Volume 16, Number 2 (2026) of the Interdisciplinary Scientific Journal Investigación y Saberes, published by the Luis Vargas Torres Technical University, brings together six scientific articles that address current issues in the areas of education, mental health, crime prevention, and sustainability. In the field of management and occupational health, Baque Jiménez et al. propose a circular economy model to optimize the recovery of solid waste at the University of Guayaquil, while Izaguirre et al. use structural equation modeling to demonstrate the strong direct impact of work-related stress on anxiety among workers in the same city. Furthermore, this issue highlights extensive discussions within the pedagogical and interdisciplinary fields. Ponce Avilés et al. analyze the challenges of developing 21st-century mathematical competencies, while Beckmann Acosta et al. successfully evaluate a digital microlearning tool for teaching exponential equations to students with attention deficit tendencies. Finally, the issue includes a synthesis by Aguaguiña-Criollo et al. on the effectiveness of school-based interventions against youth violence and delinquency, as well as a theoretical proposal by Parra Rodríguez and Lozada de Iribarren for a critical pedagogy based on the thought of Paulo Freire for basic education.