Under the motto "Diving for Science," various stakeholders from the underwater community gathered on February 5th for the "Noche de Buzos Ecuador" (Divers' Night Ecuador) event. This initiative, designed as an integration space for professionals and ocean enthusiasts, focused on the exchange of knowledge regarding the preservation of marine ecosystems.
The Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS) at ESPOL successfully held the 5minpitch semifinals, a high-level competition where students from the Nutrition, Biology, and Agricultural Engineering programs tested their synthesis skills, strategic vision, and scientific rigor.
In this forum, designed for future professionals to present their capstone projects in just five minutes, two winning teams per program were selected to represent the faculty in the grand final during the upcoming Feria Idear.
In a key meeting for the strengthening of Ecuadorian agriculture, authorities from the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL)—including María Isabel Jiménez Ph.D. (Dean of FLS), Ramón Espinel Ph.D. (Director of CIR), Freddy Magdama Ph.D. (CIBE Researcher-Professor), Paúl Herrera Ph.D. (Researcher-Professor), and representatives from the Research Results Transfer Office (OTRI)—received Econ. Richard Salazar, Executive Director of the Association of Banana Marketing and Export (ACORBANEC).
Quito – In a decisive step for public health and the guarantee of children's rights, the official establishment of the Technical Commission of the National Council for Breastfeeding (CONALMA) took place. This body serves as a fundamental pillar to coordinate inter-institutional actions aimed at guaranteeing, protecting, and promoting breastfeeding, ratifying it as an essential human right in the country.
With a successful turnout of 44 attendees, the Faculty of Life Sciences (FCV) became the epicenter of technical discussion regarding primate preservation in the country. The "Primatology and Conservation Workshop in Ecuador," organized by Dr. Gustavo A. Domínguez (ESPOL) and Dr. Grecia Robles Mota (Parque Histórico), brought together students, professionals, and researchers for a day of high scientific rigor.
The Faculty of Life Sciences (FCV) reaffirmed its commitment to community health through its active participation in the Intersectoral Tables of the Tarqui Parish, which were held monthly throughout 2025. This initiative, led by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), coordinates efforts between academia and the public sector to address nutritional and epidemiological issues in the area.
With the firm goal of narrowing the gap between academia and the productive sector, the Life Sciences Faculty (LFS) hosted an intensive corporate engagement session. The event brought together students from the Biology and Agricultural Engineering programs with representatives from leading companies to explore the competencies and professional profiles currently demanded by the global market.
Our research technician, León Vergara, represented Ecuador at the 21st edition of the International Conference on Harmful Algae (ICHA 2025), the most prominent global scientific event dedicated to the study of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).
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.
On June 26, biologist Michelle Vela, a teaching technician from the Faculty of Life Sciences (FCV) at ESPOL, gave a talk to the university community regarding her participation in the regional training course on Blue Carbon and nuclear and isotopic techniques for coastal ecosystem management, held in Cayo Santa María and the city of Cienfuegos, Cuba.
