Recent research:
Across the cited publications, the research focuses on sustainable agricultural practices, plant-based resource optimization, and the social impact of education-driven projects. The work on Caesalpinia spinosa investigates seed viability, water content, disinfection and germination pre-treatments to optimize in vitro seedling quality for restoration programs, highlighting how phenology and scarification influence propagation rates. Complementarily, the soybean oil study assesses steam explosion as a pretreatment to enhance oil yield, while acknowledging material losses that affect economic viability, signaling the need for more efficient, sustainable processing in Ecuador’s agricultural supply chains. The Cannabis sativa oil extraction study examines solvent-based methods and processing parameters to maximize CBD yield and overall cannabinoid content, using GC/MS for validation and showing how solvent choice and cooling (dry ice) conditions impact extraction efficiency. The social-education study analyzes a university-led Social Engagement project in Cuenca, demonstrating improvements in local economic productivity, stakeholder collaboration, and knowledge transfer between academia and small-scale industry, aligned with Sustainable Development Goals. Collectively, the work demonstrates a multidisciplinary approach to agricultural systems, materials/process optimization, and community engagement, with measurable impacts on production efficiency, environmental restoration, and social development.
Key Topics:

• Agriculture, Precision Farming, Food Systems & Agroecology
• Biodiversity, Ethnobotany & Natural Products
• Education, Pedagogy, Teacher Training & Inclusion
• Research Methods, Measurement, Bibliometrics & Academic Practice
• Social Sciences, Media, Political Communication & Disinformation
• Materials Science, Manufacturing & Additive/Subtractive Processes
• Standards, Validation, Benchmarks & Measurement Best-Practice