Interview with 2024 ICE Award winner for Géotechnique Letters

We are delighted to feature an interview with Professor Nakano, the winner of the 2024 ICE Best Paper Award for Géotechnique Letters. This recognition celebrates outstanding academic research that advances the field of geotechnical engineering. Her work explores sustainable soil stabilization using bio-mediated techniques. In this brief conversation, the author shares insights into their award-winning work, the motivation behind it, the challenges of integrating biology into geotechnics, her vision for future interdisciplinary research, and her experience publishing with ICE Publishing and Emerald.

Professor Nakano Congratulations on your recent award! 
You are the recipient of 2024 Géotechnique Letters Best Paper for article ‘Sand improvement by microbial-induced carbonate precipitation with casein micelles’. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your background for our readers?

Thank you very much. I am Akiko Nakano, an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University in Japan. My research focuses on environmental geotechnics, and in recent years, I have particularly concentrated on Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP), a bio-mediated ground improvement technique. I aim to develop sustainable soil stabilization methods using microbial functions and naturally derived materials.

What inspired the research behind your award-winning paper, and what key question were you aiming to answer? 

I have long been interested in MICP as a ground improvement technique. However, practical implementation of MICP still faces several technical challenges. To address these issues, I drew inspiration from natural biomineralization processes, which are known to produce structurally controlled and functionally optimized mineral phases. Unlike simple chemical precipitation, biomineralization is governed by complex biochemical interactions involving microbial metabolic activity, organic matrices such as proteins and polysaccharides, and inorganic ions like phosphate and calcium. The key question I aimed to explore was how I can incorporate insights from biomineralization to enhance the mechanical performance of bio-cemented soils in MICP applications. 

Were there any unexpected challenges or discoveries during your research process?

Yes, one of the biggest challenges was working with biological materials such as microorganisms, proteins, and amino acids. As a researcher in geoenvironmental engineering, handling these new experimental materials required me to step outside my comfort zone and acquire new knowledge and techniques. It was both challenging and exciting to integrate biological elements into soil engineering. An unexpected discovery was the significant role some additives like casein peptone in the medium played in influencing the morphology and distribution of calcium carbonate crystals, which in turn improved the strength of the bio-cemented sand. 

How do you envision your findings influencing future research or real-world applications?

While my findings suggest that organic matrices such as proteins and peptides could potentially contribute to improved control over calcium carbonate precipitation in MICP, I am fully aware that applying such methods to real-world geotechnical engineering remains challenging. There is still much to understand about how these biomolecules interact with mineral formation under varying environmental conditions. At this stage, I am cautious about drawing direct lines to practical application. I hope that, through continued interdisciplinary research and conversations with geotechnical engineers, we can gradually explore the practical relevance and limitations of such approaches in real-world settings.

What motivated you to choose ICE Publishing/Emerald and Géotechnique Letters as the platform for sharing your research?

Géotechnique Letters is well-known for its rapid and high-quality publication of impactful research in geotechnical engineering. ICE Publishing provides a strong platform to disseminate innovative work, and I felt it was the best choice to share my findings with both academic and professional audiences.

What are the next steps in your research or academic career? Are there any emerging areas or interdisciplinary connections you are excited to explore?

I plan to continue exploring the use of natural and waste-derived materials for sustainable soil and water treatment. I’m also excited to deepen interdisciplinary collaborations—with experts in fields such as food science, environmental chemistry, and data science—to better understand and simulate the complex biochemical processes involved in MICP. These cross-disciplinary efforts will be key to advancing both the scientific understanding and practical applications of bio-based ground improvement.

What advice would you give to early-career researchers or students hoping to make a meaningful impact in academia?

Stay curious and persistent. Research often involves trial and error, but each challenge is a learning opportunity. Collaborate widely and seek feedback from others.

Thank you for sharing your insights, and congratulations once again on this well-deserved recognition.

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Professor Nakano's award winning article, 'Sand improvement by microbial-induced carbonate precipitation with casein micelles' published in Volume 14, Issue 3 of Géotechnique Letters, will be free to read for a year.  All Geotechnique Letters issues are available on the ICE Virtual Library.

For more awards on related engineering subjects, please visit ICE Publishing Awards.