An Exhibition making use of various new technologies with the aim of promoting environmental education and ocean literacy, was launched on Tuesday 26 November 2024 at Esplora Interactive Science Centre, as a result of the ongoing collaboration between the University of Malta and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth, Research and Innovation, titled: Investing in a lasting Blue Economy legacy through smart specialisation: the promotion of digital technologies within ocean literacy and within ongoing maritime research.
The DiveIn Exhibition includes holograms showing the thriving life beneath the surface of the sea, the utilisation of virtual reality and Pepper the social humanoid robot to interact with audiences, as well as a number of screens and 3D diagrams, collectively helping citizens to envision a better maritime sector.
What made this launch more special is that it also served as the Welcome Ceremony of the SEA-EU Governing Week, an important milestone for UM and its alliance within the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU).
SEA-EU is the pioneer of the European Universities Initiative which started in 2019 with nine allied Universities, including the University of Malta, and which since then has been working incessantly towards a number of ambitious objectives, such as the offering of joint degree programmes, and increased student mobility within Europe.
The SEA-EU employs a rotating governance model, with leadership changing every six months - and with Malta hosting this Governing Week, the Rectors and High Profile delegates from the other universities were able to witness, in-person, the work being done locally to entice more students to further their studies in this field, to educate children and to provide the public with a clearer picture of the maritime sector.
Prof. Alan Deidun from the University’s Department of Geosciences, and the UM Rector’s Delegate for SEA-EU, was thrilled to welcome all the high-profile delegates from across the alliance and remarked that “this opportunity to create and share meaningful work and to have it witnessed by so many people, is truly inspiring. This is all a testament to the power of creativity and teamwork, as well as to the importance of understanding and preserving one of Earth’s most vital ecosystems. Oceans are not just a source of life and biodiversity, but they also play a key role in regulating our climate and supporting economies.”
A number of brief presentations were given by the University of Malta students benefiting from SEA-EU research grants made available through the ongoing collaboration with the Parliamentary Secretariat. The presentations were the ones by Mr Alessio Marrone, on the application of eDNA in studying the impacts of the Delimara power station thermal effluent discharge, by Dr Adam Gauci (on behalf of Benjamin Mifsud, who was indisposed) on the development of an image analysis algorithm on the identification of alien fish species from photos as well as the one by Marco Iannaccone, on the culturing of fungi for the digestion of plastics.
Mr Olaf McKay, Senior Director of Esplora, said: “"We are thrilled to partner with the University of Malta, represented by Professor Alan Deidun, to advance the integration of technology within the maritime field. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to fostering environmental education, or 'ocean literacy,' and promoting sustainable tourism in biodiverse regions. By leveraging innovative and immersive technologies such as virtual reality, robotics, and holograms, we aim to inspire future generations to engage with research, cultivate respect for marine species, and champion sustainable tourism in Natura 2000 areas. This partnership builds on the success of Esplora Interactive Science Centre and the Corallo Project, strengthening Esplora's maritime focus and our dedication to education and sustainability."
UM Rector Prof. Alfred J. Vella as well as UM Pro-Chancellor, Perit Karmenu Vella, were also in attendance, with both applauding the incorporation of technology into the driving of growth of the maritime industry.
