Senior Energy Sector Strategist and Educator with more than 15 years of experience shaping Ecuador's electrical energy landscape, from technical management within distribution utilities to nationwide policy and planning. I am an expert in the transition toward modern power systems, leveraging advanced data analytics, predictive modeling, and regulatory frameworks to optimize network operation, reliability, and expansion. My teaching philosophy is centered on closing the gap between theoretical engineering principles and the complex operational realities of a national power grid. I aim to empower the next generation of electrical engineers not just with technical mastery, but with a profound understanding of the regulatory, economic, and social context that governs power systems. My objective is to turn the classroom into a practical laboratory of real-world case studies, drawing on my firsthand experience in developing the National Electricity Master Plan and overseeing service quality to make concepts like reliability and systems control tangible, relevant, and immediately applicable to the challenges facing Ecuador's energy sector.

Manuel Ignacio Ayala Chauvin is Academic Vice Rector and Director of the Technology Transfer Center at Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Ecuador. He holds a degree in Electromechanical Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Loja, an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Equipment, and a Ph.D. in Sustainability from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC-Barcelona Tech). With more than 15 years of professional and academic experience, he has served as Director of Institutional Research and Deputy Director of Research at Indoamérica. His research focuses on sustainability, energy systems, big data applications in education and industry, and technology transfer. Dr. Ayala has authored numerous scientific publications in these areas and has participated in national and international research projects funded by various organizations. He is a Senior Member of IEEE, also affiliated with the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. He has contributed to the development of innovation and research networks in Latin America and Europe. His career combines leadership in higher education with a strong commitment to advancing sustainable technologies and interdisciplinary research.