Outreach and scouting.
I also write and speak for people who do not read scientific journals: columns, interviews, a documentary episode, talks for the sectors we work with, and visits, fairs and workshops for school students.
In the press and on screen
Columns, interviews and a documentary that take our work to a general audience.
- 2026September 24
Expert source in Puntos: cooking oils
Puntos, Universidad de los Andes · In the media
Consulted as an expert, with Juan Carlos Cruz, for «¿Cuál es el mejor aceite para cocinar?», an article by Mauricio Laguna Cardozo. My part was the food engineering behind solid fats: margarine solidifies through hydrogenation, which generates trans fatty acids, and the industry does it for reasons of storage and transport.
- 2026September 18
Profile in Puntos
Puntos, Universidad de los Andes · In the media
«Luis H. Reyes: educación, IA y mucha química», a profile by Mauricio Laguna Cardozo on the AIChE Award for Innovation in Chemical Engineering Education, the seven years the redesign of Project of Unit Operations took, the independent evaluator who graded the students' work again with the same rubric to check its effect, and the limits of project-based learning.
- 2026September
Visionarios, a documentary series of the Universidad de los Andes
Universidad de los Andes · Full episode on YouTube and Puntos · In the media
A documentary episode on my trajectory, one of four professors profiled in the new season of Visionarios. It goes back to the teacher in Ocaña who graded me by having me teach the class on alkanes, where the science and the teaching started at the same time. Then come the decision to turn down industry for the classroom, the doctorate at Texas A&M and the work at NREL, the return to Colombia under the «Es tiempo de volver» call, and the use of CRISPR-Cas9 to design therapies for orphan diseases such as Morquio IV A. It also takes in the black-and-white photography, which follows the same multiscale logic as the science. The closing argument is the one I care about: research is a way of teaching, and the papers and the awards are beautiful by-products.
- 2026Vol. 47, No. 2
Spanish translation in Palmas: palm growers and sustainability practices
Palmas, «Extensión» section · Corporación Centro de Investigación en Palma de Aceite (Cenipalma) · In the media
Cenipalma translated into Spanish the Scientific Reports article led by Julián F. Becerra-Encinales, with Brayan Rodríguez, «Patrones de cumplimiento en la adopción de prácticas de sostenibilidad: análisis clúster de productores de palma de aceite en Colombia», and published it with its own DOI in the magazine that the palm oil sector reads.
- 2026Vol. 47, No. 1
Spanish translation in Palmas: a systemic model of technology extension
Palmas, «Extensión» section · Corporación Centro de Investigación en Palma de Aceite (Cenipalma) · In the media
Cenipalma translated into Spanish the Sustainability article led by Julián F. Becerra-Encinales, «Un enfoque sistémico de la extensión tecnológica sostenible: un modelo dinámico para el cultivo de palma de aceite en Colombia», and published it with its own DOI in the magazine that the palm oil sector reads.
- 2024Vol. 45, No. 3
Agricultural extension review in Palmas
Palmas, «Extensión» section · Corporación Centro de Investigación en Palma de Aceite (Cenipalma) · In the media
The open-access Spanish version of the review led by Julián F. Becerra-Encinales, «Extensión agrícola para la adopción de prácticas tecnológicas en países en desarrollo: una revisión exploratoria de los obstáculos y sus dimensiones», published in the magazine that the palm oil sector reads, so that the finding reaches the extension workers themselves.
- 2023October-November
Column in P&M: insects and sustainable food
P&M (Publicidad y Mercadeo), «P&M Science» column · In the media
«Hacia una alimentación sostenible a base de insectos en Colombia», a column co-written with Andrea Sánchez-Camargo.
- 2023Issue 71
Guest column in Exponotas
Exponotas, «Columnista invitado» section · In the media
«Academia y sostenibilidad, un “match” necesario», a position column co-written with Juan Carlos Cruz on project-based learning and sustainability.
- 2022April-May
Column in P&M: sensory marketing
P&M (Publicidad y Mercadeo), «P&M Science» column · In the media
«Mercadeo sensorial para una vida más saludable», a column co-written with Felipe Reinoso-Carvalho that brings to a general audience our 2021 article in Foods with Brayan Rodríguez.
Talks, schools, fairs and campus
Talks for the sectors we work with, and fairs and hands-on workshops for prospective students and their families, at their schools, online and on campus.
- 2026October 29
ECOS 2026: opening talk, «ECOS de una nueva revolución»
Teatro Panorama, Bogotá · Innovation Node, Universidad de los Andes · Talk
The Innovation Node of the Universidad de los Andes invited me to give the opening talk of the second edition of ECOS, its conference on managing technological innovation, organized with the schools of Management, Architecture and Design, and Engineering and their master's and doctoral programs in Technological Innovation Management. In «ECOS de una nueva revolución» I talked with the audience about what is really changing with artificial intelligence, as context for the day's panels.
- 2025October 30
ECOS 2025: panel on technology-based entrepreneurship
Teatro Panorama, Bogotá · University event
At ECOS, the conference of the Universidad de los Andes Innovation Ecosystem organized with the master's and doctoral programs in Technological Innovation Management, I moderated the panel «Innovación y emprendimiento: apostando por el emprendimiento de base tecnológica», with Carlos Augusto López (GLYA), Ciro Gélvez (WSEEDS), and Felipe Torres (Prami).
- 2025June
Talk on artificial intelligence at the 53rd National Congress of Oil Palm Growers
Cali · Federación Nacional de Cultivadores de Palma de Aceite (Fedepalma) · Talk
«Transformación digital a través de IA en cultivos de palma», a talk with Juan Carlos Cruz for the growers and technicians who gathered at the national congress of the oil palm sector, held from June 11 to 13, 2025.
- 2024October 1-2
Uniandes Fest: Labilab
Bogotá, Colombia · University event
Engaged with prospective students and families at the university-wide festival, showcasing hands-on experiments from the Labilab.
- 2024October 4
The impact of chemical engineers in pharmaceuticals
Vermont School, Bogotá (tenth grade) · School visit
Presented to 10th-grade students on the crucial role of chemical engineering in developing and manufacturing pharmaceuticals.
- 2024May 4
Family Fest: Labilab
Bogotá, Colombia · University event
Participated in the university's Family Fest, demonstrating exciting chemical and food engineering concepts to a general audience.
- 2023October 28
Food engineering: a design matinee
Universidad de los Andes laboratories, Bogotá · University event
Hosted a hands-on workshop for high school students to explore the creative and scientific aspects of food engineering through a design challenge.
- 2023May 6
Uniandes Picnic: taste food engineering
Bogotá, Colombia · University event
An interactive session during the Uniandes Picnic event, introducing the science of food engineering in a fun and accessible way.
- 2022November 26
Food engineering: a design matinee
Universidad de los Andes laboratories, Bogotá · University event
Led a design-focused workshop in the university labs, guiding prospective students through the principles of food product development.
- 2022October 5
University fair for schools
Bogotá, Colombia · Fair
Represented the Chemical and Food Engineering department at a major school fair, speaking with students and parents about our programs.
- 2021March 15
Virtual scouting seminar
Online · Virtual event
Conducted a virtual seminar to recruit prospective students, showcasing the research and academic opportunities in our department.
- 2020April 29
Outreach talk at New Cambridge School
Bucaramanga, Colombia · School visit
Visited New Cambridge School to inspire students about careers in engineering and science.
- 2020April 22
Virtual scouting seminars
Online · Virtual event
Led a series of online seminars aimed at scouting and recruiting talented high school students during the transition to virtual events.