The IOI Elisabeth Mann Borgese Bursary 2016 and 2017

The Elisabeth Mann Borgese (EMB) Bursary of the International Ocean Institute (IOI) was established as a means of demonstrating recognition to the host country of the IOI – Malta – for hosting the IOI Headquarters and for providing facilities for staff and offices at the University of Malta’s Msida campus. The Bursary is financed through the IOI and constitutes a further recognition and acknowledgement of the role of Prof. E. Mann Borgese, founder of IOI, and of her considerable achievements.

The 2017 EMB Bursary is being awarded to Therese Ellul, a postgraduate research student at the Department of Biology of the University of Malta, to further her research entitled "The ecology of potentially invasive alien macroalgae in Maltese waters”. This research seeks to record and monitor invasive alien seaweeds introduced in Maltese waters and to study their impacts on native marine biota and their habitats. Particular attention is being paid to recently introduced green algae of the genus Caulerpa (see https://www.um.edu.mt/research/notices/alienspeciesinmaltesewaters) which are becoming invasive and which may be having an impact on some marine ecosystems of high biological and socio-economic importance, including meadows of the Neptune Grass Posidonia oceanica. As an additional benefit to the University of Malta, any equipment purchased specifically with EMB Bursary funds to complete the research, shall be donated to the University, for the use and benefit of other research projects and researchers and arrangements are being through the Head of the Department of Biology.

The 2016 EMB Bursary awarded to Dr Stefano Moncada to carry out research titled “Climate Coping Strategies, Economic Wellbeing and Sustainability in Vulnerable Coastal Communities” has also come to its conclusion this October with the successful achievement of the research aims for the EMB Bursary award. The main scope of the research was to identify the coping strategies adopted in reaction to climate variability and change, and to discuss their implications for economic wellbeing and for long-term sustainability.

The award ceremony for this year’s Bursary was held on the 18th October at the offices of the IOI Headquarters on Campus. Present at the Ceremony were Pro-Rector Professor Joseph Cacciattolo, Professor Louis Cas- sar, Professor Joseph Borg, Professor Patrick J Schembri, Dr Julian Evans, Ms Antonella Vassallo (IOI Managing Director), Ms Therese Ellul, current EMB Bursary award winner, and Dr Stefano Moncada.

For further information about the IOI and its programmes please contact ioihq@ioihq.org.mt or view the IOI HQ website http://www.ioinst.org/.

Left to right: Dr Moncada, Prof. Borg, Pro-Rector Prof. J. Cacciottolo, IOI Director Ms A. Vassallo, Ms T. Ellul, Prof. P. Schembri, Dr J.Evans and Prof. L Cassar