Prof Claire Muscat-Fenech graduated in Mechanical Engineering from UM, continuing her studies at the University of Reading, UK (Research Assistant), during her Ph.D in the field of fracture mechanics, continuing as a post-Doc (Research Fellow) on the "Grounding of Ships", attained a PGCE, Science (Physics). At Reading Grammar School attaining a Recognition Assessment in excellence of knowledge and understanding, teaching and assessment, pupil progress, wider professional effectiveness and professional characteristics from the Dffe, UK. She joined the UM (Junior College) lecturing Pure and Applied Mathematics and in 2008 joined the Mechanical Engineering Department, responsible for the area in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
She lectures in naval architecture, ship structures, applied mechanics of cracked bodies, fundamentals in ship science and structural mechanics for maritime applications. Her research is focused in the area of Maritime Engineering and Applied Engineering Mechanics, predominately in the field of naval architecture, light weight composite materials and sandwich structures, impact mechanics, structural analysis – experimental and computational, fracture and damage mechanics of advanced materials.
Claire is currently the coordinator of the area of study in Maritime Engineering, member of Engineering Faculty-Board, University Maritime Platform, UM Committee for Research Engagement, representative for Royal Institution of Naval Architects, RINA, council member and European Vice President of RINA and has held the post of Honorary Secretary for the RINA-IMarEST Joint Branch since 2010. She has served on Malta government advisory boards: Marine and Maritime Board, Malta Competition and Consumer Affair Authority, MCCAA and Board of Professional Engineers, , and UM representative to the Malta Maritime Forum.
Claire is currently involved in the projects DLANComp and MoorBuoy. Past projects include (coordinator) H2020 Project - VENTuRE - A Virtual and physical Experimental towing ceNtre for The design of eneRgy Efficient sea fairing vessels; Co-investigators within ECO-Composite; CAVEAT; ELCAPA; DeSloSH; and MedFOWT; team member: SEA-EU; reSEArch-EU; FACTS; and other projects relting to Renewable, Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Light Weight Bio-Composites; Damage Analysis on Marine Vessels due to Impact and Grounding; Ship Design, Sea Keeping and Ship Damage Analysis on Impact and Grounding;
