Uygar Özesmi

Social Entrepreneur & Ashoka Senior Fellow, Founder & Instigator @ Good4Trust.org, Board Chair @ Prosumer Economy Society, Board Member @ Ashoka Türkiye, Adj. Asst. Professor @ CESD, Kadir Has University

Dr. Uygar Özesmi is not associated with the title "Founding Creative Leader & Mentor at Neol" based on the available information. Here is a summary of his actual background and achievements:

Education and Early Career

Dr. Uygar Özesmi graduated from Kayseri Science High School and later earned his BSc in Geological Engineering from Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ). He then received a master's degree in Environmental Science from Ohio State University as a Fulbright Scholar and a PhD in Conservation Biology and Development and Social Change from the University of Minnesota as a MacArthur Scholar.1 2 3

Professional Experience

He worked as an advisor to the Minister of State responsible for the environment, Adnan Kahveci, between 1989-90.
He founded the Environmental Engineering Department at Erciyes University (2000-2004) and established Turkey's first crowd-sourcing platform, KusBank.org, in 2001.
He was the founding board chair of Doğa Derneği (BirdLife Partner) in 2002.
He served as an Environmental Specialist at the United Nations Development Program in New York (2004-2006), Executive Director of TEMA Foundation (2006-2008), and General Director of Greenpeace Mediterranean (2008-2012).1 2 3

Recent Roles and Initiatives

He founded Change.org in Turkey in 2012 and served as its Executive Director until 2023.
He is the founder and instigator of Good4Trust.org, which aims to create a prosumer economy for ecological and social justice. He is also the board chair of the Prosumer Economy Society.
He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Kadir Has University, teaching Sustainable Energy and Ecological Economics.
He is a member of the boards of Ashoka Türkiye, Sivil Toplum Geliştirme Merkezi (STGM), and other organizations.1 2 3

Other Contributions

Dr. Özesmi has over 100 scientific publications, numerous popular articles, three books, and a daily radio program on Açık Radio.
He is a founding member of the Civil Society Development Center (STGM) and has served on the board of CIVICUS – World Alliance for Citizen Participation for two terms.1 2 3

In summary, Dr. Uygar Özesmi is a renowned environmental scientist, social entrepreneur, and Ashoka Senior Fellow with a wide range of contributions to environmental and social justice initiatives.