Where to start? I grew up in Malta, surrounded by art and activism. By the end of compulsory schooling, I had qualified in six languages before turning to Economics.
At the University of Malta, while active in student bodies and political theatre, I completed a B.Com. and a BA (Hons) in Economics in 1992, both First Class. I then joined the Ministry for Economic Affairs. On paper, it was an excellent start. In reality, I quickly found myself questioning the limits of conventional economics.
A year later, I went to University College London to study environmental and resource economics. Under the mentorship of Prof. David Pearce, I completed an MSc with Distinction. That experience crystallised the questions that still guide my work: “What makes people, markets and governments behave as they do, and how can we make things better?”
Policy and Broadcasting Keen to work on the ground, I spent the next 15 years in the Maltese public sector, working across planning and environmental regulation and leading teams on research, public consultation and EU accession. Informed by environmental economics, I developed policy proposals and projects, representing Malta in European and UN fora.
Somehow, in parallel, I broadcast (writer, presenter) eight non-fiction television series on socio-economic issues. For a while, my life involved writing policy documents by day and doing television by night. Somewhere along the way, I started asking whether any of this was actually making a difference.
Research, Beyond Boxes That question took me back to academia, this time to behavioural economics. My PhD, mentored by Prof. Liam Delaney at the University of Stirling, allowed me to bring together what had previously lived in separate boxes: economics, public policy and communication. Since then, working with others across disciplines and countries, I have built a body of research and writing, secured research funding, mentored diverse students worldwide and made some impact along the way.
I work at the Department of Economics, University of Malta but I have found that the most interesting work happens between boxes, rather than inside them. I consider myself a researcher, practitioner and communicator. My interests lie in human behaviour, market failure and governance and span the economics of environmental issues (climate, waste, transport), cultural participation, housing and wellbeing.
Now Across its various forms, my work explores what drives human choices, markets and policies, their wellbeing implications, and how we can do better. Studying decision-making for a living has not, however, made me immune to making bad decisions. My most persistent is probably my inability to say “no” to interesting work!
You can read more about my bumpy academic ride here.
Trophy Cabinet Along the way there have been awards for innovation and creativity (WIPO; Malta Innovation Awards, 2013), research impact (Stirling Management School, 2014), Academic research (2014, IAREP/ICAP Student Paper Award), Writing (Essays, Malta National Book Prize 1991, 2019), Engaged Research (Malta STEM Awards, 2021), Civic contribution (Paul Harris Award, European Commission, 2005, 2015 ) and Communication (WWF Malta,2003) and broadcasting (Broadcasting Authority 1994, 1999, 2000 and 2001). The work has also been featured in exhibitions (e.g. She Can and Not a Woman’s Job? Breaking Barriers in Science).
The Fine Print Not everything I've done deserves a medal. I've looked after projects better than I've looked after myself and the people close to me. I've worried too much and expected others to do so too.
I've often confused being able to do something with it being worth doing.
I've been outspoken, impatient and occasionally rather too sure that I was right. I didn't protect my ears while playing the drums, and I've lost a lot of my hearing.
I've never been particularly good at being normal, and it took me too long to understand that this wasn't a problem. I'm still learning.
Ġimgħa b'Ġimgħa.mp4TVAM - 27.03 - Il-kuntentizza.movMarie_2_TVAM.mp4United Nations (Permanent Missions). (2024). Featured in the exhibition Not a Woman’s Job? Breaking Barriers in Science. [Celebrating women leading innovation in science and technology].
University of Malta. Inaugural World Capital for Women and Girls in Science (RASIT) exhibition (2023–2024), She Can. [Touring Parliament, science festivals, science centres, and schools across Malta].
Malta STEM Awards. (2021). First Prize, Engaged Researcher Award.
Malta National Book Prize. (2020). First Prize, Non-Fiction, for No Man’s Land: People, Place and Pollution [With Steve Bonello, Kite Books].
Rotary La Valette Paul Harris Award (2015), for the furtherance of understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world [For a social campaign in India, with Martin Bonnici].
University of Stirling, Stirling Management School. (2014). First Prize, Stirling Management School Award for Applied Research Impact.
IAREP/ICAP Joint International Conference. (2014). Student Paper Award.
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). (2013). Award for Creativity.
Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Enterprises. (2013). First Prize, Malta Innovation Award for Creative Innovation for 16 fl-2018 [Short film/engagement with Martin Bonnici and Mario Mallia].
European Commission. (2005). Golden Star Award for Active Citizenship, for New European Citizens [Documentary writer, as part of the Friends of the Earth Malta team].
WWF Malta (Nature Trust). (2003). Green Media Personality.
Broadcasting Authority. (2001). Broadcasting Award (Best Current Affairs Programme), for Xarabank. [Writer & presenter as part of the Where’s Everybody team].
Broadcasting Authority. (2001). Special Commendation for TV Programme Viva Malta Familji (Gender Balance). [Writer, as part of the Where’s Everybody team].
Broadcasting Authority. (2000). Broadcasting Award (Best Current Affairs Programme) for Viva Malta [Writer, presenter & editor, as part of the Where’s Everybody team].
Broadcasting Authority. (1999). Broadcasting Award (Culture and Education Programme) for Caravaggio [Writer, presenter, as part of the Where’s Everybody team]
Broadcasting Authority. (1994). Broadcasting Award (Current Affairs Programme), for Bir-Rispett Kollu [Writer, presenter].
Sunday Times of Malta. (1991). First Prize, Essay on Business