Ömer Aydan was born in 1955, and studied Mining Engineering at the Technical University of Istanbul, Turkey (B.Sc., 1979), Rock Mechanics and Excavation Engineering at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (M.Sc., 1982), and received his Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from Nagoya University, Japan in 1989. Prof. Aydan worked at Nagoya University as a research associate (1987-1991), and then at the Department of Marine Civil Engineering at Tokai University, first as Assistant Professor (1991-1993), then as Associate Professor (1993-2001), and finally as Professor (2001-2010). He then became Professor of the Institute of Oceanic Research and Development at Tokai University, and is currently Professor at the University of Ryukyus, Department of Civil Engineering & Architecture, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan. Ömer has played an active role on numerous ISRM, JSCE, JGS, SRI and Rock Mech. National Group of Japan committees, and has organized several national and international symposia and conferences.