Nancy Ingabire Abayo,

born and raised in Rwanda, earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a B.A. in Geology from Bucknell University in 2019. She then completed her master’s (2022) and Ph.D. (2024) in Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University (NCSU), specializing in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering. During her Ph.D., she also earned Graduate Certificates in Engineering Education and Geographic Information Systems (GIST). Nancy now serves as a tenure-track assistant professor in Civil Engineering at Lafayette College in Easton, PA.
Nancy’s doctoral research focused on improving predictions of liquefaction-induced lateral spreading in granular soils in part by directly incorporating geomorphic variables. Beyond her dissertation work, she was involved in the NSF’s Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) interdisciplinary efforts following the 2021 Nippes Haiti Earthquake, an experience she shared through the ASCE Geo-Institute’s GeoPit Talks. She holds expertise incorporating large spatial data and geologic mechanisms and developing novel and successful laboratory testing programs. Nancy is continuing her work focusing on systematic incorporation and understanding of geologic conditions in the assessment of geologic hazards (e.g., earthquake-induced liquefaction and its consequences) under a changing climate, using both experimental and analytical approaches .
Nancy has been active in the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute’s and the ASCE Geo-Institute’s Student Leadership Councils. After graduations, she continues to volunteer with the Younger Members Committees (ASCE G-I & EERI) and as co-director of the ASCE GeoPoster competitions. Nancy has also been a member of the American Geophysical Union’s Voices for Science, and National Academy of Engineers Grand Challenges Scholar.
Her academic and leadership roles earned her several awards and recognitions, including the American Association of University Women Fellowship, McNamara Education Grant, ASCE Geo-poster Competition Awards, Davis project for peace grant, and NCSU Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.
Passionate about STEM education and science communication, Nancy co-founded Sci-Touche, an initiative aimed at enhancing access to practical STEM education in Rwanda and East Africa. She is excited to join the Africa Material Research Board, where she will continue fostering quality research, and mentorship.