Dr. Zerihun Getachew Gebrehana is an ECO-SPHERE Postdoctoral Fellow working with Prof. Yaşar Avşar at Yıldız Technical University. He holds a PhD in soil and environmental sciences and an MSc in Soil Science. His doctoral research focused on the valorization of agricultural residues through vermicomposting using diverse earthworm species and organic substrates, combining laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments with strong farmer engagement to develop scalable, context-specific soil amendments.

He led the development of a novel Continuous Flow-Through (CFT) vermireactor, advancing vermicomposting beyond traditional batch systems into a more efficient, cost-effective, and continuously productive technology. Dr. Zerihun has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, primarily as first author.

Within ECO-SPHERE, his research centers on transforming agricultural and food biomass into high-value bio-based products, positioning biochar-enhanced vermicomposting as a strategic waste-to-resource solution for the bioeconomy. By integrating soil microbiology with environmental engineering and applying advanced data analytics, he aims to quantify greenhouse gas mitigation potential and contribute to Türkiye’s Zero Waste objectives through evidence-based, policy-relevant research.