Dr. Aniekan Okon
University of Uyo
Spring 2022
Dr. Aniekan Akpan Okon is a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO). A Spring 2022 MIT-ETT Fellow, he is a researcher in Thermo-fluids and Energy Conversion, with a specific focus on Gas Turbine Combustion and Alternative Fuels. His research addresses the critical challenge of power generation efficiency in Nigeria. He specializes in investigating Multi-Fuel Blends, particularly the use of “Syngas” (synthesis gas) and hydrogen-enriched methane in gas turbines. By using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), he models how these alternative fuels burn under various conditions, aiming to design combustors that produce fewer emissions while maintaining high power output. Dr. Okon holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. His work is highly collaborative, featuring significant research partnerships with international institutions like Cardiff University, UK, where he has co-authored papers on “swirl premixed combustors” and carbon dioxide-enriched methane blends. Following his fellowship at MIT, Dr. Okon has been vocal about the need for “Global Vision” in Nigerian academia. He credits the ETT program with shifting his perspective from local constraints to global developmental trends. He now integrates Problem-Based Learning into his thermodynamics courses, challenging students to design energy systems that are not just theoretically sound but practically viable for the Nigerian context.
