Industria, Innovación e Infraestructura

Professor and researcher Natividad García Troncoso, Ph.D., of FICT–ESPOL, was appointed as an Early Career Editorial Board Member of the journal *Construction and Building Materials* (Q1/D1), a recognition that highlights her scientific career and strengthens the faculty’s international presence in high-impact research networks.

FICT receives specialized instructional materials from Tecnovoladuras S.A. to strengthen the practical training of mining students through resources focused on drilling and blasting. The initiative includes future training programs and reinforces the collaboration between FICT and the private sector to develop technical skills aligned with the needs of the mining industry.

FICT–ESPOL launched the SLB–ESPOL Chairs, an online training program designed to enhance students’ knowledge of reservoir engineering through specialized modules and support from industry experts. The initiative strengthens the collaboration between academia and the hydrocarbon sector to promote the training of future professionals.

FICT and UTEQ strengthened their ties of academic, scientific, and technological cooperation by promoting joint projects, exchanging expertise, and undertaking research initiatives aimed at generating practical solutions for the country’s sustainable development.

Students in the Petroleum Engineering program deepened their knowledge of artificial lift systems, fault diagnosis, and satellite monitoring as they apply to oil well performance through a technical seminar organized in collaboration with Halliburton and the SPE-ESPOL Student Chapter. The event promoted the exchange of experiences with industry professionals and provided an update on technologies that help optimize hydrocarbon production.

FICT–ESPOL held an academic outreach event at educational institutions in Zaruma to introduce high school students to the world of geosciences through hands-on activities related to geology and mining. The initiative promoted career guidance, scientific outreach, and the strengthening of ties between the university and the community.

The SPE–ESPOL Student Chapter held a technical presentation titled “Production Optimization Through Re-fracturing and Stimulation,” aimed at students in the Petroleum Engineering program at FICT. The presentation provided insight into techniques used in the industry to optimize hydrocarbon production and strengthened the link between academic training and professional practice.

Professors and researchers Andrés Velástegui and Priscila Valverde were selected as Early-Career Editorial Board Members for international scientific journals indexed in Scopus and ranked in the Q1 quartile, thereby strengthening FICT-ESPOL’s presence in high-impact academic networks. Their appointment to these editorial boards will contribute to the management and dissemination of scientific knowledge, as well as to the strengthening of international research collaboration.

Researchers at FICT–ESPOL developed an innovative methodology that uses dipolar acoustic logs to generate synthetic capillary pressure curves and characterize reservoirs with limited data. Published in *Scientific Reports*, the study provides a tool to support reservoir engineering and strengthens applied research in the energy sector.

Students and professors from the Petroleum Engineering program at FICT–ESPOL conducted a technical visit to old oil wells in San José de Ancón to assess their heritage value. The activity reinforced the students’ practical training and provided technical criteria to promote the preservation of industrial heritage and the development of a heritage trail.