A collaboration between the Parliamentary Secretariat responsible for Research and Innovation and the University of Malta was announced today during a press conference where various research projects will be implemented to enhance the knowledge and innovative solutions tailored for marine ecosystems
The project ‘Smart Solutions for Unique Ecologies’, financed by the Parliamentary Secretariat responsible for Research and Innovation and led by local researchers, includes five different projects on marine research. One of these research projects was launched today, entitled ‘AI for conservation and sustainable management of marine habitats’, led by Profs. Timothy Gambin.
The research project has the mission to comprehensively comprehend and safeguard the marine habitats and the historic shipwrecks that house them, with most of them hosting diverse marine life. The combination of advanced AI technologies with marine ecological studies, will enable research teams to assess these marine assets and collect unique data for the preservation and sustainable management of the marine habitats.
Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti explained that this investment in research projects aligns with various facets of Malta’s National Research and Innovation Strategic Plan.
“By supporting research and increasing funding opportunities, the Government is fostering further advancements in research. Additionally, research projects like the one launched today is also helping us align and subsequently address international objectives set by the United Nations for its Ocean Decade, particularly in protecting and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity”, continued Parliamentary Secretary Azzopardi Tanti.
The Parliamentary Secretary said that this project brings together technology, history, and other marine sciences that will seek new horizons of discovery and preservation. He concluded by saying that the outcome of this research will take us one step further to understand better our shipwrecks and the intricate ecological fabrics that thrive on these sites.
Prof. Alfred J. Vella, Rector of the University of Malta, spoke about the significance of such investment in local researchers. “It gives the University of Malta great satisfaction witnessing its research initiatives at the forefront of the latest trends. I welcome this collaboration as it embarks on a journey related to underwater cultural heritage and application of Artificial Intelligence to study marine ecologies present on historic shipwrecks. We look forward to seeing the results of this work,” concluded Prof. Vella.
Prof. Timothy Gambin, responsible for the research project launched today, explained the process by saying that “Firstly, it aims to develop tools enabling the extraction of data, providing unprecedented insights into the ecological significance of historic shipwrecks. Secondly, the project seeks to harness the potential of AI for the conservation and sustainable management of marine habitats”. Furthermore, he noted that through the utilisation of AI, the research project will analyse and interpret complex data from these submerged ecosystems, exploring patterns and interactions that are currently challenging to study.
