Acción por el Clima

FICT and CIPAT participated in the 31st International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring, and Management of Air Pollution (Air Pollution 2026), held in Bristol, United Kingdom. During the conference, Jairo Dueñas, M.Sc., presented a study on the spatial and temporal variability of PM2.5 in coastal and urban areas of southern Ecuador during the rainy season; Paúl Carrión, dean of FICT, was among the study’s authors. This participation helped raise the profile of ESPOL’s research and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration on environmental issues.

Researchers and students from FICT participated in the 9th Earth Sciences Conference, presenting studies on water management, geological hazards, and volcanic dynamics in the Galápagos Islands. The research provides tools for sustainable planning, natural hazard management, and decision-making based on scientific evidence, strengthening ESPOL’s presence in one of the country’s leading forums for scientific dissemination.

An international study involving ESPOL assessed the environmental condition of the soil at the Petaquilla mine in Panama more than a decade after its closure. The study identified areas contaminated with heavy metals and hydrocarbons, determined priority areas for restoration, and analyzed the risks to human health, providing key information for the sustainable recovery of areas affected by mining activity.

Researchers and technical staff from FICT and CIPAT participated in an international event organized by UNESCO and the European RESILIAGE project at the Tungurahua Volcano Geopark. The event fostered the exchange of knowledge on community resilience, heritage, risk management, and climate change adaptation through workshops and visits to vulnerable areas.

FICT and CIPAT strengthened their cooperation with the Santa Elena Prefecture to promote risk management and land-use planning initiatives, working on the development of maps showing susceptibility to flooding and landslides; they also presented the progress made on the Santa Elena Peninsula Geopark project and highlighted initiatives that promote conservation, research, and sustainable development in the province.

Researchers at FICT-ESPOL published a study proposing bipolar membrane electrodialysis as an innovative alternative for capturing CO₂ from various types of water; the results show lower energy consumption compared to conventional technologies and open up new opportunities for sustainable applications and carbon reuse in the face of climate change.

FICT research has developed a model based on neural networks and life-cycle analysis to assess the environmental impacts of potato production in Ecuador. The study found that the use of drones for agricultural monitoring and fertilization reduces emissions, fossil fuel consumption, and eutrophication, promoting more sustainable and efficient agriculture.

FICT kicked off the third cohort of the Master’s in Earth Sciences with a welcome session during which 14 students were introduced to the academic structure, the faculty, the research areas, and the infrastructure available to support their studies. The program strengthens specialized training in geosciences and prepares professionals to address challenges related to sustainability, environmental management, and natural resource management.

ESPOL's FICT participated in a study published in a Q1 journal that uses InSAR technology and Sentinel-1 data to analyze the deformation of volcanoes in northern Ecuador. The results demonstrate the potential of these techniques to strengthen volcanic monitoring and risk management through non-invasive tools.

FICT ESPOL professor Carola Gordillo, Ph.D., will participate as an international speaker at CILA Monterrey 2026, where she will present a technical analysis on sustainable and climate-resilient road infrastructure; her participation strengthens the presence of Ecuadorian civil engineering in international forums on research, innovation, and road sustainability.