The 11th edition of the Faculty of Health Sciences Dean’s Awards were held on the 5 July 2024 at the North Passage of the Formal Garden, Ta’ Qali National Park. The event served as an occasion to celebrate the achievements of the faculty’s students and its academic and non-academic members of staff as another academic year approaches its end.

The Dean, Dr Stephen Lungaro Mifsud, welcomed the attendees and affirmed the Faculty’s commitment to serve as a centre of excellence for education and research in the health sciences. The Dean then handed awards to the full time undergraduate students with the highest grades in each of the first three years of study; to the undergraduate student who demonstrated the greatest academic improvement between the first and second year of studies; and to the postgraduate students who obtained the highest grades across the faculty among students who completed their studies by the original end date of the course.

Awards were also awarded to members of staff who were nominated by students as academic, clinical mentor and administrative or technical member of staff of the year. The Dean’s Award for altruistic contribution to society was awarded to Dr Nadine Tabone for her indefatigable efforts for the rescue and care of abandoned animals. The Dean’s Award for Special Mention was awarded to Mr Joseph-Mark Gatt, assistant laboratory manager, for his decades of dedicated service to the Faculty of Health Sciences and its predecessor, the Institute of Health Care, and to Dr Rita Micallef for her vision, leadership and commitment in her roles as a clinician, researcher, educator, philanthropist and Allied Health Services director.

The awardees were announced by Dr Josef Trapani, deputy dean of the Faculty. The event was followed by a reception. Special thanks are due to members of the Faculty Office, Prof. Josianne Scerri and Prof.  Liberato Camilleri for compiling grades and computing calculations, to Ing. Winston Pirotta, Project Manager Malta National Park Unit, for making it possible to make use of the venue, to Mr Nicolai Schembri for setting up the sound system and to Ms Marthese Gauci for coordinating the preparations for the event. 

The awardees at this year’s edition of the Faculty of Health Sciences Dean’s Awards are listed below

Dean's Awards For Academic Achievement:

First Year Students: 

• Mark Demarco (Physiotherapy)
• Yasmin Cassar (Nursing) In Absentia
• Mattias Ellul (Applied Biomedical Science)

Second Year Students: 

• Martha Felice (Physiotherapy)
• Shania Micallef (Nursing) In Absentia
• Storm Ghirlando (Occupational Therapy)

Third Year Students: 

• Samuel Grima (Medical Physics) In Absentia
• Maronia Chetcuti (Medical Physics)
• Nathalie Mangion (Physiotherapy)

Postgraduate Students: 

• Nikita Camilleri (Applied Biomedical Science)
• Sharon Maria Cuschieri (Mental Health)

Dean's Award For Greatest Academic Improvement: 

• Li Xingbo (Nursing)

Awards Based On Nominations: 

• Academic of the Year - Prof. Josianne Scerri – Department of Mental Health
• Clinical Mentor of the Year - Dr Pauline Miggiani Sultana – Audiologist, Primary Health Care
• Administrative or Technical Member of the Year - Ms Marika Spagnol – Administration Specialist, Department of Mental Health
• Dean’s Award for Altruistic Contribution to Society - Dr Nadine Tabone – Department of Human Communication Science & Disorders
• Dean’s Award for Special Mention - Mr Joseph-Mark Gatt – Assistant Lab Manager
• Dr Rita Micallef – Director, Allied Health Services