Bringing the ocean to the heart of the City

The Oceanography Malta Research Group, together with SEA-EU, proudly participated in this year’s Science in the City festival held in Valletta on Friday 26 September. The event once again brought science to the heart of the community, and our team was delighted to share our passion for the ocean through a variety of engaging projects and activities. To learn more about our group, visit our webpage.

Visitors had the chance to explore our ongoing initiatives such as BLUE – the Buoy for Long-term Underwater Exploration, designed to monitor and study the marine environment, as well as our citizen science campaigns Spot the Alien and Alien Fish, which invite the public to report sightings of invasive species in local waters. These projects highlight how community involvement is essential in observing, understanding, and protecting our seas. Learn more about our Citizen Science campaigns online.

A popular attraction was Pepper, our humanoid robot, who once again helped engage younger audiences with interactive activities and fun facts about the ocean. Children and families also participated in our creative Sea Drifter activity, writing notes and messages to be released with our next drifter in the coming weeks. This floating instrument will travel across the Mediterranean, transmitting valuable scientific data while carrying the community’s words across the sea.

The festival was a long but rewarding evening for our researchers, who braved recent uncertain weather conditions to bring ocean science closer to the public. We were grateful to see so many young people inspired by the idea of cultivating an “ocean culture” and curious about how science can safeguard our marine ecosystems.

This year, our group also welcomed two Erasmus students from Italy and Spain, who supported our outreach by sharing their experiences and building connections within our growing community.

We are proud to be part of Science in the City and look forward to participating again next year. Events like these allow us to showcase our research, talent, and commitment to protecting our shared seas.