The PAO 2025 II Undergraduate Poster Competition took place on January 23, 2026, as part of the course “Applied Design Research,” and was held in three parallel sessions. The event brought together academic projects that demonstrated that design not only communicates but also investigates, analyzes, and proposes solutions with real-world impact.
The parallel sessions were led by faculty members Luis Rodriguez, Lissenia Sornoza, and Nayeth Solórzano, who guided the methodological and conceptual development of each proposal. The event consisted of the presentation and evaluation of academic posters, in which students presented research applied to specific problems, integrating contextual analysis, theoretical foundations, and viable proposals.
The competition took place in three parallel categories, each with its own first-place award, highlighting the rigor of the research and the clarity of communication achieved during the academic year. The overall winning poster was “The Mycelium: A Sustainable Solution for ESPOL Bus Stops,” developed by Mirka Sellán Vilica and David Pacheco Vega under the guidance of Professor Nayeth Solórzano. The proposal stood out for its sustainable approach, its contextual relevance, and its viability as an innovative alternative within the university setting.
As for the category-specific awards, the teams consisting of Romina Gómez, Arianna Macías, and Marlon Suquilanda; Jeremy Macas, Luis Delgadillo, and Jorge Suárez; as well as Palmira Delgado, Gabriela Marrique, and Naomi Díaz were recognized for the coherence between their research, proposal, and visual communication.
The PAO 2025 II Poster Competition reaffirms the importance of linking methodology, judgment, and creativity in design education. More than just an academic exhibition, it was a real-world application exercise where research was translated into concrete proposals that look to the future without losing sight of the context.
© Photography: Patricia Robelly / Text: José Luis Castro
