Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek was Sent Off to His Last Journey

Faculty of Civil Engineering Retired Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek was sent off on his last journey on March 18, 2025 after a ceremony at ITU Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center attended by his loved ones, colleagues, and students.

Our retired faculty member Faculty of Civil Engineering, 1955 graduate Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek passed away on March 16.

Prof. Dr. İpek, one of our country's leading scientists in earthquake engineering, was sent off on his final journey with a ceremony held at the ITU Ayazağa Campus on March 18. Our Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şenol Ataoğlu, many academics and students, as well as the relatives of the deceased attended the funeral ceremony held for Prof. Muzaffer İpek, who made significant contributions to the founding of the ITU Seismology Institute and conducted studies on earthquake engineering in Japan for many years.

During the ceremony, ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, recalled Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek’s pioneering role at the ITU Faculty of Civil Engineering and the Seismology Institute. Prof. Dr. Mandal expressed his gratitude to Prof. Dr. İpek both personally and on behalf of the university for the lasting impact he left behind. He emphasized their appreciation for Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek’s dedication, recognizing him as an exemplary figure.

ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, ITU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şenol Ataoğlu, and Senior Civil Engineer Aykut Özdemirer visited Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek at the hospital where he was receiving treatment on March 13 and conveyed their well wishes. Our Rector stated that it was a great honor for him to visit Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek in order to express once again his gratitude to ITU's long-standing history.

At the ceremony, our Civil Engineering Faculty Vice Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Vatansever, our retired faculty member Prof. Dr. Zeki Hasgür, our deceased teacher's classmates from our 1955 graduates and class representative, Senior Civil Engineer Aykut Özdemirer, made speeches and expressed their respects to the memory of our deceased teacher. At the ceremony where Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek’s wife, Michiko İpek, received condolences, their children, Mine İpek Tokad, Suna İpek Batu, and Engin Can İpek, expressed their gratitude to those who shared their sorrow.

After the funeral ceremony, Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek was interred at Kilyos Cemetery following the noon prayer at ITU Abdülhakim Sancak Mosque.

About Prof. Dr.  Muzaffer İpek

Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek completed his undergraduate education at the top of his class at the ITU Faculty of Civil Engineering in 1955 and he went to Japan with a scholarship to conduct studies on seismology. Prof. Dr. İpek, who served as a faculty member at ITU for many years, was recognized as one of the pioneers of earthquake engineering in Turkey. He played a significant role in the establishment of the ITU Seismology Institute and in the development of computational sciences at our university. Prof. Dr. Muzaffer İpek, who took part in the vibration tests conducted before the opening of the Bosphorus Bridge (July 15 Martyrs Bridge), focused his studies mainly on earthquake science and structural safety. Prof. Dr. İpek contributed to the development of numerous students and authored many scientific publications in this field.