Aaron MicallefAaron Micallef, a senior lecturer at the University of Malta’s Department of Geosciences, has been awarded a prestigious research grant worth close to €1.7 million to investigate offshore groundwater systems.
The European Research Council (ERC) ‘Starting Grant’ scheme aims to fund young, early career scientists wishing to start up their own research groups.
The grants are highly competitive, and this is the first time such an award was given to a Maltese scientist.
The ERC award secures funding for a five-year project entitled ‘Topographically-driven meteoric groundwater – an important geomorphic agent’ (Marcan), which Dr Micallef will lead.
It will bring together scientists from different groups across the University and other international research institutions, as well as provide funding for PhD and post-doctoral students.
The project aims to use state-of-the-art three-dimensional surveying methods offshore Malta and New Zealand to explore how groundwater can form some of the most widespread and significant landforms on the planet.
Marcan will also have strong applied relevance as it will improve the assessment and exploitation of offshore freshwater as a potential source of drinking water.