Personal profile
Research Interests
Across a diverse set of publications, the author centers on the intersection of remote sensing, environmental monitoring, and public health, leveraging advanced machine learning on multi-sensor satellite embeddings to map urban air quality at high spatial resolution and to assess environmental health risks. The work demonstrates that embedding-based models in Google Earth Engine can predict NO2 and SO2 concentrations with high accuracy (R2 ≈ 0.71), revealing that a compact set of embedding features can explain urban air quality dynamics in data-scarce settings and support hotspot detection, trend analysis, and evidence-based urban planning. Complementary studies examine the distribution and equitable access to ultraviolet (UV) monitoring stations in South America, underscoring regional disparities and the health implications of uneven surveillance. Broader analyses address particulate matter mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean, microplastics in marine ecosystems, and socio-environmental impacts of mining, highlighting the need for policy, regulation, and governance to mitigate health and environmental risks. Collectively, the work emphasizes scalable, data-efficient approaches for environmental monitoring, integrated with public health considerations and governance perspectives to inform sustainable policy interventions in the Global South.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Physico-Chemical Alterations and Heavy Metal Content in Soils Affected by Forest Fires
Ulloa Vaca, C. A. (PI), Pazmiño Pacheco, A. K. (Col), Tapia Amores, N. S. (Student) & Alarcon Cueva, S. J. (Student)
3/04/20 → …
Project: Research and Development
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Master Classes at UPS: Integrating Sciences, Language, and Research
Nuñez Andrade, E. P. (Col), Ulloa Vaca, C. A. (Col), Serrano Vincenti, M. S. F. (PI), Bersosa Vaca, E. F. (Col), Pazmiño Pacheco, A. K. (Col), Calzadilla Pellol, A. (Col), Mollocana Lara, J. G. (Col), Costa Unda, V. M. (Col) & Quiroz Diaz, M. P. (Col)
2/04/18 → …
Project: Research and Development
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Effect of soil heating on the metal sorption capacity of humic substances and changes in water repellency simulating low, medium, and high-intensity fires
Ulloa Vaca, C. A. (PI)
1/07/15 → 1/10/16
Project: Research and Development
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Monitoring of Physicochemical Alterations and Carbon Quantification in Soil Plots Affected by Controlled Fire
Ulloa Vaca, C. A. (PI) & Pazmiño Pacheco, A. K. (Col)
1/10/13 → 1/10/14
Project: Research and Development
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Analysis of UV Radiation Monitoring: Distribution of Stations in South American Countries During the Summer Season
Bone Moncayo, B. X., Ulloa Vaca, C. A. & Pazmiño Pacheco, A. K., 2025, Systems, Smart Technologies, and Innovation for Society - Proceedings of CITIS 2024. Inga Ortega, E. M., Robles-Bykbaev, V. E., García Herranz, N. & Gallego Diaz, E. (eds.). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, p. 324-335 12 p. (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems; vol. 1331 LNNS).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review
Open Access -
Machine Learning for Urban Air Quality Prediction Using Google AlphaEarth Foundations Satellite Embeddings: A Case Study of Quito, Ecuador
Alvarez, C. I., Ulloa Vaca, C. A. & Echeverria Llumipanta, N. A., Oct 2025, In: Remote Sensing. 17, 20, 3472.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access10 Link opens in a new tab Scopus citations -
Comportamiento de la Mortalidad por Exposición a Material Particulado en Países de América del Sur en el Periodo 2010- 2019
Translated title of the contribution :Mortality Behavior Due to Exposure to Particulate Matter in South American Countries from 2010 to 2019 Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
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Efectos de la Minería en América del Sur y un Enfoque Socioambiental para Ecuador
Translated title of the contribution :Effects of Mining in South America and a Socio-Environmental Approach for Ecuador Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
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Microplásticos en Ecosistemas Marinos
Translated title of the contribution :Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper