Nunkui wakan Research Group

The Nunkui wakan Research Group, name taken from the Shuar language that means “Spirit of the earth”, was created in July 2015 in our branch campus in Quito. Its members study biodiversity, environment and knowledge of the native people of Ecuador.

10% of plant species and 8% of animal species in the entire planet can be found in Ecuador, this offers a wide range of options for research. The first settlers who arrived in this region 13,000 years ago began the process for the knowledge of the use of the resources, this information has been accumulated and transmitted through generations in native populations; our group intends to continue with this work and based on traditional knowledge we want to create new applications for the products of nature, especially those that improve people’s quality of life.