Prof. Dr Andrés Robalino-López, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ecuador
Prof. Dr. Andrés Robalino-López is a distinguished academic and researcher at Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN), Ecuador, with an extensive background in environmental technologies, innovation, and complex systems. With a PhD earned cum laude from Universidad de Huelva, Spain, he combines academic rigor with practical leadership in research, innovation ecosystems, and entrepreneurship. As a key figure in Ecuador’s academic landscape, he serves as Deputy Dean, program coordinator, and research director. Internationally recognized through affiliations with MIT’s REAP program and the Academy of Sciences of Ecuador, his interdisciplinary contributions span environmental modeling, innovation management, and sustainable development. His research has informed policy, supported national and international projects worth over $500K, and been published in high-impact journals. His commitment to systemic transformation through science, education, and public policy underscores his eligibility for the Best Researcher Award.
Publication Profile
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Education
Dr. Robalino-López earned his PhD in Environmental Technologies (cum laude) from Universidad de Huelva, Spain (2014), focusing on carbon emissions and sustainable development using system dynamics. He also holds Master’s degrees in Control Engineering (2012) and Environmental Technologies (2011) from the same university. He completed an MBA in Innovation (2022) from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador. His engineering foundation was laid at Escuela Politécnica Nacional (2008), where he graduated cum laude in ICT. He has undertaken postgraduate studies in Energy and Environment at Glasgow Caledonian University, UK (2010) and served as a visiting researcher at Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy (2013). His academic training is rounded out by executive programs at MIT, Berkeley, Taiwan, Brazil, and other global institutions, reflecting a strong and continuous commitment to interdisciplinary and global education.
Experience
Prof. Robalino has over a decade of academic and research leadership at Escuela Politécnica Nacional, serving as Full Professor, Deputy Dean, and Program Coordinator for multiple postgraduate and research initiatives. Internationally, he has represented Ecuador in MIT’s REAP program since 2017, leading entrepreneurship and innovation acceleration. His role as Horizon Europe – NCP for EIT and various positions such as Department Chair, Innovation Transfer Coordinator, and External Auditor (CES) underscores his systemic impact. His hands-on engagement in over a dozen research projects and development initiatives—totaling more than $500K in funding—spans renewable energy, sustainability, and technological innovation. He is also a sought-after lecturer, teaching in postgraduate and PhD programs, with additional experience in collaborative research in Spain and Italy. His leadership blends academic depth with policy-level engagement and international collaboration.
Awards and Honors
Prof. Robalino’s contributions have been widely recognized. He was awarded Best Researcher by CEDIA in 2023, following a nomination in 2022. In 2020, he was inducted into the Academy of Sciences of Ecuador, and in 2019, he received commendation from MIT-REAP for contributions to innovation ecosystems in Quito. At a national level, EPN awarded him the Research Production Award (2015). He is a recipient of numerous prestigious fellowships, including the SENESCYT Dissertation Fellowship (2011–2014), Fundación Carolina, AUIP, and Erasmus, supporting studies in Spain, the UK, and Italy. Additionally, he has secured research grants for international residencies and led funded projects across multiple organizations. These accolades highlight not only his academic excellence but also his real-world impact in sustainable development, innovation management, and capacity building in Ecuador and beyond.
Research Focus
Dr. Robalino’s research lies at the intersection of environmental systems, complex system dynamics, innovation ecosystems, and technology management. His doctoral work pioneered carbon emission modeling and environmental sustainability forecasting in Ecuador using system dynamics and decomposition analysis. He has expanded this approach to entrepreneurship ecosystems, policy scenario evaluation, and sustainability indicators. His recent projects focus on organizational innovation, carbon neutrality strategies, and macroeconomic-environmental modeling. He emphasizes the use of interdisciplinary frameworks to inform national energy and sustainability policies, as seen in collaborations with CEDIA, CONQUITO, and MIT-REAP. His work often combines quantitative modeling, foresight methodologies, and system thinking to guide public and private sector strategies. By integrating research with policy, Dr. Robalino creates actionable insights for sustainable and innovation-driven development across Latin America.
Publication Top Notes
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Studying the relationship between economic growth, CO2 emissions, and the EKC in Venezuela (1980–2025)
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2015), 215 citations
Groundbreaking analysis on the Environmental Kuznets Curve, combining system dynamics and econometrics.
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System dynamics modeling for renewable energy and CO2 emissions: A case study of Ecuador
Energy for Sustainable Development (2014), 175 citations
Pioneering use of system dynamics to simulate energy policy impacts on emissions.
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System dynamics modelling and the environmental Kuznets curve in Ecuador (1980–2025)
Energy Policy (2014), 104 citations
Introduced scenario-based carbon forecasting in Ecuadorian policy research.
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CO2 emissions convergence among 10 South American countries. A study of Kaya components
Carbon Management (2016), 65 citations
Comparative study highlighting regional energy-environment dynamics.
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Regional cooperation in environmental protection via e-government
Environment. Technologies. Resources (2017), 20 citations
Explores digital governance for sustainable development in Andean nations.