In the run up to EU membership (2004) I helped secure and manage around 70 EU- and internationally funded projects (e.g. Interreg, TAIEX and Transition Facility). That experience proved useful when I later moved into academia.
I have since developed a substantial portfolio of multi-year funded projects.
Collaborations I have set up multiple framework agreements between the University of Malta and key external organisations (e.g. with Environment and Resources Authority, the Energy and Water Agency, the Arts Council Malta and Valletta 2018 Foundations). Several of these agreements subsequently generated wider collaborations between academics at the University and partner organisations.
Competitive funding Connecting with collaborators around the world and the University of Malta’s Projects team, I have secured several competitive research grants. These include the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship CLIMWELB (2025–present); the EU Horizon 2020 ECOSCOPE project (2021–2025); and the EU Horizon 2020 R2PI project (2016–2020).
I also won the first round of the UM's Research Excellence Grant. I have participated as an expert in numerous other projects including COST Actions, MSCA projects such as COMPLY, and the EU Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme, among others.
Funding Archives
CLIMWELB: Climate Shocks and Subjective Wellbeing in Small Island Developing States (2025–), funded by Marie Skłodowska–Curie Actions (MSCA), European Commission. Grant No. 101211832 (UM E25FE08)
Memorandum of Understanding between the Victoria 2031 Foundation and the University of Malta (2025–).
Climate Shocks and Wellbeing in SIDS: Implications for Foreign Aid (2024), funded by the Horizon Internationalisation Partnership Award Scheme (HIPAS), Malta Council for Science and Technology. Grant No. HIPAS-2024-09 (UM E24G011)
Memorandum of Understanding between the National Statistics Office Malta, the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, and the University of Malta (2024–).
EcoScope: Ecocentric Management for Sustainable Fisheries and Healthy Marine Ecosystems (2021–2025), funded by Horizon 2020-BG-2020-2 (EU.3.2 – Societal Challenges), European Commission. Grant No. 101000302 (UM E21FE60)
Wellbeing Data and Research, Annex 1 to Collaborative Agreement Ref: UM-MFWS2020 (2020–2028), funded by a collaboration agreement between the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society and the University of Malta. Grant Ref. UM E20LO10
Research on Electrical & Electronic Equipment, Stocks & Waste Management – Annex K: Conducting research on matters related to electrical and electronic equipment to apply scientific and technical knowledge with a view to assisting the partner in reaching its objectives to calculate the amount of waste from EEE generated in Malta (2019–2023), funded by a Collaboration Agreement between the Environment and Resources Authority and the University of Malta. Grant Ref. UM E19LO54
The Determinants of Environmental Practices in Maltese Households and Firms: A Behavioural Economic Perspective (2017–2020), funded by the University of Malta Research Excellence Grants. Grant Ref. I18LU01.
Research on the Environment and Resources – Annex A (2017–2025), funded by a Collaboration Agreement between the Environment and Resources Authority and the University of Malta. Grant Ref. UM E17LO38
Kreattiv Study (2016–2019), funded by a Collaboration Agreement between Arts Council Malta and the University of Malta. Grant Ref. UM E16LG94
R2PI, Transition from Linear to Circular: Policy and Innovation (R2Pi), funded by Horizon 2020 H2020–CIRC–2016–OneStage. Grant No. 730378 (UM E16FE80)
Cultural Participation and Life Satisfaction in Malta (2016–2018), a collaboration agreement between the Valletta 2018 Foundation and the University of Malta. Grant Ref. UM E16LG97–01
Kreattiv Evaluation: Development of a Study for Kreattiv Project Evaluation (2014–2016), funded by a Collaboration Agreement between the Ministry for Tourism, Culture and the Arts and the University of Malta. Grant Ref. UM E13LG81
Research in the field of environmental behavioural economics (2013–2014), funded by the Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE), Early Career Grant.
Sustainable Lifestyles: Research and Public Outreach on Financial Literacy and Decision-Making (2012–2014), funded by the Malta Community Chest Fund.
Research Support (Various Years), University of Malta Research Grants (e.g. Refs. ERSMB01, ECNRP0
Expert roles:
PQ-LENS Dashboard: Large Language Models for Enhanced Navigation, Analysis and Synthesis of Maltese Parliamentary Questions (2026–2028), funded by Xjenza Malta – Digital Technologies Programme.
COMPLY: Climate, Environmental, and Policy Knowledge Management System (2025–2026), funded by the Post-Doctoral Scholarship Scheme, Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Malta.
RethinkBlue: Rethinking the Blue Economy: Socio-Ecological Impacts and Opportunities (2024–2027), funded by European Cooperation in Science and Technology (Ref. CA22122).
Research on Household Behaviour on Waste Reduction Through Home Composting and Reuse – Annex 31 (2024), funded by a Collaboration Agreement between the Environment and Resources Authority and the University of Malta.
MEDiverSEAty: In quest of the human dimensions of MEDiterranean Marine Biodiversity (2023–2027), funded by HORIZON.1.2 – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) (Ref. 101119700).
Research on Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic Food Containers and Beverage Cups and Their Appropriate Fees (2023–2025), funded by the Environment and Resources Authority.
A Suite of Studies to Guide Energy and Water Policy (2023–2027), funded by the Energy and Water Agency.
Research on the Application of Article 9 of the Water Framework Directive to the Malta Water Catchment District (2022–2025), funded by the Energy and Water Agency.
Suit4Food: Sustainable Intervention Technologies for Controlling Food Safety and Stability (2017–2020), funded by Erasmus+.
Breaking the Cycle of Violence (2018–2020), funded by the European Commission (Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme). Grant Ref. 4000009942.
Education and Awareness Raising Campaign on Waste Management (2016–2019) for MPS Ltd.
Cultural Mapping Malta (2013–2016), funded by a collaboration between the Valletta 2018 Foundation and the University of Malta.
Circa 70 public-sector projects (2004–2011), funded by diverse EC programmes in the environment/sustainability domain, including Pre-Accession Funds, Transition Facility, Interreg IIIC, and TAIEX.
Scholarship for participation in Essays Beyond Borders – Easter School in Pisa (2025–26), funded by Erasmus+.
Grant for feature-film scripting (2014), funded by the Malta Arts Fund.
Scholarship for participation in Story Works for Screenwriters (3-month) (2013), funded by the Valletta European Capital of Culture & University of Southern California.
Grant for Development of a feature-length film on environmental values (2012), funded by the Malta Film Fund.
Grant for Development of a short film on children’s vision of the future (2011), funded by Kreattiv, Malta.
Scholarship for participation in professional audiovisual training (2011), funded by the Government of Malta.
Bursary for the completion of a PhD (2010), funded by the University of Malta Scholarship and Bursaries Fund.
Scholarship for participation in MEDEA (2002) on documentary production.
Scholarship for the bench fees of a Master of Science degree (1993), funded by Chevening, UK Government.
Bursary for the completion of a Master of Science degree (1993), funded by the Planning Authority, Malta.
Bursary for training in Germany (1990), funded by AIESEC, Malta.
