ESPOL’s Faculty of Geosciences Engineering (FICT) hosted the semifinals of 5MinPitch, an academic initiative in which students in the Mining, Petroleum, and Civil Engineering programs presented projects developed in the “Integrative Course” for the first phase of the 2026 Academic Plan (PAO), a stage marking the approach to the end of their university studies. The event was held in person on August 31 for the Civil Engineering program and on September 1 for the Mining and Petroleum Engineering programs.
The 5MinPitch aims to strengthen the communication skills of future professionals so they can clearly and effectively convey their ideas in a maximum of five minutes. The students presented their projects to a panel of experts, putting into practice skills such as technical argumentation, information synthesis, decision-making, and professional communication.
Among the projects selected to advance to the final stage are the Mining proposal “Assessment of Stability at the El Tablón Tailings Pond Using Optical and Radar Remote Sensing,” developed by Pedro Ramírez Correa under the supervision of Silvia Loaiza, Ph.D., Engineer; and the Petroleum Engineering project “Technical-Economic Evaluation of the Implementation of Mechanical Pumping to Optimize Production in Wells in the Sacha Field (Block 60),” carried out by Marco Aspiazu González, under the supervision of Freddy Carrión, M.Sc.;
Two civil engineering projects also made progress: “Hydraulic redesign of the storm sewer system using green infrastructure in the Alborada Phase XIII sector of Guayaquil,” developed by Shirley Alcivar Parrales, under the supervision of Cristian Salas, M.Sc.; and “Design of Water, Sanitation, and Stormwater Networks in Ciudadela Nambo, Salitre Road, Considering Its Four Phases and Integrating GIS and BIM,” carried out by Karolayn Gaibor Yambay and Genesis Cruel Pluas, under the supervision of Rafael Cabrera, M.Sc.
The finalist projects are characterized by their focus on sustainable development and their address of current challenges related to the stability of oil sands, the optimization of oil production, and the design of hydraulic and water sanitation systems.
Through this initiative, FICT strengthens a well-rounded education that combines technical knowledge with the cross-disciplinary skills necessary for professional practice. The 5MinPitch also provides a space for students to connect the knowledge they have acquired during their studies with real-world issues and proposals aimed at sustainable development.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aligned with the projects submitted
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 15: Life on Land
