She was born in Adapazarı in 1951. She graduated from İzmir Yavuz Selim Elementary School and İzmir American High School for Girls. She enrolled in Ege University Faculty of Agriculture in 1969 and graduated from Horticulture department first in her class in 1974. After working for Ministry of Agriculture Eskişehir Research Institute in 1975-1976, she started her Doctorate study in Ege University Department of Horticulture with TÜBİTAK Domestic Doctorate Scholarship. She was appointed as a Research Assistant in the same department in 1978. She received her Doctor title in 1981 in Department of Fruit Growing and Breeding. She became Associate Professor in 1987 and Professor in 1995. During her tenure, she taught undergraduate and graduate classes, administered multiple doctorate and master’s theses and worked as the Department Head. She retired in 2016. She also taught classes in CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (Greece) ‘Sustainable Agriculture’ (2004-2006) and CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (Italy) “Mediterranean Organic Agriculture”(2000-2014) Graduate Programs. She worked as thesis advisor in master’s programs in Italy. She was the Chair of “Council of Higher Education Improvement of Educational Programs in Agriculture and Related Fields Committee”
She carried out multiple research and education projects, supported by national and international institutions such as the European Union with 5th Framework Project in 1995 and continued with Horizon 2020, by World Bank, FAO, CIHEAM, Chilean Government, ERASMUS, EUROPAID, DPT, TUBİTAK, EİB, İZKA, İŞKUR. She worked as an advisor in international institutions such as FAO and ECO in projects mainly focusing on Central Asian countries.
She is one of the founding members of the Horticulture Association and she served as the chair between 1994-1998. She represented Türkiye in CIHEAM (Int. Center for Mediterranean Advanced Agronomic Studies) Science Committee between 2000-2003. She also was a member of the Advisory Board of Mediterranean Organic Network (MOAN) and Chair of the ARIMNET Scientific and Strategic Advisory Board.
She was a member of the Executive Board of International Society for Horticultural Science (1998-2006). She was a member of International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Academic Committee, Science and Intergovernmental Relations Committees (2017- ), Vice Chair of the Mediterranean Group of International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (1997-2000), Vice Chair of Technology and Innovation Platform (2013-2014) and internal auditor (2017-2021). She is a founding member of ETO (Ecological Agriculture Organization) Association and is the Chair of the association and İzmir Organic Group Coordinator.
She has been the chair of multiple national and international scientific meetings since 1992. She was the chair of Scientific Committee in 18th World Organic Congress (2014) and 30th International Horticultural Congress (2018) and was the editor of the congress book and ensured the coordination of Acta Horticulturae series. She has approximately 230 scientific articles and books/book chapters.
Among her awards are, honorary membership of International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) (2008), Honorary Chairship of Ecological Agriculture Organization (2010), Chamber of Agricultural Engineers Science Award (2011) and IFOAM Mediterranean Regional Group- Orgaic Heroes Award (2015).
Prof. Dr. Uygun AKSOY served as a member of the ZİDEK Executive Board between 2021-2023 and is still a member of ZİDEK Internationalization Commission.
