Salud y bienestar

On April 13, ESPOL hosted a talk titled “Water for Human Consumption,” an event designed to encourage reflection on the importance of consuming high-quality water. The session covered technical topics such as pH measurement and featured a presentation on the Agua ESPOL project, highlighting its contribution to the campus’s water management. The event strengthened knowledge on health and sustainability issues, promoting collaborative work among faculty, researchers, and administrators.

A recent study analyzed groundwater quality in the Ecuadorian Amazon, revealing important information about the presence of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and their potential implications for human health. The research, published in MDPI’s scientific journal Sustainability, evaluated 161 water samples from domestic wells located in the provinces of Sucumbíos and Orellana, areas where a large portion of the population relies on groundwater for daily consumption.

Researchers from FICT-ESPOL conducted a study on occupational exposure to heavy metals and agrochemicals in the Santa Rosa canton, providing evidence to support occupational risk prevention in agricultural settings.

Graduates from the Master's of Civil Engineering Degree at FICT-ESPOL participated in a community outreach program on septic tank maintenance, disseminating information to prevent waterborne diseases and promote safe sanitation in the community.

The Advisory Board of the STARS project, funded by Erasmus+ and led by the University of Lisbon, brought together entities from Ecuador and Colombia, with the participation of ESPOL and other universities, to strengthen training and cooperation in disaster risk management.

ESPOL, through FICT, seeks to promote a strategic alliance aimed at strengthening access to drinking water and sanitation in Ecuador. The initiative seeks to coordinate efforts between academia, the public sector, and technical actors to develop sustainable solutions, promote applied research, and support decision-making, contributing to improving the quality of life and the efficient management of water resources in the country.

FICT-ESPOL and Corporación Agua para Todos are strengthening their strategic alliance to implement advanced water treatment technologies, bridging the gap between academic scientific rigor and the corporate sector's operational needs. This partnership not only drives sustainable solutions for water access in communities (SDGs 6 and 17) but also transforms our students' education by allowing them to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios, enhancing their technical judgment and social responsibility before graduation.

Petroleum engineering students from ESPOL went on a field trip to the San Rafael Commune to strengthen good mining practices, with an emphasis on environmental management and occupational safety. The activity allowed them to evaluate local practices, identify risks and opportunities for improvement, and contribute to the promotion of safer, more responsible, and sustainable mining through community outreach activities.

ESPOL’s FICT welcomed Luke Bockelmann, a student from Universidad del Norte (Colombia), to share innovations in pavement diagnostics through video processing. This technical and academic activity optimizes road conservation while strengthening the Faculty’s internationalization and global collaboration indicators.

Ecuador faces significant risks to public health and the economy due to its high volcanic activity, particularly from ash fall. The study proposes an integrated One Health approach to strengthen risk management and the health system’s response.