Turgay-Hakan Ak is a research scholar at the Australian National University. His doctoral research explores water governance in Central Asia, with a focus on regional politics, resource governance and environmental security. His broader interests include comparative water policy across Central Asian, West Asian, and Australian contexts.

He has a background in public administration, anthropology, strategic studies, psychology, commerce, and accounting. At the Australian National University, he completed a Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development (Humanitarian Action) and a Master of Strategic Studies. He also holds a Master of Commerce from Macquarie University and a Master of Professional Accounting from the University of Tasmania, as well as a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) from Southern Cross University and a Bachelor of Public Administration from Isparta Süleyman Demirel University. He studied Russian at Lomonosov Moscow State University and has undertaken postgraduate study in Space Operations at UNSW Canberra.