Over his lifetime, Akerly contributed to medical and scientific periodicals, was active in institutions for the education of both deaf and blind people.

[8] Besides his work on the education of the deaf and blind, he was interested in a variety of scientific disciplines including conchology, entomology,[9] geology, and ichthyology.

In 1829, he was on a committee led by Albert Gallatin that promoted common schools in Greece, in the immediate aftermath of the Greek War of Independence.

In 1817, he was an assistant to the aldermen of the New York City Council, and in that capacity supported a proposal for gas lighting for downtown Manhattan.

[18][1] Akerly was brother-in-law to United States Senator Samuel L. Mitchellwho founded the New York Academy of Sciences.