ESPOL’s Faculty of Geosciences Engineering (FICT) conducted its third field trip and community service day in the municipality of San Rafael, Santa Elena Province, on August 21, 2026. The activity involved students from the Civil Engineering and Mining Engineering programs as part of their community service internships.
The event provided an opportunity to connect the technical knowledge acquired in the classroom with needs identified directly in the field. The students worked on projects related to roads, hydraulics, and sanitation by observing existing conditions, gathering information, and interacting with the community’s residents.
Civil engineering students, along with their professors, went door-to-door to share recommendations with the community on road safety and the management, construction, operation, and maintenance of septic tanks. These activities aimed to provide residents with access to technical information and promote best practices related to infrastructure and sanitation.
For their part, students in the Mining program conducted a topographic survey using a drone to obtain a high-resolution orthophoto of the study area. This product, along with the topographic data generated, will serve as input for verifying the physical conditions of the roads, identifying terrain features, and generating contour lines that will allow for an analysis of their configuration and characteristics. The information collected may contribute to the territorial assessment and the development of future solutions.
The work on sanitation was particularly important given the need to strengthen knowledge about the proper management of septic systems, considering the importance of their operation and maintenance in reducing health and environmental risks.
The third visit is part of an ongoing collaboration with the municipality of San Rafael, in which academic training is integrated with community service. The experience helped strengthen both the students’ technical skills and their ability to communicate engineering recommendations in a way that is understandable and relevant to the community.
Authorities and representatives:
Luis Sánchez, Ph.D., Engineer – Program Director
Cristian Salas, M.Sc., Engineer – Director of the Septic Tank Project (visit coordinator)
Guillermo Muñoz, M.Sc., Engineer – Director of the Road Safety Project (visit coordinator)
Walter Hurtares, M.Sc., Engineer – Civil Engineering Instructor, Advisor.
Nadia Lagasca, M.Sc. – Mining Engineering Instructor, Advisor.
Ingrid Orta Zambrano, M.Sc. – Civil Engineering Instructor, Advisor.
Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs
SDG 4: Quality Education. For integrating hands-on learning, community service, and knowledge transfer into vocational training.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. For community education activities related to the management and maintenance of septic systems and basic sanitation.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. For contributing to an understanding of infrastructure conditions and the development of future alternatives to improve the community environment.
