Prof. Charles Sammut: “You can’t teach teachers how to teach science. They have to love science to pass on that enthusiasm.” Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Heavy investment in the last few years has boosted the health of Malta’s scientific research, but the number of graduates in this field remains worryingly low, according to the dean of the Faculty of Science.

“My fear is that young people don’t seem to want to go into science. They think it’s too much work,” Prof. Charles Sammut said.

“It’s a sobering thought for the future. We can’t all be lawyers and doctors. We need more scientists.”

Prof. Sammut was speaking ahead of a public lecture by renowned mathematician Marcus du Sautoy on June 17 at the Aula Magna in Valletta, part of a series of events marking the faculty’s centenary year.

Prof. du Sautoy is the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University – succeeding Richard Dawkins – whose role focuses on communicating the beauty of science. He will also speak at an international, interdisciplinary conference organised by the European Society for Literature, Science and the Arts, co-organised by the Humanities, Medical and Science (Hums) Programme.

The series of events will then conclude with a commemorative faculty board meeting at the Valletta campus on September 17 – 100 years to the day since the first such meeting, chaired by the faculty’s first dean, Sir Temi Zammit.

“Part of the goal of the centenary celebrations is making people aware of what we’re doing. The science faculty has come a long way, and is today doing significant work, even on the international stage,” Prof. Sammut said.

We can’t all be lawyers and doctors. We need more scientists

“But we also wanted to use this occasion as a vehicle to popularise science. I think there’s a problem of misconceptions, starting from an early age.”

According to Prof. Sammut, there is an extremely high demand for science graduates in industry and the public sector, but guidance teachers in secondary schools typically push science-minded students towards medicine or engineering without considering science as a career path in itself.

“There are many things that can speak up for science, but to attract students we need to focus on its beauty. When you get a teacher who is really interested in science, who has that spark, it becomes contagious.

“You can’t teach teachers how to teach science. They have to know and love science to pass that enthusiasm to their students.”

At the same time, Prof. Sammut said the faculty is currently one of the most research-active on campus, with a large recent influx of capital funds for its research facilities strengthening its position.

In the last five years, six European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) projects have generated new laboratories, including an ultra wideband laboratory, advanced optics, geophysics and a mobile air quality station.

The faculty is also responsible for obtaining Malta’s first supercomputing cluster, which has been running at full capacity since its arrival.

“Our facilities are getting us noticed,” Prof. Sammut said. “These days, apart from us sending scientists abroad, scientists are actually coming over to work to take advantage of our facilities and our experience.”