The launching of a series of investments in new research projects that aim to enhance smart and innovative solutions tailored for specific marine ecosystems was announced today in a press conference held by the Parliamentary Secretariat responsible for Research and Innovation. The projects altogether entitled as Smart Solutions for Unique Ecologies comprises five different research projects with the first one being launched today led by Prof. Timothy Gambin.
The research project launched today, entitled AI for conservation and sustainable management of marine habitats has the mission to comprehensively comprehend and safeguard the interconnected relationships between research, delicate marine ecosystems, and the historic shipwrecks that house them. The numerous shipwrecks present on the seabed around the Maltese Islands are not only remnants of our shared human history but also host vital ecosystems teeming with diverse marine life, offering unique opportunities for a multi-disciplinary research team to develop new tools to capture and evaluate data that will serve as base maps of marine biodiversity across different wrecks and environments. The combination of advanced AI technologies with marine ecological studies will enable us to assess these marine assets quantitatively and qualitatively.
Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti highlighted that this investment in research projects aligns with various facets of Malta’s National Research and Innovation Strategic Plan 2023-2027 which will be officially launched in the coming weeks, as well as the Smart Specialisation Strategy 2021-2027.
“By supporting basic research and increasing science literacy funding opportunities, the Government is fostering further advancements in research. Additionally, research projects like this one presented today by Prof. Gambin are 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 Azzopardi Tanti.
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. This project brings together technology, history, and other marine sciences that will seek new horizons of discovery and preservation.
Prof. Alfred J. Vella, Rector of the University of Malta, was also present and 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 sponsorship agreement as it embarks on an exciting journey related to underwater cultural heritage and application of Artificial Intelligence to study marine ecologies present on historic shipwrecks. On behalf of the University, I would like to extend my congratulations to Prof. Timmy Gambin and am looking forward to seeing the results of this work," concluded Prof. Vella.
Prof. Timothy Gambin, responsible for the research project launched today, explained that the goal of this research project is twofold. He said 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 sophisticated AI algorithms, the research project will analyse and interpret complex data from these submerged ecosystems, exploring patterns and interactions that are currently challenging to study.