B. Ayça Ataç-Studt

Ayça is a researcher specializing in land policy, disaster governance, and post-disaster reconstruction, with a focus on private property rights and climate change. In her research and teaching, she examines the intersection of climate change and property rights, particularly regarding property owners' perceptions and the use of land policy instruments.

Additionally, she analyzes changes in land use, land ownership, and population density in urban and natural areas using Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies. She is also actively involved in EU-funded projects on climate resilience and nature-based solutions.

She is available to supervise bachelor's and master's theses related to her research interests.

Education

• 2017 – 2021 (Master’s Degree) : Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Department of Urban Policy Planning and Local Governments
• 2016 – 2017 (Erasmus Scholarship) : Technische Universität Dortmund, Department of Spatial Planning
• 2014 – 2018 (Minor Degree) : Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing
• 2012 – 2017 (Bachelor’s Degree) : Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Faculty of Architecture, Department of City and Regional Planning

Professional Experience

• 2025 – present Research Assistant at the research project LAND4CLIMATE 
• 2021 – present (Research Assistant) :  TU Dortmund University, Department of Spatial Planning
  • Teaching
    • Supervisor of a student project - "A01 / Social Injustices in Disaster Recovery: Lessons from Germany and Turkey" (2024/25)
    • Supervisor of a student project - "A01 / They Don't Care About Us: Land Policy in the Era of Climate Change" (2023/24)
    • Supervisor of a student project - "A01 / Living in the Water: Property and Climate Change" (2021/22)
  • Lectures
    • Master's Seminar on "Property Rights, Land Policy and Climate Change" (wintersemester 2022/23)
• 2018 – 2021 (Project Manager) : Netcad Software Company in Ankara

Ataç-Studt, B. A., Hartmann, T., & Slavíková, L. (2025). Unpacking property owners’ perceptions of flood damage. Land Use Policy, 151, 107479. doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107479

Ataç, B. A., & Hartmann, T. (2022). Climate change and property rights: Challenges for land policy. In Advances in Chemical Pollution, Environmental Management and Protection (Vol. 8, pp. 1–22). Elsevier. doi.org/10.1016/bs.apmp.2022.10.013

Ataç, B. A. (2021). Reading the Complexity of The ‘Fringe’ From a Perspective of Territorial and Historical Change: The Case of Datça, Muğla. Middle East Technical University, Ankara. (Master Thesis)

Ataç, B. A., Cenan, D. , Çetinkaya, A. , Şahin, N. , Sanlı, K. , Koç, Z. , Kısa, A. (2020). 'Methodology of the Turkey’s National Geographic Information System Integration Project '. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, Open Science Index 164, International Journal of Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 14(8), 196 - 204.

Esenboğa, A. E., Ataç, B. A., Memiş, C. E., Ergenekon E. D., Hatiçoğlu M., Özok, S. (2019). The Transformation into a Metropolitan City by Law: The Law No. 6360 and the Example of Eskişehir (in Turkish: Yasayla Metrolopiten Kent Olmak: 6360 Sayılı Kanun ve Eskişehir Örneği). edited by Ersoy, M. and Şengül, H.T. Middle East Technical University, Department of Urban Policy Planning and Local Governments. (Unpublished Book)

Ataç, B. A., & Çamiçi, S. (2018). Examination of Orthoimagery Data Specification According to the INSPIRE Directive. Remote Sensing and GIS Symposium, Eskişehir. (Conference Paper)

2024 / Speaker at the 9th Annual Conference on Urban Studies in Ankara: Resilient Cities & Communities Project. Presentation held: "Afet Sonrası Yeniden Yerleşimde Etkililik ve Meşruiyetin Dengelenmesi"

2024 / Speaker at the 18th Annual Conference of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR) in Münich. Presentation held: "Resettling Lives: Relief or Risk for Flood-Affected Property Owners?"

2023 / Coordinator of LAND4FLOOD Conference PhD Workshop hosted by the "Land Policy and Land Management" research group, Department of Spatial Planning at TU Dortmund University

2023 / Speaker at the LAND4FLOOD Conference in Dortmund. Presentation held: "Balancing Effectiveness and Justice: Resettlement of Property Owners in Flooded Areas"

2023 / Speaker at the 17th Annual Conference of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR) in Ann Arbor. Presentation held: "Unpacking Property Owners’ Perceptions of Flood Damage"

2023 / Participant of a PhD workshop on the 17th Annual Conference of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR) in Ann Arbor. 

2022 / Speaker at the 16th Annual Conference of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR) in Ghent. Presentation held: "Climate Change and Landowners: Plural Perspectives of Property in Land"

2022 / Participant of a PhD workshop on the 16th Annual Conference of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR) in Ghent. 

2020 / Speaker at the 22nd International Conference on Geoplanning and GIS (ICGGIS 2020) in Barcelona. Presentation held: "Methodology of the Turkey's National Geographic Information System Integration Project"

2019 / Moderator of Turkey’s National Geographic Information System (TUCBS) Training Workshop organized by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and Netcad Software Company

2018 / Participant of a conference on the establishment of Turkey’s National Geographic Information System (TUCBS) organized by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the Scientific and Technological Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK)

2018 / Contestant in the Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems Symposium 2018 in Eskişehir

2015 / Participant in the World Urbanism Colloquium in Turkey