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Science, technology and innovation at the service of communities: The University ...

Science, technology and innovation at the service of communities: The University of Cauca inaugurates the CDT Vial laboratory

16 March, 2026

With the purpose of strengthening research, innovation, and technology transfer in the field of road infrastructure, on September 23, the University of Cauca officially inaugurated the Soils and Pavements Laboratory of the Road Technological Development Center – CDT Vial, a modern facility equipped with state-of-the-art technology that will contribute to regional and national progress.

The inauguration took place at the Francisco Lemos Arboleda Auditorium of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, within the framework of Research Week, and was attended by Dr. Deibar René Hurtado Herrera, Rector of the University of Cauca; Dr. Elvia Rocío Cuenca, Secretary of Economic Development and Competitiveness of the Government of Cauca; Dr. Juan Carlos Casas Zapata, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Cauca; and Dr. Jaime Rafael Obando Ante, Director of the CDT Vial Project. Students, researchers, and other members of the university community also participated.

During the opening ceremony, the Rector of the University of Cauca, Dr. Deibar René Hurtado Herrera, emphasized that this laboratory is a clear example of how university research translates into transformative action: “Each test and each project carried out here will be an opportunity to build peace, equity, and development from Cauca. The University of Cauca thus reaffirms that it places science and technology at the service of truth, peace, and collective well-being.” For his part, Engineer Jaime Rafael Obando Ante, Director of the CDT Vial, highlighted the collective effort behind this initiative: “When I arrived as a professor in 2017, I found the same equipment with which I had trained years earlier. I understood that it was necessary to transform that reality and, together with colleagues and students, we formulated projects that today make this achievement possible. What one does is meant to impact lives, to transform the education of our students, and to leave a legacy for them.”

Thus, with an investment exceeding 3.53 billion pesos, more than 240 m² of laboratory space were modernized, physical and electrical facilities were upgraded, and specialized equipment, unrenewed for more than four decades, was acquired. It is important to recall that the CDT Vial is the result of the project “Establishment of a Technological Development Center for Innovation in Road Infrastructure in the Department of Cauca,” carried out jointly by the University of Cauca, the Government of Cauca, and KTH, with funding from the General System of Royalties.

Among the equipment acquired are dynamic triaxial testing systems, universal testing machines for asphalt mixtures, Hamburg wheel tracking devices, lightweight falling weight deflectometers, electrical density gauges, GeoGauge devices, thermal drones, and LiDAR technology, all of which facilitate advanced testing, material characterization, and precise field diagnostics. These tools will enable the development of consulting, training, and knowledge transfer processes, with a direct impact on mobility, competitiveness, and sustainability. Beyond its infrastructure, the CDT Vial opens its doors to individuals, companies, researchers, and government entities requiring its services, offering affordable rates with the purpose of ensuring that knowledge circulates and multiplies. In this way, the University of Cauca continues contributing to the development of the department and the country, demonstrating that science does not remain confined to laboratories, but instead becomes a driving force for social and economic transformation.

The CDT Vial is thus consolidating itself as a national benchmark in road infrastructure and applied technology, offering both academia and the productive sector a space for advanced research and the training of highly qualified professionals. With this laboratory, the University of Cauca reaffirms its commitment to closing gaps and strengthening community connectivity, taking science beyond the classroom to generate real solutions to the challenges of the territory.

Finally, this collective achievement reflects the spirit of the Institutional Development Plan “For an Excellent and Supportive University” and forms part of the preparation toward the 200th anniversary of The Alma Mater of Cauca. The University of Cauca, where lives are transformed and dreams become reality, continues to consolidate itself as #HeritageOfAll, bringing science, technology, and innovation into the service of Cauca and Colombia.