Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral hosted its traditional Open House 2026, an institutional outreach event designed to provide career guidance to thousands of prospective high school graduates. Within this framework, the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) stood out with an interactive, hands-on experience, bridging foundational science, agricultural engineering, and public health for future polytechnic students.
The faculty welcomed student delegations across dynamic interactive booths developed by the Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Biology, and Nutrition and Dietetics undergraduate programs, complemented by guided tours of the faculty's biological process laboratories:
Agricultural and Biological Engineering: Prospective students explored career pathways and industry opportunities in applied agricultural engineering. The exhibit featured "Getting to Know Insects," utilizing biological specimens to illustrate their roles in agroecosystems and biological pest control, and concluded with "Toss & Win," an interactive board quiz reinforcing key agricultural concepts.
Biology: High schoolers explored the day-to-day work of biologists through botanical collections, microbiological specimens, and field-course photographic records from subjects such as Biogeography and Botany (herbarium collections), alongside experimental projects from the Microideas initiative. The booth also featured "FungiMatch," a timed memory game where students paired fungal species to discover the biodiversity of the kingdom Fungi.
Nutrition and Dietetics: Under the banner “Test Your Strength and Win!”, the program conducted real-time handgrip strength assessments using hand dynamometers, comparing readings against age-specific standard reference ranges. This activity was paired with an educational session on muscle mass and balanced nutrition, supported by food replica models and the healthy plate nutritional framework.
The guided tours through FLS biological process laboratories gave prospective students an up-close look at the advanced scientific infrastructure, experimental workflows, and biotechnology platforms used to train professionals who drive sustainability and public well-being across Ecuador.
