Gloria Maribel Luna Aguilera has a PhD. in Nuclear Technology. She has been a full-time associate professor at the National Polytechnic School in Ecuador since 2012. She is currently investigating the synthesis of polysaccharide hydrogels with titanium dioxide for their application in wastewater treatment. She has led research projects on synthesizing hydrogels assisted by ionizing radiation, from non-toxic compounds, and their various applications such as the photodegradation of pollutants exposed to UV and gamma photons, and controlled release of drugs, among others.