About Us

“Entre Géosciences et Chimie” (EGC) is a seminar series that serve as an interdisciplinary platform for researchers within Materials Chemistry and Geosciences. Since 2015, this event has been organized annually at the University of Yaoundé I main Campus.

Home: Research

Conference themes

The objective of the EGC seminar series is to promote the research at the interface of Materials Chemistry and Geosciences both at the local and international level. The event also seeks to bring together academic scientists, researchers and research scholars; to create an open space for discussion, networking and collaboration. Participants get a chance to present their research to colleagues of the same or similar fields, receive positive feedback and constructive criticism about their research. The seminar focuses on the following themes:

Geochemistry, Genesis of Geomaterials, Mineralization and Metallurgy
Welcomes studies that emphasises material geochemistry and its implications on material genesis. Mineralisation aspects of mineral ore formation and their valorisation through metallurgical processes are also welcome.

Inorganic Materials; Composite and hybrid materials
In this area, studies dealing with the synthesis and application of inorganic materials are welcomed. Material design and development for particular end-uses including composites or hybrid materials and frontier studies are also welcomed.

Archaeometry
Focuses on the characterisation of archaeological materials and artifacts: ceramics, slags, metals, pigments and lithics using geochemical, mineralogical and chemical analytic techniques to understand their structure, composition, origin, resources exploitation and production techniques

Natural Geomaterials: Characterization; Evaluation and Valorisation
Focuses on the study, characterisation of naturally occurring materials (geomaterials) and their evaluation/quantification for key developmental projects.

Hydrology, Water Resources, Water Treatment and Environmental Pollution
Water and environmental issues are two major interest in the current context of climate change. The development of knowledge on water resources and water management is of interest and this implies taking in account water pollution. Under this theme EGC welcomes research focusing on water resources and water management; pollution of the environment and the remediation solutions.

Meet The Team

Founder

Pr. MBEY Jean Aimé

Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Yaounde 1

Email : mbey25@yahoo.fr

jean-aime.mbey@facsciences-uy1.cm

Web of Science Researcher ID A-5559-2012
0000-0002-3519-7136

Jean Aimé MBEY is a graduate of the University of Yaounde 1 and holder of a PhD in Geosciences from the University of Lorraine. He is working in the field of materials and he is interested by the understanding of the interface/interphase interactions on composite material properties. He is currently involved in the development of exfoliated/delaminated kaolinite, via intercalation-desintercalation process, for an improve used of kaolinite as filler in eco-friendly (nano)composite materials and for environmental remediation applications. He is co-author of twenty three research articles. He served as reviewer for several peer review journals indexed by the Web of Science.

Field of Expertise: Composite materials, Clay based materials, Interphase/interface interactions

Member

Pr NDJIGUI Paul-Désiré

Department of Geosciences, University of Yaounde I

E-mail: lndjigui@yahoo.fr
• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8574-7426
• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul-Desire-Ndjigui

Ndjigui Paul-Désiré is a holder of PhD in Geosciences from the University of Yaounde 1 in 2008 and holder of a French Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR) from Lorraine University in 2012 finance by an AUF grant. He is specialized in in Geosciences of Sub-surface Formations and his research includes provenance and valorization of clay materials, Petrology of sedimentary materials, Geological investigation of rare metals and Petrology of laterite. He is co-author of more than 80 articles amongst which about 64 are published in journals indexed in the web of science. He has served as a reviewer for renowned journals in geosciences such as Geoderma, Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Journal of Paleogeography, Sedimentary Geology… Prof Ndjigui has supervised 15 PhD theses and is the Head of Department of Geosciences at the University of Yaounde 1. He is also the Coordinator of the Doctorate Research Unit for Geosciences and Applications at the Post-graduate School of Sciences, Technology and Geosciences (CFRD-STG) of the University of Yaounde 1. He is a Fellow of the Cameroon Academy of Science.

Reseacrh projects:

2003-2007: Member of the writing and implementation committee of the International Geological Correlations Program N° 479 funded by UNESCO. Project title: ‘’Sustainable Use of the Platinum-Group Elements in the 21st Century: Risks and opportunities’’.

Member

Dr Epossi Ntah Zoila-Kroll

Department of Arts and Archaeology, University of Yaounde I

Zoila Epossi is chemist and holder of a PhD Degree in Archaeometry from the University of Leipzig in Germany. She specializes on the technology and provenance study of archaeological artefacts, mainly ceramics but also slags and lithics, by using X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, FT-Infrared spectroscopy, thermal analyses DTA/TG, polarized optical microscopy, 3D scanner, 3D profilometer. She currently the Head of Section of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage at the department of Arts and Archaeology/ Faculty of Arts Letters and Social Sciences/ University of Yaounde 1.

Reseacrh projects:

Archaeometallurgical study of slags from Ndom - Cameroon (West central Africa).
Bantu Homeland: Obobogo and Shum Laka sites from Cameroon – Archaeometric analysis of ceramic and lithic fragments as a source of information for technology transfer and transformations.
Petrographic, mineralogical and chemical investigations of archaeological ceramics from three sites in the Lekie division, Central Cameroon: Provenance study.

Member

Dr MACHE Jacques Richard

Department of Mining Engineering, School of Geology and Mining Engineering, University of Ngaoundere

E-mail : jamache@yahoo.fr / jrmache@gmail.com

Web of Science Researcher ID AAG-8589-2020
ORCID 0000-0003-2293-4587

Jacques Richard MACHE is a graduate of the University of Yaounde 1 and holder of a PhD in Sciences from the University of Liège (Belgium) and PhD in Physico-chemical Mineral Materials from the University of Yaounde1. He is working in the field of materials and he
is interested by the understanding of the microstructural and thermo-mechanical properties of materials. He is currently involved in the valorization of local resources (clay, laterite, lime, biomass…) for the design and promotion of new efficient, accessible and eco-responsible building materials in the Sudano-Sahelian Cameroonian area. He is coauthor of twenty research articles.
Field of Expertise: Clay based materials, building materials, stabilization, microstructural properties, thermo-mechanical properties

Member

Dr CHE Randy NANGAH

Research officer, Local Materials Promotion Authority, Cameroon

Randy obtained her PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Yaounde I. Her background is in Chemistry and Materials Sciences, with specific interest in adsorption, modelling of inorganic systems, nanomaterial synthesis, XRD and Structure refinement. Her Primary research interest lies in the design of design of multifunctional nanoporous membranes for drinking water purification to address issues relating to providing safe drinking water in Cameroon.

She is a scholar of the Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI); in 2017, she was awarded a PAMI Scholar Travel Fellowship to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA to conduct part of her PhD research. She has participated and presented her research in several international conferences. Because her passion for science is geometric, she volunteers with the OWSD Cameroon National Chapter as General Secretary, a group that focuses on promoting female participation and leadership in STEM. She is also a member of the Cameroon Crystallography Association.

As the Chief of the Vocational Training Centre at MIPROMALO, she is actively engaged in imparting technical and entrepreneurial skills to students, to prepare them to create start-up companies that utilizes locally sourced materials.

She has a passion to drive change through research and innovation, and aspire to be a part of a community that drives world-class science and remove barriers to innovation.

Current project: ‘Production and dissemination of innovations and development of the digital culture in ecological construction in Cameroon’, grant awarded by l’Institut de la Francophonie pour le Development Durable (IFDD) the completion of which will introduce fifteen (15) innovations in sustainable construction materials, equipment and digital tools in Cameroon. Role: project member.

Member

Prof EMADAK Alphonse

Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1,

Cameroon

Alphonse Emadak is a quantum chemist, with a PhD in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry from the University of Yaounde I (2006). Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at the same university.

Prof Emadak's research focuses on the fascinating world of stereoisomerism in various molecules. He utilizes advanced mathematical tools like graph theory, group theory, and combinatorics to understand and predict these unique spatial arrangements of atoms. Additionally, he leverages computational Chemistry power to delve deeper, analyzing the energy profiles of entire molecular families and meticulously categorizing them based on their physicochemical properties.

Beyond his core research, Prof Emadak's passion extends to Environmental Chemistry. His involvement in infrastructure projects, such as dam development, fuels his exploration of this critical area. He also brings his expertise to the field of radiation safety, having served as a consultant for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Prof Emadak is a prolific author, contributing to numerous scientific publications across diverse research fields.

Member

Dr Noel DJOBO YANKWA

Research officer, Local Materials Promotion Authority, Cameroon

Research Associate in Low-Carbon Construction, Imperial College London, UK

Noel's research interest is in building materials and construction Chemistry with a focus on the decarbonisation of the building materials sector and improving their affordability. His research mainly lies in the development of methods for processing natural resources and industrial by-products (clay, volcanic rock, lateritic soil, rice husk, etc.) to synthesize low-carbon building materials with tailored properties for applications in insulation or natural cooling of buildings, energy storage, and reducing the cost of building infrastructure in low-income countries. The products developed include but are not limited to:

Low carbon cement (Ternary and blended cement)
Alternative cement or novel cement chemistry (geopolymer, alkali-activated material, phosphate cement, magnesium silicate cement).
Earthen-based construction materials (Stabilized Compressed Earth bricks, Earth concrete).

Noel's research has had a great impact as he has many times been listed among the world's top 1% of highly cited scientists on a single recent year impact (https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6). Noel has received several prestigious fellowships and awards including the TWAS-CSIR postgraduate fellowship and the Alexander Von Humboldt postdoctoral fellowship.

He is a member of many scientific societies including the German Chemical Society, the American Chemical Society, and RILEM (The International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems, and Structures). He is also an Affiliate fellow of the African Academy of Science (https://aasciences.africa/affiliate/175), a reviewer for several Q1 SCI journals and a member of an independent review committee for PASET- RSIF PhD scholarships (Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology-Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund). He is currently an associate editor of the journal of the American Ceramic Society.

Member

Mr TATANG Herve Barye

Master in Inorganic Chemistry (University of Yaounde 1)
option: Mineral Materials Sciences

Young committed and passionate Cameroonian researcher, I work in the field of clay-based materials, with a particular emphasis on nanocomposites. My recent research work focuses on the exfoliation/delamination of kaolinites for their application as mineral fillers within polymer matrices. In doing so, I hope to decipher the underlying processes that enable their optimal exploitation.

Member

Mr ENOCK EMBOM Christophe

Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I.

Christophe ENOCK EMBOM is a PhD student at the Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I. He is a Geotechnical Geologist. He is interested in soil and rock materials and their use in construction, specifically in the fields of building and roads. He is also interested in the fields of Cartography and Remote Sensing. He is currently fascinated by questions related to interactions in matter and their impact on mechanical, thermal and hygric performances.

Past Events

EGC-1	EGC-2	EGC-3
EGC-5	GEC-4

About Us

Conference themes

Geochemistry, Genesis of Geomaterials, Mineralization and Metallurgy Welcomes studies that emphasises material geochemistry and its implications on material genesis. Mineralisation aspects of mineral ore formation and their valorisation through metallurgical processes are also welcome.

Inorganic Materials; Composite and hybrid materials In this area, studies dealing with the synthesis and application of inorganic materials are welcomed. Material design and development for particular end-uses including composites or hybrid materials and frontier studies are also welcomed.

Natural Geomaterials: Characterization; Evaluation and Valorisation Focuses on the study, characterisation of naturally occurring materials (geomaterials) and their evaluation/quantification for key developmental projects.

Meet The Team

Past Events

EGC-1

EGC-2

EGC-3

EGC-5

GEC-4

Geochemistry, Genesis of Geomaterials, Mineralization and Metallurgy
Welcomes studies that emphasises material geochemistry and its implications on material genesis. Mineralisation aspects of mineral ore formation and their valorisation through metallurgical processes are also welcome.

Inorganic Materials; Composite and hybrid materials
In this area, studies dealing with the synthesis and application of inorganic materials are welcomed. Material design and development for particular end-uses including composites or hybrid materials and frontier studies are also welcomed.

Natural Geomaterials: Characterization; Evaluation and Valorisation
Focuses on the study, characterisation of naturally occurring materials (geomaterials) and their evaluation/quantification for key developmental projects.