Overflowing research
Water was once thought to be the original substance of all matter. While the notion may have been inaccurate, it reflected water’s integral role in sustaining life. Think Issue 20 is dedicated to all things water and is ready to make a splash.
Malta’s nature as an island state is reflected in the University of Malta’s research. Its culture and economy is inevitably shaped by the sea. Research topics are as diverse as biology, law, engineering and history, showing how embedded water is at UM.
We start off by delving into measuring our seas. This effort is spearheaded by Prof. Aldo Drago and his team. Short and long-term changes in the Mediterranean are being recorded and shared with the shipping industry, researchers and the public — the sea is safer for it.
Malta’s health is facing another threat. Prof. Raymond Ellul and his team at the Giordan lighthouse in Gozo have determined the gross pollution spewed by ships travelling through the Mediterranean. Ellul gives us the lowdown on the predicaments, predictions, measurements and solutions in the hopes of curbing potentially severe problems for the Maltese Islands.
Dr Timmy Gambin goes beneath the blue to discuss our hidden cultural heritage. His plan is to map Malta’s rich seabed and manage as many of the submerged historic sites as possible.
Other research coming out of the UM is as varied as ever. At the Institute of Digital Games, researchers are delving into philosophical conundrums through games. Do you know what soup is? I wouldn’t be so sure. Dr Sarah Grech wonders if multilingualism in Malta muddies the waters of clear and complete communication, or whether this linguistic dexterity facilitates freer expression.
On top of all this, Think Issue 20 contains articles on solar-powered vehicles, virtual reality, culture, art and equipment, including two interviews, one with Maltese 3Dprinting guru Thought3D, the other with culture guru Lisa Gwen Baldacchino. ‘Think’, the University of Malta’s research magazine, can be picked up for free in newsagents around Malta and Gozo and in Agenda bookstores. It is available online at www.um.edu.mt/think, on Issuu www.issuu.com/thinkuni or liked on Facebook www.facebook.com/ThinkUoM