Esther Akinlabi Brings Global Expertise to the Adams State/CSU Mechanical Engineering Program
Article by Macie May, CSU Department of Mechanical EngineeringMarketing Communications Specialist
Professor Esther Akinlabi’s journey to Colorado State University’s Mechanical Engineering Partnership Program at Adams State University is nothing short of extraordinary.
From humble beginnings in a small Nigerian town, Kabba, to leadership roles in South Africa, the United Kingdom, and now the United States, Akinlabi brings a wealth of experience and purpose to her new role as professor and incoming Director of Partnerships for the Adams State/CSU program.
“I come from a very humble background,” Akinlabi said. “My father wanted one of his children to be a medical doctor and one to be an engineer. My brother chose medicine, and my father looked at me and said, ‘You are the engineer.’ From that day, my name in the house changed to ‘my lady engineer.”
Though she initially set out to study civil engineering, Akinlabi was placed in agricultural engineering. Akinlabi tried to swith to civil engineering several times but was denied because she had proven herself as the department’s top student. Her academic excellence continued through a master’s and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, a field she embraced thanks to the encouragement of her husband, Stephen Akinlabi, also a mechanical engineer. Stephen Akinlabi also teaches for the partnership program at Adams State.
Her career has spanned continents and institutions. After teaching in Nigeria, she earned her Ph.D. in South Africa and joined the University of Johannesburg, where she rose from lecturer to full professor and head of the mechanical engineering department. She later served as vice dean for teaching and learning and then as director of the Pan African University Institute of Life and Earth Sciences in Nigeria, a role under the African Union Commission. Most recently, she was deputy faculty pro vice chancellor for research and knowledge exchange at Northumbria University in the UK.
Now, she’s bringing that global perspective to Alamosa, Colorado, home of Adams State University and the CSU partnership.
“I told Christian [CSU’s mechanical engineering department head] that I wouldn’t have any problem living in a small town,” Akinlabi said. “I grew up in one. I adapt quickly, and I love being part of something new.”
That “something new” is the growing mechanical engineering partnership between CSU and Adams State. Akinlabi joined the program in April 2025 and officially stepped into the role of director of partnerships on July 1.
She will serve as the liaison between CSU and Adams State, oversee teaching and lab operations, and lead the program through its upcoming accreditation process.
She plans to teach several courses, including senior design, mechanics of materials, and an elective in additive manufacturing—her research specialty for the past 15 years.
Akinlabi’s passion for teaching is rooted in her childhood. Her mother, a retired deputy principal, often brought her to school to help teach younger students. That early exposure sparked a lifelong love of education.
“I feel fulfilled when I teach and see students nodding in understanding,” she said. “That joy of imparting knowledge—it’s what drives me.”
She is already making an impact in Alamosa. In her first month, she has met with local industry partners, helped finalize senior design projects, and reached out to dozens of prospective students, including international applicants. She even hosted an information session for interested students and continues to provide one-on-one support.
“I love stepping in when something is still new,” she said. “It gives me the chance to contribute, to help shape the program, and to leave a legacy. I’m happy to be here. And I’m ready to help this program thrive.”
