Derek K. Baker

Derek K. Baker is a Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey. He serves as Co-Director of ODAK: Concentrating Solar Thermal Energy Laboratory, part of the GÜNAM Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications. His academic journey includes a B.Sc. from Virginia Tech (1992), and M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin (1996 and 2000), all in Mechanical Engineering.

Research and Affiliations:

• Principal Investigator for the EU Horizon 2020 project INSHIP (Integrating National Research Agendas on Solar Heat for Industrial Processes).
• Participated in the EU-SOLARIS Research Infrastructure project on Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) technologies.
• Active in the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) Joint Program on Concentrating Solar Power (CSP).

Awards and Recognition:

• Received YÖK Research Performance Awards (2016, 2017).
• Recognition from METU for overall academic excellence (2017).
• 两次 METU Educator of the Year (2003-2004, 2005-2006) and the terminal teaching award METU Outstanding Educator (2013).

Teaching:曾教授机械工程课程（如编号351和496课程），要求学生在开课首日登记注册编号并完成调查问卷。目前因学生名额已满，暂停接收新研究生申请。