As part of our 20 years as an institution, our Guayaquil Campus hosted a historic meeting between academia and the Ministry of Environment. Reaffirming our deep commitment to caring for nature and in line with ECOTEC’s Environmental Policy —aimed at preventing, mitigating and reducing the ecological impact of all our activities— we presented the book “Memorias de Restauración: Ciencia, Comunidad y Vida en el Estero Salado” (Restoration Memories: Science, Community and Life in the Estero Salado), a work that documents the bioremediation and eco-restoration project of this vital ecosystem.
A letter of intent with the Ministry of Environment
One of the highlights of the event was the signing of a letter of intent between Universidad Tecnológica ECOTEC and the Ministry of Environment and Energy. The purpose of this letter is to set out the will and firm commitment of both parties to continue the steps needed to later sign a specific inter-institutional cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening scientific research, innovation, sustainability and environmental management.
The event was attended by distinguished authorities: Dr. Joaquín Hernández Alvarado, President of ECOTEC; Alicia Jaramillo Cabo, M.A., Vice Minister of Environment and Marine-Coastal Affairs; and the Governor of Guayas, José Arévalo, among other academic authorities.
Res Non Verba: restoring the Estero Salado through action
True to our institutional motto Res Non Verba —deeds, not words— our president, Dr. Joaquín Hernández Alvarado, highlighted the scope of this contribution: “We are delivering with deeds, not words, thanks to the work of our researchers. The launch of our book comes at an important moment for our university. We are turning 20, and we are presenting it in a book: the bioremediation of the Estero Salado.” In his remarks, he also made an emphatic call to society not to litter or pollute the environment, raising awareness of the environmental impact this has and reminding everyone that we must all care for these spaces, whose conditions have improved significantly.
During the event, Vice Minister Jaramillo highlighted the value of this inter-institutional alliance: “The Estero Salado has gone hand in hand with the history and growth of Guayaquil. Today, thanks to science, academia and ECOTEC’s firm commitment, we are opening a path toward its recovery. We receive this record with deep gratitude.”
Researcher Roberto Luque added: “The recovery of the Estero Salado is not just an environmental challenge, but a historic commitment for the country. The launch of this book clearly shows how academia, through scientific rigor, becomes the strategic ally the State needs to design tangible and effective solutions.”
New lines of research in the Estero Salado
Building on this foundation, ECOTEC has expanded the project into a comprehensive restoration concept that includes non-invasive environmental monitoring, camera traps and sensors, microplastics studies and the evaluation of vegetated floating islands. These actions consolidate new lines of research and open great opportunities for faculty and students to take part, an effort praised by the Vice Minister: “I want to congratulate this hard work led by ECOTEC University, its president and its team. They are the perfect example of what academia can achieve when it connects directly with the needs and well-being of the community.”
True education goes beyond the classroom and becomes action. At ECOTEC, we educate a new generation that explores innovative solutions to climate challenges, leads scientific research with conviction and transforms the reality around us to leave a sustainable mark on the world.
