Faculty of Life Sciences

The goal of the faculty is contributing to the integral formation of the Life Sciences student, developing scientific research as support to the teaching-learning process, seeking interdisciplinarity, in an intellectual and moral scheme based on the principle of knowledge at the service of society. The faculty trains students in areas associated with biology, agriculture, nutrition, economy and natural resources, etc.  

Department coordination

Dr. Espinel is Professor at the Faculty of Life Sciences at ESPOL, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He obtained the Agricultural Engineer degree at the University of Guayaquil, then the Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics at the Catholic University of Chile, and the PhD degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Espinel served as Vice Minister of Commerce since the beginning of 2009 and then was Minister of Agriculture of Ecuador from April 2009 to May 2011. Starting in June 2011 acted as a member of the Board of Directors at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC representing the Government of Ecuador. Upon his return to Ecuador in May, 2015 he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences at ESPOL. He has been a Visiting Professor at the Ghent University in Belgium, at Agrocampus-Ouest and at the University of Rennes in France, and at Humboldt University in Berlin. He also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Food and Resource Economics at the University of Florida in the United States.

Dr. Penafiel Anuchundia is the technical coordinator of IMRD – ESPOL. Daniela has experience with internationalization being an International student for 15 years. Her background is on Food Technology receiving a bachelor’s degree from ESPOL, studied dietetic technician at CUNY and obtaining a MSc degree in Rural Development and Nutrition at Ghent University where she also obtained her PhD.

ESPOL is a partner in the VLIR track of the IMRD programme