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Ange-Therese Akono

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Ange-Therese Akono is a civil and environmental engineer and educator, known for her work with nano materials in the development of “smart cement."[1]

Early life and education

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Ange-Therese Akono was raised in Cameroon.[2] Akono stated that math had hooked her into science and nanotechnology. When she was a kid, her favorite thing to do was solve linear equations. As she grew up, she started looking into engineering.[citation needed] She received her bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from the Ecole Polytechnique in Palaiseau, France.[3] In 2013, Akono earned her doctorate in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[2][4]

Career

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In 2016, Akono was an assistant professor at University of Ilinois at Urbana-Champaign. She was named one of the American Society of Civil Engineers's New Faces of Civil Engineering Professionals in 2016.[2] Akono was an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University,[5] where she directed the Sustainability & Nano mechanics research laboratory.[6] Akono joined the department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University as an associate professor in the mechanics and materials group in 2023.[7] At this moment, Akono is studying fracture processes in multifunctional, multiscale, and multi- physics materials while focusing on small length-scales.[7] Akono has received several awards including the Johnson & Johnson in STEM Award in 2022.[7] She was recognized by the Engineering Mechanics Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineer with the EMI Leonardo da Vinci Award in 2021.[8]

Akono is an associate editor for the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Journal of Engineering Mechanics of the American Society of Civil Engineers.[7]

Research

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Akono was one of the winners at the Johnson & Johnson. Her research was advancing bone tissue regenerative engineering for facial bone defects. This could help patients who require maxillofacial bone repairs. She credits her WiSTEM2D Scholars Award funding with “providing a bridge in a new area that I have been investigating over the last three years.” She shares that “the funding, mentoring and research time commitment are crucial for growth and recognition as a scholar.”[9]

Akono's laboratory investigates fracture and failure mechanisms complex materials systems from molecular level up to the macroscopic scale. Her areas of expertise include nano- mechanics, fracture analysis, nanotechnology, advanced experimental testing, and multiscale.[10] Ange- Therese Akono's group studying the behavior of concrete directly at the nanometer lab scale, their trying to understand different structural property relationships.[11]

In the development of smart cement, Akono suggested that longer, lasting material could save tax players billions in repairs and help reduce the carbon footprint. The concrete is a secret recipe that is combined with a nano compound called "graphene".[5]

References

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  1. ^ "NSF: year of discovery and innovation". NSF - National Science Foundation. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  2. ^ a b c Walpole, Ben (2016-05-12). "'Empowering' Education Takes Akono Around the World | ASCE News". American Society of Civil Engineers News. Archived from the original on 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  3. ^ "Akono Named an ASCE " New Face of Civil Engineering" for 2016". The Grainger College of Engineering News. 2016-02-23.
  4. ^ "Civil and Environmental Engineering Magazine winter 2014". Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 2014-02-12. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  5. ^ a b Quraishi, Ash-har (2022-03-31). "Fracture-resistant concrete could help fight climate change". Denver7 ABC.
  6. ^ "ESE Seminar- Ange Therese Akono".
  7. ^ a b c d "New faculty: Meet Ange- Therese Akono". NC State University Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering News. 2023-11-10.
  8. ^ "EMI Announces the 2021 Winners of Prestigious Mechanics Awards". ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute. 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  9. ^ "Restoring quality of life for patients with facial bone defects: Get to know WiSTEM2D Scholars Award Winner Dr. Ange Therese Akono".
  10. ^ "Ange-Therese Akono".
  11. ^ "Novel smart cement can be used to build more durable roads and cities | NSF - National Science Foundation". U.S. National Science Foundation. 2021-07-13. Retrieved 2024-05-06.