Ibrahim Demir, PhD

Professor and Michael A. Fitts Presidential Chair in Environmental Informatics and Artificial Intelligence

Tulane University
Speaker
Smiling man with shoulder-length light brown hair in a plaid shirt.

Biography

Dr. Ibrahim Demir is an internationally recognized leader in hydroinformatics, artificial intelligence, and environmental information systems. As Michael A. Fitts Presidential Chair in Environmental Informatics and Artificial Intelligence at Tulane University, Dr. Demir serves in the Department of River-Coastal Science and Engineering and is a core member of the Tulane ByWater Institute.

Dr. Demir leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence, cyberinfrastructure, and data science to address some of the world’s most critical environmental challenges. He is renowned for developing next-generation information systems, including early warning systems for floods and digital twins for disaster simulation and response. His pioneering research efforts have attracted over $50 million in grants and resulted in over 250 scientific publications, reinforcing his significant global impact on the field.

At Tulane, Dr. Demir leads the Hydroinformatics Lab, which focuses on developing intelligent cyber systems, immersive augmented and virtual reality applications, and big data analytics for environmental science, public health, engineering and educational challenges. Before joining Tulane, he was a professor at the University of Iowa, where he led transformative projects such as the Iowa Flood Information System, the Upper Mississippi Information System, and the Blue Green Action Platform.

Dr. Demir holds a Master of Science from Gebze Institute of Technology and a PhD from the Environmental Informatics Program at the University of Georgia. He serves as Chair of the International Joint Committee on Hydroinformatics (IAHR/IWA) and continues to shape interdisciplinary research at the intersection of environmental engineering, disasters, data science, and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Demir’s visionary work contributes to Tulane’s mission of cross-disciplinary excellence—connecting ecosystems, communities, and businesses with innovative solutions that improve resilience and sustainability on regional, national, and global scales.