Prof. Dr. Üstün Özen graduated from the Department of Business Administration at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Atatürk University, in 1987. He completed his master’s degree in Quantitative Methods at the same university in 1990 and was awarded his doctorate in 1996 with a dissertation titled “Computer System Security and Its Application in Turkey”. He has an extensive academic background that examines the impacts of digitalization on businesses, organizations, and society from an interdisciplinary perspective. His work contributes strategically to digital business models through research on consumer behavior in the domains of e-commerce, mobile shopping, internet advertising, and social commerce, while also elucidating the role of information systems in organizational decision-making processes via advanced analytical methods such as multi-criteria decision-making, logistic regression, and artificial neural networks. Through his studies on blockchain technologies, information security awareness, and digital ethics, he comprehensively evaluates the risks and opportunities of digital transformation; moreover, with research on digitalization in health informatics, educational technologies, and public services, he contributes to the development of innovative information systems across diverse sectors. In addition, his numerous publications employing artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques strengthen his data science–oriented scholarship, thereby making significant contributions to both the theoretical and applied dimensions of big data and deep learning. To date, he has supervised 15 doctoral dissertations and more than 20 master’s theses. He has pioneered the training of faculty members in the field of Management Information Systems (MIS) in Turkey and continues to supervise many graduate students.
His books published by international presses and his articles appearing in top-tier indexed journals have offered valuable contributions to both the academic and practical dimensions of digital technologies. He regularly participates in international symposia and congresses, presenting papers and serving as session chair and invited speaker, thereby advancing the field of Management Information Systems. He has taken part in numerous projects that promote interdisciplinary approaches and has made significant contributions to Turkey’s digital transformation process.
In addition to his academic work, he has held several administrative positions. He served as the Founding Dean of the Open Education Faculty and as the University Secretary General at Atatürk University. He is currently serving as the Chair of the Department of Management Information Systems at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Atatürk University. He is also a member of the University Executive Board, the Senate, and the Faculty Executive Board.
He places strong emphasis on socially oriented initiatives. Between 2014 and 2024, he served as President of the Erzurum Branch of the Turkish Informatics Association (TBD). He actively continues his role as the Founding President of the Management Information Systems Association, Turkey’s largest Management Information Systems community.
As the intellectual architect of the consortium, he provides the overarching vision and strategic direction that guides MAREINS’ research agenda. Furthermore, acting as the Head of the MAREINS Core Members, he directly leads and mentors the consortium’s multidisciplinary executive team. Leveraging his decades of experience in shaping the Management Information Systems landscape in Turkey, Prof. Özen fosters high-level interdisciplinary collaborations and ensures that the consortium’s activities align with national strategies and global scientific standards.
He is proficient in English. He continues to contribute to the development of the MAREINS by sharing his knowledge and experience in the field of Management Information Systems on national and international platforms.