Dr Sophie Marie Briffa read for a BSc (Hons.) in Chemistry with Materials (2011) and a MSc. in Mechanical Engineering (2013) at the University of Malta. In 2017 she was awarded a PhD in Environmental Health Risk from the University of Birmingham (UoB). This was part funded by the FP7 project NanoMILE and Malta’s Endeavour Scholarship Scheme. During her doctoral research studies Sophie was awarded a transnational access grant from QualityNano for a laboratory visit to Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, which enabled her to carry out further PhD related research. Her PhD thesis, titled “Synthesis and Ageing Transformations of Manufactured Metal Oxide Nanomaterials” was awarded the Sir Oliver Lodge Prize (2017) for its quality.
She has participated in several international conferences and to date she has published both first author papers and co-authored papers. Her paper on the “Uptake and impacts of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capped metal oxide nanoparticles on Daphnia magna: role of core composition and acquired corona” published in ES:nano, was nominated for ‘ES:nano best paper 2018’
Her research interests include nanomaterial (NM) synthesis and characterisation, NM behaviour and transformations in the environment, nanosafety and NMs for the purpose of conservation.
Sophie also holds a Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). She completed a BA in Dance Education with the RAD in conjunction with the University of Bath (part-time distance-learning) in 2019. Her admirable performance in these studies has been rewarded with the Iris Truscott Scholarship (2015-2016) and her dissertation was awarded the Philip Nind Award for outstanding quality.
