samed İNYURT has left our Department which he started on 31.08.2012, and joined Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Dept. of Geomatics Engineering as the assistant professor.
- 13.12.2019: Res. Assist. Dr. Mustafa ÖZENDİ has left our Department.
- 14.02.2020: Assist. Prof. Serkan KARAKIŞ left our Department and worked as a Assist. Prof. at İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Department of Geomatics Engineering.
- 30.03.2020: Assoc. Dr. Umut Güneş SEFERCİK has left our Department and has been appointed as a Professor at Gebze Technical University, Department of Geomatics Engineering.
- 13.04.2020: Prof. Dr. Hüseyin TOPAN was appointed as the Head of Department.
- 15.07.2020: A bilateral cooperation agreement has been signed between our Department and China. Click here for the news.
- 20.07.2020: Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan KUTOĞLU's duty as Dean of the Engineering Faculty has ended.
- 20.07.2020: Assoc. Dr. Saygın ABDİKAN left our Department and started to work as an associate professor at Hacettepe University, Department of Geomatics Engineering, Branch of Photogrammetry.
- 20.07.2020: Assist. Prof. Eray KÖKSAL has been appointed as the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.
- September 2020: A scholarship program of 500 TL/month was implemented for our students, who selected our Department in the first three places with the central examination held by ÖSYM, through the Zonguldak Karaelmas University Foundation, during their 4-year undergraduate studies.
- 05.01.2021: Prof. Dr. Çetin MEKİK resigned from Hacettepe University Geomatics Engineering Department and resumed working in our department.
- 11.03.2021: Res. Assist. Dr. Mustafa ÖZENDİ has started to work in our Department again.
- 02.04.2021: Hüseyin YILMAZ has been retired.
- 27.07.2021: Res. Assist. Dr. Mustafa ÖZENDİ has left from the Department.
- 12.04.2022: The first patent of our department is "Mesh Reconstruction Method for the Points Clouds Produced by the Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS)" by Mustafa ÖZENDİ, Mehmet Devrim AKÇA, Hüseyin TOPAN from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (IPC, G01B 11/14).
- 18.07.2022: Prof. Dr. Çetin MEKİK left our department where he worked for 23 years and transferred to Hacettepe University Geomatic Engineering Department.
- 09.02.2023: Assoc. Dr. Gökhan GÜRBÜZ left our Department and joined the Department of Aerospace Engineering as assistant professor.
- 24.04.2023: Res. Assist. Dr. Nevin Betül AVŞAR left our Department and joined İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Department of Geomatics Engineering as assistant professor.
- 11.07.2023: Prof. Dr. Hüseyin TOPAN has been elected as EARSeL SIG Urban Remote Sensing co-chair. Click here for the details.
- 19.07.2023: Our Department has been a member of EARSeL.
- 12.12.2023: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çağlar BAYIK was appointed as faculty member.
- 26.12.2023: Hüseyin YILMAZ, retired administrative staff, passed away.