Professor Sergi Nuss, a researcher from the University of Girona, visited the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) with the aim of strengthening academic and scientific cooperation strategies focused on providing high-level training for students in the Faculty of Geosciences Engineering (FICT). The agenda included working meetings aimed at promoting joint initiatives in research and community engagement.
During his visit, the researcher met with representatives from the FICT and the Center for Research and Projects Applied to Earth Sciences (CIPAT), addressing topics related to landscapes, water resources, and solid waste management. These areas constitute priority lines for sustainable development and the generation of applied knowledge that provides solutions to territorial and environmental issues.
On March 12, 2026, together with the dean of FICT, Paúl Carrión, Ph.D., a tour was conducted at the UNESCO Manglaralto River-Aquifer System Ecohydrology Demonstration Site in Santa Elena, Ecuador, which is coordinated by Emily Sánchez, M.Sc., a researcher at CIPAT. At this site, results were presented from research and outreach projects developed jointly by FICT and other academic and research units at ESPOL, initiatives that benefit approximately 30,000 residents by strengthening sustainable water resource management.
At FICT, Joselyne Solorzano, Ph.D. (c), coordinator of the Geology program, welcomed the researcher from the University of Girona and presented him with institutional documents related to cooperation initiatives, as well as gifts from the university. The researcher is part of the CYTED SbN-GIA Network, an international organization that promotes the development of nature-based solutions, an area in which ESPOL participates through its research and outreach group.
The visit contributes to strengthening international academic partnerships and promotes the exchange of specialized knowledge, benefiting student education, the development of interdisciplinary research, and the creation of sustainable solutions with an impact on society.
