This article is dedicated to the memory of Jean-Pierre Hermand, Ph.D. the greatest inspiration for the creation of the IEEE OES ESPOL chapter in Ecuador as well as a great mentor and friend.
     The newly created OES-ESPOL chapter in conjunction with the main branch IEEE-ESPOL organized the first congress on “Ocean Technology” which addressed the various ways in which technology is related to marine sciences, and to the demand of students, professionals and researchers in Ecuador. It brought together 8 speakers, 80 students, 30 professionals and 10 representatives of the main marine science organizations and authorities of “Escuela Superior Politécnica Del Litoral (ESPOL)” ESPOL, on Saturday, September 1, 2018 from 0900 to 1700. The event took place at the STEM auditorium of ESPOL, Guayaquil, Ecuador’s main economic engine.

Attendees and exhibitors of the First Congress on “Ocean Technology”

Ayres, Ph.D. and Hermand, Ph.D. with a representative of the Ecuadorian Antarctic Institute (INAE), Ruth Ramos, B. Sc.

Ayres, Ph.D. and Hermand together with the board of directors of the IEEE/OES ESPOL chapter and ESPOL´s Faculty of Maritime Engineering, Biological, Oceanic and Natural Resources Sciences (FIMCBOR) subdirector.

Hermand, Ph.D. during his lecture “Acoustics and Acoustic Ecology of Marine Habitats.”

     The main topics included development of technology and use of tools for underwater exploration such as “The development of submarine robots for Antarctic exploration” presented by Arturo Cadena, M.Sc. a research professor at the Faculty of Marine Sciences at Universidad Peninsula de Santa Elena (UPSE) and the director of the Research Project on Submarine Robotics. Arturo is the author of 11 publications on Scopus and participates in international robotics conferences held in the United States, Russia, Argentina and New Zealand. He has also participated in Ecuadorian Expeditions to the Pedro Vicente Maldonado Station in Antarctica.
     Another spearker described a proposal called “Blue Ocean” made by the company Yaku, focused on the creation of an automatic vehicle to search and collect garbage in the ocean. Wilmer Acosta, a networks and operating systems professional, along with Allison Brito, a computer engineering student, won the 1st place of the contest “Entrepreneurship seed” of Fundación Telefónica and Fundación Junior Achievement Ecuador using this initiative.
     Acknowledging that underwater acoustics is an interdisciplinary branch of physics that allows to study diverse topics such as resources exploration, geological studies of the seabed, signal processing and its importance for marine conservation, OES ESPOL invited Jean-Pierre Hermand, Ph.D., an important scientist in the field of underwater acoustics, who had over 250 publications, was chairman of the IEEE OES Technical Committee on ‘Oceanic Signal Processing and Statistical Learning’, a member of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and co-creator of the “Latin American and the Caribbean IEEE/ OES Acoustics in Underwater Geosciences Symposium.” As a Distinguished Lecturer, Jean Pierre gave a speech on “Acoustics and Acoustic Ecology of Marine Habitats” which focused on the application of acoustics on marine algae studies and conservation.
     We also had the presence of Arthur Ayres Neto, Ph.D. a professor at the Fluminense Federal University (UFF) in Brazil, whose work focuses on the characterization of the seabed by acoustic attributes. His talk, “Relationship between Geoacoustic Properties and Chemical Content of Submarine Polymetallic Crusts from the Brazilian Continental Margin,” highlighted the importance of geoacoustics in prospecting metals.
     Finally, Robert Llanos, M.Sc., a representative and officer of the Ecuadorian Navy, presented his work on “Characterization of two marine areas of the Ecuadorian coast for the design of a submarine acoustic laboratory,” which showed other professionals and students how acoustics can be realized in Ecuador.
     Some of our chapter student members and volunteers study Aquaculture so we included speaker Jormil Revilla, M. Sc. in Fisheries Engineering, with 8 years of experience in the area of design, construction and installation of structures for the experimental culture of aquatic organisms, as well as in strategies for culturing mollusks and marine fish of commercial interest in the Caribbean and tropical Eastern Pacific regions. His lecture, “Design and operation of mini farms for the production of bivalve seeds,” aroused the interest of those seeking a commercial application to their knowledge in species and in the application of new technologies to increase efficiency of production.
     The talk given by Roberto Aguilera, M.Sc. in Geography and Environment, geomatics, expert in the use of geographic information systems, remote sensing, analysis and digital processing of satellite images, was about “Interpretation of seabed coverage through the use of satellite images.” The innumerable applications, ease of learning and use of tools presented caused a positive impact on the audience.
     Finally, Mikio Naganobu, Ph.D., a National Fisheries Institute of Ecuador representative and volunteer of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), gave the conference “Coherent Approach on Ecocline in the Antarctic Ocean and its strong Correlation with the Ecuadorian Ocean,” contributing to our perception of the Antarctic Ocean influence on Ecuadorian waters.
     The congress’ diverse topics facilitated the exchange of interdisciplinary knowledge among the attendees and provided an atmosphere of cooperation between those who work, study and research the oceans. Unfortunately Jean-Pierre Hermand, Ph.D. died a few days after the end of the congress. He was the greatest inspiration for the creation of the IEEE OES ESPOL chapter in Ecuador as well as a great mentor and friend; in his honor we want to continue his legacy, making events that encourage student and professionals that build a strong Ocean Engineering network that encourages ocean conservation in the region.
     The event was transmitted from start to finish through our social Ayres, Ph.D. and Hermand, Ph.D. with a representative of the Ecuadorian Antarctic Institute (INAE), Ruth Ramos, B. Sc. media networks which can be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/oesEspol/videos/1855604324494867/