On August 12, 2026, students from the Invertebrate Zoology course at the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) conducted a technical visit to the facilities of the National Center for Aquaculture and Marine Research (CENAIM). The visit was organized by Ana Tirapé, Ph.D., and teaching technician Michelle Vela, Biologist, during an intensive session held from 09:30 to 14:30.
As part of the practical activities designed to complement classroom learning, students from the Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) participated in a technical field visit to an organic banana plantation currently being established in the Santa Elena Peninsula. The tour was guided and supervised by professor José Rivas, Ph.D., who accompanied the future professionals throughout the day of observation and hands-on learning in the field.
The Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) hosted a visit from Matthias Gaberthuel, Andressa Lemus, and Damir Ivacic, international executives from Syngenta, as part of the research and development projects currently being executed through this joint partnership.
In Ecuador, bananas are much more than just a fruit; they are the heart of our agricultural economy, representing approximately 2% of the national GDP. However, the shadow of Banana Fusarium Wilt (Tropical Race 4)—a persistent and devastating fungus—poses a constant threat. In this scenario, prevention is not just an option; it is a necessity for survival.
With the aim of ensuring the safety of bivalve mollusks and opening new commercial opportunities for local harvesting communities, the induction and technical evaluation sessions for the DEPUREMOS project ("Mollusc Depuration in Ecuador for Food Safety and Market Expansion") were successfully conducted.
In the heart of the San Vicente community, within the Yaguachi canton, the Life Sciences Faculty (LFS) took a significant step toward agricultural modernization. In collaboration with the Maquita organization, the workshop "Technological Tools in Agriculture" was held—an initiative designed to bridge the digital divide in the rural sector.
On February 7th, students from the second cohort of the Master’s program in Modernized Irrigation and Fertigation participated in the specialized workshop: "Planning and Design of Pumping Systems for Agro-industrial Irrigation."
On September 17, 2025, the official launch of the project “Mollusk Depuration in Ecuador for Food Security and Market Expansion” took place. This initiative is driven by the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) and Ghent University (UGent), with the support of the Technical University of Machala, the Technical University of Manabí, and the State University of Southern Manabí.
The Faculty of Life Sciences at ESPOL hosted the thesis defense sessions for the first cohort of the Master’s Program in Plant Health. The evaluating committee—composed of Dr. Adriana Santos, the respective tutors for each student, and the program coordinator, Dr. Lisbeth Espinoza—assessed seven master’s candidates who presented their degree projects, contributing innovative proposals for the sustainable agricultural development of the country.
