Prof. Pauline Galea graduated B.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Malta in 1977, and M.Sc. (Physics) in 1979. In 1994 she obtained her Ph.D. in Geophysics from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand after having been awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship. She lectured at the Physics department, University of Malta from 1995 to 2015. Prof Galea was the first Head of the Department of Geosciences, which was established in 2015.

Prof. Galea has been instrumental in setting up the Seismic Monitoring and Research Group, now within the Department of Geosciences. The SMRG operates the Malta Seismic Network, which provides a national earthquake monitoring service, as well as leading research in seismology and geophysics. Her research interests are the seismicity and tectonics of the Central Mediterranean, particularly the Sicily Channel, seismic hazard and seismic risk studies relating to the Maltese islands, crustal structure and seismic site response studies.