Four academics have been promoted to the rank of Professor at the University of Malta, recognising their significant contributions to research, teaching, and academic leadership within their respective fields.
The newly promoted Professors are Professor Jean-Paul Baldacchino from the Department of Anthropological Sciences, Professor Ing. Mario Farrugia from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Professor Lalit Garg from the Department of Computer Information Systems, and Professor Gillian Martin from the Department of Sociology.
Professor Jean-Paul Baldacchino / Facebook
Professor Jean-Paul Baldacchino began his academic journey at the University of Malta, where he completed his undergraduate studies before reading for an M.A. in Psychoanalysis at Victoria University and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from La Trobe University in Melbourne. His doctoral research explored the cultural construction of emotions, particularly romantic love and guilt, in South Korea.
He has lectured and held visiting posts in various universities in South Korea and Australia, and has specialised and published in areas including psychoanalysis, the anthropology of emotions and embodiment, multiculturalism, secularisation, and popular religion. With regional expertise spanning East Asia, Australia, and the Mediterranean, Professor Baldacchino is a member of the Australian Anthropology Society, sits on the Editorial Board of The Australian Journal of Anthropology, and serves as General Editor of the Journal of Mediterranean Studies.
Professor Ing. Mario Farrugia, from the Faculty of Engineering, graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Malta in 1992 and worked with Enemalta, primarily at the Delimara Power Station, until 2000. He obtained a master’s degree in Mechatronics from Hull University in the UK and later earned a Ph.D. at Oakland University, Michigan, USA.
Professor Farrugia joined the University of Malta in 2000 and has been actively involved in Formula SAE since 2001, first at Oakland University and later in Malta. He has published around 70 peer-reviewed papers, several of which have appeared in leading engineering journals such as those of the SAE, IMechE, and IEEE.
Professor Lalit Garg, from the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, is an academic and researcher with a strong background in information technology and data analytics. His work focuses on solving complex problems using machine learning and data-driven approaches, particularly within the healthcare and medical sectors.
He serves as an Associate Professor in Computer Information Systems at the University of Malta and an honorary lecturer at the University of Liverpool in the UK. He has also held research positions at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Ulster in the UK. Professor Garg is widely published and recognised for his innovative work in applying IT solutions to real-world challenges.
Professor Gillian Martin, from the Department of Sociology, transitioned to academia following a career in nursing in the UK. She holds a doctorate in Sociology from the University of Manchester and specialises in the Sociology of Health and Illness and the Sociology of the Body. Her expertise lies in qualitative research methods, with experience in creative interviewing and child-centred data collection.
Her research focuses on medical sociology, particularly the lived experience of illness and the social and ethical implications of genomic research and biobanking.
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