Dr Rafet Kurt
Reader
Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering
Personal statement
Academic leader specialising in maritime human factors, egonomics, crew wellbeing, maritime safety, human-centred ship design, accident and incident learning, systems-based risk assessment, safety culture, autonomous systems, human-AI interaction and the safe introduction of alternative fuels.
Director of the Maritime Human Factors Centre at the University of Strathclyde and Knowledge Exchange Director for the Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering.
Research leadership includes the development and implementation of SHIELD, HURID and related human-factors methods through major national and international research programmes.
Research interests also include design, optimisation and operation of ships, by considering the human factors in the core of the subject.
Led or participated many major research initiatives in human factors such as EU SAFEMODE and EU SEAHORSE. Also participated and lead EU funded ship recycling projects; FP7 DIVEST Project, LLP Ship DIGEST Project and LLP Boat DIGEST Project.
Contributed to the development of international regulations and guidelines at European Comission and International Maritime Organisation.
Prize And Awards
- Excellence in Engineering Education Award 2024–25 – Novel Teaching and Learning Activities (Innovative Practice)
- Recipient
- 11/3/2026
- CAREER4SEA EUROPORT Crew Welfare Award 2025
- Recipient
- 2025
- Finalist for VR Awards 2021
- Recipient
- 18/11/2021
- Highly commended award for a sustainable society category in the Image of Research Competition 2020
- Recipient
- 11/6/2020
- Springer Award for Best Paper
- Recipient
- 7/2019
- Fellow of Higher Education Academy
- Recipient
- 28/9/2018
Publications
- Comprehensive literature review of systemic safety analysis : trends and development in the maritime sector
- Waskito Dwitya Harits, Kurt Rafet Emek, Turan Osman
- Safety Science Vol 200 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2026.107208
- A comparative Bayesian Network and machine learning framework for predicting maritime cyber-attack risks in narrow canals and straits
- Kurt Yasin Burak, Türkoğlu Murat Metehan, Cinar Ferdi, Senol Yunus Emre, Kurt Rafet Emek, Turan Osman, Akyuz Emre
- Ocean Engineering Vol 364 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2026.126782
- Uncovering patterns in ferry near misses : a topic modelling approach with GPT-assisted labelling
- Black Hollie, de Wolff Louis, Kurt Yasin Burak, Farag Yasser, Waskito Dwitya, Kurt Rafet Emek, Turan Osman
- Ocean Engineering Vol 363 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2026.126862
- Utilising EEG and eye-tracking in maritime GNSS spoofing incidents : a human factors perspective
- Kurt Yasin Burak, Farag Yaser BA, Uflaz Esma, Borghini Gianluca, Akyuz Emre, Arslan Ozcan, Kurt Rafet Emek, Turan Osman
- Computers and Security Vol 166 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2026.104908
- Revitalising traditional cargo shipping : the Indonesia case study
- Ardhi Eka Wahyu, Turan Osman, Kurt Rafet Emek, Gunbeyaz Sefer Anil, Arif Mohammad Sholikhan
- Ocean and Coastal Management Vol 278 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2026.108247
- Systemic human factors analysis of hydrogen fuel supply in maritime operations : integration concept of STPA, SLIM, and BN
- Waskito Dwitya Harits, Kurt Rafet Emek
- Proceedings of the European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL 2026) European Safety and Reliability Conference, pp. 2563-2570 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.3850/ESREL2026061419_esrel26-toc
Professional Activities
- ITN Business - Navigating the Future of Shipping
- Interviewee
- 8/5/2028
- Global Maritime Congress 2026
- Member of programme committee
- 28/9/2026
- Global Maritime Congress 2026
- Organiser
- 28/9/2026
- 1st International Maritime Human Factors Conference
- Organiser
- 3/9/2026
- 1st International Maritime Human Factors Conference
- Member of programme committee
- 3/9/2026
- 1st International Maritime Human Factors Conference
- Chair
- 3/9/2026
Projects
- Technology Innovation for Defence-platform Energy-efficiency-phase2
- Turan, Osman (Principal Investigator) Atlar, Mehmet (Co-investigator) Boulougouris, Evangelos (Co-investigator) Kurt, Rafet (Co-investigator) Theotokatos, Gerasimos (Co-investigator) Koksal, Cagatay (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2026 - 31-Jan-2028
- Building UK and EU research collaboration on safety of renewable and zero-carbon waterborne fuels in port areas (Pump Priming)
- Kurt, Rafet (Principal Investigator)
- 12-Jan-2026 - 13-Jan-2026
- Co-creation of the safe decarbonisation Journey for the maritime sector through collaborative research strategies to address the gaps
- Turan, Osman (Principal Investigator) Atlar, Mehmet (Co-investigator) Gunbeyaz, Sefer Anil (Co-investigator) Koksal, Cagatay (Co-investigator) Kurt, Rafet (Co-investigator) Theotokatos, Gerasimos (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2027
- OLDENDORFF SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING RESEARCH CENTRE
- Turan, Osman (Principal Investigator) Atlar, Mehmet (Co-investigator) Kurt, Rafet (Co-investigator) Theotokatos, Gerasimos (Co-investigator)
- 10-Jan-2025 - 09-Jan-2030
- Empowering Early Career Researchers to advance maritime decarbonisation in Indonesia (International Science Partnerships Fund Early Career Fellowship)
- Kurt, Rafet (Principal Investigator) Gunbeyaz, Sefer Anil (Co-investigator) Race, Julia (Co-investigator) Turan, Osman (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2027
- Strengthening Cyber Resilience and Navigational Safety in Turkish Straits: Development and Testing of Prevention Strategies in Simulated Environments
- Turan, Osman (Principal Investigator) Kurt, Rafet (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2026
Contact
Dr
Rafet
Kurt
Reader
Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering
Email: rafet.kurt@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 4697