Three resident academics within the Physical Oceanography Research Group of the Department of Geosciences recently participated within the 42nd CIESM Congress held in Cascais in Lisbon.

Prof. Alan Deidun, Dr Adam Gauci and Dr Anthony Galea presented research related to a novel monitoring technique for microplastics, Marine Spatial Planning and to integrated coastal mapping. This work reflected the research conducted in recent years by students reading for the M.Sc. in Applied Oceanography offered by the same Department.

On the margins of the same Congress, Prof. Deidun, in his capacity as national delegate, participated in the CIESM Bureau meetings where all the 23 CIESM Member States are represented and which decides upon strategic issues related to the Commission's operations.

As per standard praxis, the Congress was opened by the CIESM President Prince Albert II of Monaco, with whom Prof. Deidun had the opportunity to discuss in detail Malta’s potential contribution to future CIESM-related initiatives.

Further information is available on the CIESM Congress website.