Marcelo Moncayo Theurer

The career of Lenin Marcelo Moncayo Theurer represents one of the most notable trajectories in civil engineering, scientific research, and academic rigor in contemporary Ecuador. A Full Professor at the University of Guayaquil—a position obtained through a rigorous merit-based competition—scientific researcher, author, and director of the THEK Research Institute, his career spans more than 25 years devoted to the production, teaching, communication, and application of technical knowledge in service to society.

His strong international education forms the foundation of a global scientific vision deeply committed to excellence. Moncayo Theurer completed his undergraduate studies in civil engineering at Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), under the guidance and thesis supervision of the recognized academic and researcher Eng. Otton Lara Montiel. He later pursued specialized postgraduate studies in earthquake engineering in Japan, supported by a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) scholarship, receiving specialized training at the Building Research Institute (BRI) / International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IISEE) and at the University of Tokyo under Professor Kenichi Ohi, focusing on structural reduction and the energy-absorption capacity of frames.

He then deepened his theoretical and computational specialization by earning the degree of Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Computational Mechanics at the prestigious Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany—supported by a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)—where he worked directly alongside leading international figures in computational mechanics and structural analysis, including Professor Kai-Uwe Bletzinger, Manfred Bischoff, Ernst Rank and Alexander Düster.

Over more than two and a half decades of professional practice, his work has been reflected in major infrastructure projects nationwide. He has led and participated in emblematic civil-engineering projects in Ecuador, including construction management and supervision of critical infrastructure, structural design of high-rise buildings, multilayer bridges, and industrial facilities. This extensive practical experience in construction oversight and earthquake-resistant design has provided an empirical foundation for his continuing research in structural dynamics, the finite element method (FEM), advanced numerical methods, and mathematical modeling of complex Earth systems.

As an author and academic, his intellectual output is prolific. He has written and published 15 books focused on Earth sciences, structural engineering, and geophysics—including internationally distributed works such as Tectónica de Placas, available and distributed through global platforms such as Amazon KDP—and has consolidated an open-science portfolio comprising 24 principal records on Zenodo, together with contributions on international platforms such as Figshare and ResearchGate, where his work has recorded thousands of reads and interactions across dozens of countries and research centers worldwide. His Google Scholar profile reflects the sustained impact of his publications, with more than one hundred citations and an established h index.

In the methodological field, Moncayo Theurer has developed original engineering frameworks and frontier scientific methodologies, including SERRA/MEL (Seismic Energy Release and Redistribution Analysis / Modelling Equivalent Magnitude), conceived to transform complex seismic catalogs into dynamic energy-release curves without relying on arbitrary statistical thresholds. His work is complemented by the creation of the THEK, which institutionalizes a permanent channel for altruistic knowledge transfer to new generations of engineers.

Beyond academia, Marcelo Moncayo has maintained a significant public role in Ecuador, frequently consulted by mass media—including the newspaper El Universo—following major seismic events, translating the complexity of Earth sciences into accessible explanations for the public with pedagogical rigor.

1. Education and Early Career (1999–2005)

Undergraduate Education and Thesis (ESPOL): Completion of his civil engineering studies at Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), under the guidance and undergraduate thesis supervision of the recognized academic and researcher Eng. Otton Lara Montiel.

Scientific Merit Award from the Honorable National Congress of Ecuador (2001): Historic legislative distinction awarded during his early career in recognition of pioneering contributions to the analysis of seismic behavior and earthquake energy.

Experimental and Theoretical Research in Japan (2000–2001): Development of his postgraduate thesis “Calculation of the Energy Input and the Energy Absorption Capacity for Frames” at the Building Research Institute (BRI) / International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IISEE) and at the University of Tokyo under Professor Kenichi Ohi, supported by a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) scholarship. The work is referenced in international earthquake-engineering databases (PASCAL-Francis, INIST-CNRS, France).

Specialization in Computational Mechanics (TUM, Germany): Acquisition of advanced skills in finite-element modeling, inelastic material behavior, and matrix numerical formulations at the Technical University of Munich (TUM)—with a DAAD scholarship—working directly alongside leading international figures in the field, including Professors Kai-Uwe Bletzinger, Manfred Bischoff, Ernst Rank and Alexander Düster.

Initial Formulation of the Guayaquil–Caracas Geodynamic System (2005): First documented formulations concerning the transfer of regional tectonic stresses across the South American continental belt.

2. Consolidation, Full Professorship and Civil Works (2006–2015)

Appointment and Advancement as Full Professor: A merit-based competition established him as a Full Professor at the University of Guayaquil, teaching advanced courses in structures, matrix analysis, and soil dynamics.

Civil Engineering Project Leadership: Technical leadership in the conception, structural calculation, design, and oversight of residential, industrial, and road complexes on Ecuador’s coast.

Development of Teaching Methodologies: Creation of internal analytical guides and advanced academic support material for the education of new generations of civil engineers.

3. Editorial Work, Book Production and Public Commentary (2016–2024)

Editorial Production and Books on Amazon KDP (15 Published Books): Writing and publication of a series of 15 specialized technical works for higher education and professional consultation in civil engineering, geophysics, and structural analysis. Notable volumes distributed through global platforms such as Amazon KDP include Tectónica de Placas.

Presence in Public Commentary: Consolidation of his role as a columnist and scientific analyst in national media, principally the newspaper El Universo), addressing disaster prevention, construction ethics, and civic responsibility with pedagogical and technical rigor.

4. Open Science, Frontier Frameworks and International Recognition (2025–2026)

Deposits and Records on Zenodo / Open Science (2025–2026): Creation and publication of 24 principal methodological records in international open-access repositories (CERN/Zenodo and Figshare), recording thousands of reads in more than 40 countries.

Framework SERRA/MEL (Seismic Energy Release Risk Assessment / Modelling Equivalent Magnitude): Mathematical development for transforming complex seismic catalogs into dynamic energy-release curves without relying on arbitrary statistical thresholds.

SECA-DM Frameworks and Discrete Modeling: Creation of analytical tools for estimating severe consequences and structural damage under extreme seismic scenarios.

FGET and NFF (Formula Genomics and Evolution Theory and Nested Formula Framework): Publication of advanced mathematical-discovery methodologies through coefficient recursion and evolutionary convergence of formal systems.

Merit Award for Outreach from the Latin American Confederation of Journalism: International distinction recognizing his sustained work translating the complexity of Earth sciences and engineering into public language with ethical rigor.

Institutional Decorations (2023): Eugenio de Santa Cruz y Espejo Decoration, a major distinction for scientific contribution and service to Ecuadorian society.
Merit Decoration of the Municipality of Guayaquil, in recognition of his professional career and contribution to local development.
Merit Recognition of the Benemérita Sociedad Filantrópica del Guayas, for civic integrity and academic leadership.

5. Conferences, Presentations and International Academic Participation

6th International Conference on Seismic Zonation (California, USA): Presentation of papers on seismic zonation, hazard, and the dynamic response of structures.

Lectures at IISEE / Building Research Institute (Japan): Presentation of research on the energy-dissipation capacity of reinforced-concrete structures under severe earthquakes.

University Forums and Lecture Series in South America and Europe: Specialized lectures on computational mechanics, finite-element modeling, and analytical frameworks for energy release.

6. Research Projects and Engineering Works

Applied Research Projects (University of Guayaquil / THEK): Coordination of studies on soil vibration periods, seismic microzonation, and modeling of urban dynamic response.

Major Civil Works: Technical management, structural calculation, design, and oversight of road complexes, high-rise buildings, and major industrial infrastructure.

Open-Science Platforms: Creation of technological tools such as the THEK Lab Monitor and intelligent virtual advisory systems (MBot).

7. Undergraduate Thesis Supervision and Academic Mentoring

Having educated generations of civil engineers at the University of Guayaquil, he has supervised documented undergraduate theses focused on critical areas of structural safety:

Supervised Undergraduate Thesis: “Evaluation of Nonlinear Seismic Behavior in Reinforced-Concrete Frames Using Inelastic Capacity Spectra” (Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Guayaquil).

Supervised Undergraduate Thesis: “Spectral Dynamic Analysis and Its Influence on the Structural Response of Framed Buildings Located on Highly Compressible Soils in the Lower Guayas Basin”.

Supervised Undergraduate Thesis: “Comparative Study of Base-Shear Parameters and Lateral-Force Distribution According to Seismic Design Codes Versus Local Historical Accelerograms”.

Documented historical sequence · 1996–2026

Supervised undergraduate theses