Faculty Directory
Ange-Therese Akono

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Contact

2145 Sheridan Road
Tech
Evanston, IL 60208-3109

Email Ange-Therese Akono

Website

Professor Akono's Research Site

Departments

Civil and Environmental Engineering

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Education

Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA, USA)

Sc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA, USA)

Diplôme d’Ingénieure, Ecole Polytechnique (Palaiseau, France)

Sc., Ecole Polytechnique (Palaiseau, France)

Biography

Dr. Akono’s laboratory investigates fracture events in complex materials using fundamentals of nanotechnology, materials science, and theoretical and applied mechanics. There are three focus areas: geological materials, high-performance structural materials, and biomaterials. For geological materials, the Akono research laboratory investigates the sustainability and viability of unconventional resource extraction as well as carbon dioxide geological storage. For structural materials, Dr. Akono studies novel low-carbon-footprint cement alternatives. For biomaterials, the focus is on creating novel scaffolds for bone tissue regenerative engineering.

Research Interests

Dr. Akono’s laboratory investigates fracture and failure mechanisms in complex materials systems from the molecular level up to the macroscopic scale. This research is articulated over three main thrusts: environment-friendly and high-performance structural materials, natural and nano-engineered biomaterials, and geological materials such as shale or rock. Dr. Akono’s areas of expertise include nano-mechanics, fracture analysis, nanotechnology, advanced experimental testing, and multiscale modeling.


Significant Recognition

  • NIH Diversity Grant (2020)
  • NIH Building Up Scholar (2020)
  • Royal Society International Exchange Scheme Award (2019)
  • Royal Society Speaker Invitation (2019)
  • Northwestern University Searle Faculty Fellowship (2019)
  • NSF GOALI (2019)
  • ASCE New Faces of Civil Engineering – Professionals (2016)
  • National Center for Supercomputing Application Faculty Fellowship (2016)

Significant Professional Service

  • Associate Member, American Society of Civil Engineers; Sub-societies: Engineers Without Borders and Engineering Mechanics Institute
  • Member, American Physical Society
  • Member, Materials Research Society
  • Committee Member, American Society of Civil Engineers Rock Mechanics Committee
  • Committee Member, ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute: Modeling Inelasticity & Multiscale Behavior Committee, Nano-mechanics Committee
  • Reviewer, Journal of Nano-mechanics and Micro-mechanics, Journal of Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Engineering and Fracture Mechanics, Surface and Coatings Technology, International Journal of Solids and Structures, Society of Petroleum Engineering, Mechanics Research Communications, Mechanics of Materials, International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, International Journal of Damage Mechanics, Wear of Materials

Selected Publications

  • Kamseu, Elie; Akono, Ange Therese; Rosa, Roberto; Mariani, Alberto; Leonelli, Cristina, Valorization of marble powder wastes using rice husk ash to yield enhanced-performance inorganic polymer cements, Cleaner Engineering and Technology (2022).
  • Akono, Ange-Therese; Zhan, Mimi; Chen, Jiaxin; Shah, Surendra P, Nanostructure of calcium-silicate-hydrates in fine recycled aggregate concrete, Cement and Concrete Composites 115 (2021).
  • Chen, Jiaxin; Akono, Ange Therese, Influence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the fracture response and phase distribution of metakaolin-based potassium geopolymers, Journal of Materials Science (2021).
  • Kamseu, Elie; Akono, Ange Therese; Nana, Achile; Kaze, Rodrigue C.; Leonelli, Cristina, Performance of geopolymer composites made with feldspathic solid solutions, Cement and Concrete Composites (2021).
  • Fuchs, Samantha J.; Crandall, Dustin; Moore, Johnathan E.; Sivaguru, Mayandi; Fouke, Bruce W.; Espinoza, D. Nicolas; Akono, Ange Therese; Werth, Charles J., Geochemically induced shear slip in artificially fractured dolomite- and clay-cemented sandstone, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control (2021).
  • Nana, Achile; Kamseu, Elie; Akono, Ange-Therese; Ngouné, Jean; Djobo, Yankwa; Tchakouté, Hervé Kouamo; Bognozzi, Maria Chiara; Leonelli, Cristina, Particles size and distribution on the improvement of the mechanical performance of high strength solid solution based inorganic polymer composites, Materials Chemistry and Physics 267 (2021).
  • Han, Lin; Pathirage, Madura; Akono, Ange Therese; Cusatis, Gianluca, Lattice Discrete Particle Modeling of Size Effect in Slab Scratch Tests, Journal of Applied Mechanics, Transactions ASME 88(2) (2021).
  • Akono, Ange-Therese; Werth, Charles J.; Shi, Zhuofan; Jessen, Kristian; Tsotsis, Theodore T., Advanced Geomechanical Model to Predict the Impact of CO2-Induced Microstructural Alterations on the Cohesive-Frictional Behavior of Mt. Simon Sandstone, Minerals 11(1) (2020).