The Adventures in Malta Begin

So the day we have all been looking forward to finally came. We arrived at the San Luis Obispo, CA airport around 4:30am PST Saturday morning. Our plane left around 6am and flew to San Francisco, CA. Next, we flew to Chicago and then immediately hopped on a plane to Frankfurt, Germany. The flight to Frankfurt was the longest, which lasted 8hrs and 10min. I found this flight to be very culturally diverse due to the Frankfurt airport being a connecting spot for many other international flights. Specifically, I found it interesting how all the announcements were proclaimed first in German and then in English. (German because the airline was Lufthansa, which is a German airline). We had about an 1hr 30min layover in Frankfurt, which was spent wandering in the terminal trying to find our gate for the last flight and then eating breakfast. The last flight from Germany to Malta lasted about 2hrs and 30min. When flying in, we first saw the island of Gozo. This island is located north west of Malta and is much smaller. Finally, when Malta was in sight, it was interesting to see how large the island actually is. I always imagined Malta as a small island with not as much open-space, but found myself shocked when I saw much open-space and multiple distinguishing cities on the island. Once we landed, we gathered up all our luggage and located our driver.

Driving from the airport to the apartments was a great cultural experience in that most of us expressed spurts of shock/fear due to driving on the left side of the road. It became a quick realization that Malta's roads are very narrow and dangerous. Most of the cars are extremely small, which is necessary in order to fit down most of the roads in the city. Once we got to the apartments, the manager of the apartments assigned us our rooms, gave us our keys, and then informed us about stores and the cities nearby. We are staying at the am Learning Studio where many travellers come to Malta to learn English. We have two apartments where each one has three bedrooms and two bathrooms along with a kitchen and living room.

After we settled in, Andy, Jeff, Brig, and I headed to the hardware store to pick up an extension cord and also power converters from 220V EU style to 110V American style. This was a great time to see the architecture of Malta and learn the streets we will explore in the next month. In the meantime, Joe and Tyler went with Timmy to calibrate the robot's depth sensor, and Jane, Christina, and Jennifer went shopping for food and some necessities. This all led to resting and dinner. We're all pretty tired and heading to bed to catch up on all the lost sleep due to the time change and travelling.

For pictures refer to the previous post by Brig.

First Day In Malta

On the way and at Malta: Our first Day!

Malta in the News

Libya Air Force Jets In Malta, Pilots Seek Asylum (2/21/11)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=133940091

Libyan ship spotted off Malta coast (2/22/11)
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/2011222152359147622.html

Libya refugees flee to Malta (2/24/11)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b4bba604-3ff5-11e0-811f-00144feabdc0.html

German warships arrive in Malta for Libya rescue (2/25/11)
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20110225-322266/German-warships-arrive-in-Malta-for-Libya-rescue

American Ferry Departs Tripoli Amid Exodus From Libya (2/25/11)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/26/world/africa/26evacuate.html?_r=1

Four Vessels on Libya Evacuation Mission for Chinese Nationals (2/26/11)
http://english.cri.cn/6909/2011/02/26/189s622854.htm

Research Project Discussion at Backstage - 2/15/11

So I got one picture...

Hopefully it's an okay summary of our meeting with Timmy Gambin and the awesome insights he was able to give into our individual research projects and also just some useful general knowledge about Malta.

Can't wait to talk with him more!

Malta's Sense of Self

It is quite remarkable to see how large of an influence and impact religion has on the tiny island of Malta, especially in more recent history. A 90% Christian population is not a statistic to be overlooked, and is one that falls in the top 20 countries that have high Christian percentages. As such an overwhelmingly large percentage of the people are Christian, it has become a defining factor of being Maltan since the times of St. Paul. The (relatively) recent sense of independence that Malta has experienced has produced a constitution that allows for “freedom” of religion, but at the same time declares Christianity (Roman Catholicism) as a state religion. For me at least, these seem nearly contradictory. Having a state religion established means that the government, in a way, expects the Maltese to be Christian. This leads to political decisions being aimed towards what may be religiously “correct” (i.e. ones that may promote religious ideals rather than ones that may progress the country as a whole: realize these two are not always correlated). I realize that this is simply the norm in Malta, and is likely generally regarded as a perfectly acceptable and reasonable method of making decisions. It is simply difficult for me, a member of another country which is in many respects different from this religious extreme, to understand how it has become the social norm.

In a bit of irony, the other largest defining aspect of being Maltese, based on a few of the readings, is the Maltese language itself. An extremely small number of people speak it in the world, making it unique and its speakers identifiable. The irony comes from its origins: the Arab invasion in 870 CE. This left an Islamic influence on the Maltese culture during that time which has propagated and can be seen in various aspects even today including the naming of some towns and villages. The fact that these influences are Arab in nature, conflicts with the extreme part of the culture that is now Christian. If being Maltese means pulling from conflicting ideals, it is interesting that it persists (a bit of what Dr. Gambin spoke about) throughout the culture.

Furthermore, this strong sense of belonging and the specific identifiers that the Maltese use in present day are quite different to Malta historically. Malta, being a pit-stop along trade routes and a country that has simply been ruled by the current world power (which has switched many times), has had a difficult time establishing traits that set it apart from other areas of Europe. It has simply been mainly an extension of other cultures. But since gaining its independence, it has developed a sense of self. It uses the traits discussed above, and has very recently (2004) joined the EU as its own nation. These steps of independence mark important milestones in Malta’s development. To quote Dr. Gambin again, Malta is in a state of adolescence as a country, and is still “finding itself,” which I find extremely interesting.

(502)

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127324.htm

http://www.guidetomalta.net/malta-culture/maltese-culture-religion/

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080726/opinion/true-maltese-identity

http://www.maltabulb.com/maltese_culture.html

Britain and France: Reading Response #2

Brig Bagley

Critical Response #2

One very interesting contrast between Great Britain and France is the different statuses of engineers in each country. Their individual histories have shaped the image and roles of engineers, either by giving engineers an important place in society, or by considering engineering a lesser, even non-professional way of life. The same profession, so to speak, was completely different in different societies due to the specific situations these societies had to offer for engineers.

In Great Britain, engineers spawned from the crafting society, inventing—out of necessity—better ways of life. However, at that time in Great Britain, craftsmanship was considered inferior to positions such as lawyers and doctors—those who took years of theoretical and literature-based schooling. Having emerged from the “blue collar” area of society, engineers did not receive recognition, sufficient support, or even social status for many years. The appreciation for the skill and talent of the belittled craftsmen was years in the making. In the article “Engineers in Britain: A Study of in Persistence,” (28) Smith and Whalley emphasize the fact that “engineers have found it difficult to separate themselves from their manual, craft origins, and therefore issues of status have bedeviled the ‘occupation’ for over a century.” It is clear that the history of Britain and its earlier view of craftsmanship ruined the success of the engineering profession for decades.

France, in contrast, had a completely different historical story. About the time of the French revolution, everything in France changed. The government (before being overthrown) began to research and fund different types of engineering in hopes to gain the confidence of its people for a growing and superior military. Although this government failed, their plans did not. The newly established government continued the funding and support of engineering schools to train hundreds of new engineers. Because of this inflated view of engineering, the engineers of France did not often do what we in the United States think of engineers doing today. The engineers in France were revered and were given high leadership positions in all areas. In essence, engineers were the doctors and lawyers of France. In Ermenc’s article, “The French Heritage of Engineering Schools,” he mentions the engineering schools of France “supplied the needs of the government for naval, military, and strictly scientific and engineering personnel,” and that the objective of a particular school, the Ecole Centrale, was “to be the preparation of a corps d’elite of engineers for industrial leadership” (143). It is clear that the needs of France inflated engineering well beyond that of Great Britain. France put a great amount of respect and confidence into its engineers, and it is this history of France and engineers that influenced the greater part of engineering in the United States.

Although both Great Britain and France produced similar fields of engineering, the take and success in each country was greatly dependent upon its support by both the government and society. The freedoms and innovation and opportunities that we see in the United States were not available in either of the French or English states when engineering began. The history of that time primarily determined the growth and success of engineers and their careers.

Draft Abstract: Current Challenges

As a country recently admitted to the EU (March 8, 2003), Malta is currently facing many challenges and opportunities. Since its admission to the EU, Malta has been working to meet the standards that the EU requires of all of its members, including a minimum of twenty percent RES by 2020. Also, with its strategic geographic location in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta plays an important role in terrorism prevention. This set of circumstances provides Malta with room for a surprising amount of political power for such a small nation. What is Malta doing to create RES, what have they done to prevent terrorism, and how has their recent situation affected their power in global politics since their admission to the EU.

Avila Pier launch - take 1

From our first trip out to the Cal Poly pier to test the robots (along with the CPE485 class)

Beautiful day out at Avila

Brief tour of the pier facilities

Ballasting the AUV & the AUV being driven manually in Avila Bay

Getting the Iver ready to launch

Iver being driven in Avila Bay

Boat ready just in case something happened to the robots

Iver after the tests... still in one piece!

More pool tests

A few more pictures from the recent pool test where we got to drive the ROV around with the joystick

Pacheco Robotics

Our second set of visits to Pacheco elementary school were focused around teaching the kids about the design aspect of robotics. We had kits that could be put together to form a number of different simple configurations and at the end, we had all of the groups put together the solar powered car design and race them outside.

The Pool!

Just wanted to share that we got the ROV in our pool and drove it around with the joystick and toughbook today. Yay!

And we had the IVER in and doing missions. Yay!

Pics:

Jennifer took a couple of the ROV (I think...) but I don't have those ones.

Tourism shapes industry - Abstract

The development of a country is often measured through the success or lack thereof of the industrial sector. Through continued dependence on foreign support Malta failed to develop in industry and technology until after its independence in 1964. In addition, industrial growth has been limited by the lack of natural resources available on the island - water and energy are limited. By considering the natural resources available, the history of industry on the island, and analysis of its current economic status, the impact of tourism on the country can be assessed. In Malta, tourism is an important economic contributor and has shaped the more recent industrial development. Tourism is important to the island of Malta given how industry has been formed around it, however, this has been a detriment to the islands technological development. These detriments can be seen through the struggle with natural resources of water and oil, the absence of manufacturing prior to 1959, and the absence of a unique industrial field.

HMS Russell - British battleship to Maltese shipwreck

Abstract

Malta’s unique location in the Mediterranean has made it a strategic and coveted spot for many years. Because of this, military endeavors have played a big part in shaping its history. In addition, because of its nature as a small island nation, Maltese culture and industries have a strong connection to the sea. Due to both of these facts, it is important to have an understanding of some of the naval history related to the island of Malta. There are a number of shipwrecks off the coast, which provide a good starting place for this. The HMS Russell – which is the ship the ICEX team will help investigate – was a British battleship built in 1901 and served in WWI before hitting a mine in 1916 and sinking off the coast of Malta. Because of the deep resting place of the HMS Russell today, no dives to it were attempted until 2003. The ship lies upside down and the stern section is missing, but there is still a lot of history intact on the wreck and presumably much more to discover.

Annotated Bibliography

1. "Duncan Class Battleship." World War 1 Naval History. 1998-2011. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. .

This article gave a good overview of the 5 Duncan class ships and gives dates, figures and specifications on these and how they differed from other ships of that time period. It also gives a brief overview of the service that each of the ships performed in WWI, which is less detailed than some other sources, but provides a good comparison. Given there are a number of other resources which cover some of the specific events in more detail, I thought this source was still helpful at giving that broader perspective.

2. Grech, Herman. "Throwback to WWI: Diving Team to Try and Locate HMS Russell."The Times21 Aug. 2001: 44. Web. 05 Feb. 2011. .

This is a newspaper article from 2001 about the proposed dive that the Starfish Enterprise did to the HMS Russell. I thought it was interesting to hear the story before the dive and what kinds of things they already knew about the wreck and be able to compare that to the information after the dive. One of the other resources I found documented the dive that they talked about in this article, so it provides a good connection. I think this is also a good source to use because the facts are much more likely to be confirmed and accurate (compared to most of the other information on this topic, which is just from various websites). It also shows that this shipwreck was of importance to Britain still to make it into their newspaper.

3. "HMS Russell." Shipwreck Films. 2006. Web. 05 Feb. 2011. .

This source gives a brief background history or the HMS Russell and then goes into much more detail about the first dive (by the Starfish Enterprise team) to capture video and identify the ship. This is very helpful as we will be doing something similar (only with robots instead of divers) so we can compare their methods and results and have an idea of what to expect. There were also helpful details related to this including the visibility in the water at various depths, which is essential to know given our AUV can't dive all the way to where the wreck lies on the bottom. In addition to the written description and some pictures, there are also two videos from their dives to the HMS Russell, which I feel would be good to show to the other ICEX participants (again to get an idea of what to expect and see what almost 100 years underwater has done to such a magnificent battleship).

4. "MaritimeQuest - HMS Russell Message Board." MaritimeQuest. 2009. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. .

This source is actually a message board from the MaritimeQuest – a website dedicated to naval and shipping history. I would normally be skeptical of using such a source since anyone can post whatever they want, true or not. However, one of the members posted several scanned newspaper clippings from the London Times as well as telegrams from the year of the shipwreck which talk about the incident. I think those would be very valuable sources to include as they give a historical perspective and a firsthand look at what people thought about the incident during that time.

5. Rickard J. "HMS Russell." Military History Encyclopedia on the Web. 5 Nov. 2007. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. .

This source is very helpful in giving a more detailed history of the HMS Russell’s service during WWI before being sunk 1916. It also gives a nice, quick overview of the ship and it’s specifications in a table laid out at the end of the article. However, it is missing much in the way of history from when it was first built in 1901 and when it served in 1914. It also doesn’t say much about the actual wreck or what happened that made it sink near Malta. Given most of that information is readily available in other sources though, I think that is a valuable resource to include to get the WWI time period (prior to the sinking of it) covered.

How Minority Groups in Malta are Kept Oppressed and Potential Solutions through Education

Abstract

Women have had an extremely difficult time gaining equality in many scenarios in Malta, especially those in STEM fields. Likewise, various minorities have also struggled to gain equal rights and opporunities. Physical abuse or simple lack of education are a couple of the many factors that keep these minority groups where they are in the social ladder. In addition to exploring further causes to how and why these groups are kept as lower class citizens than the working white male, I hope to uncover potential progress in more contemporary scenarios, as well as possible solutions. While I am a fan of further and complete education to solve problems including these, other methods are brought up and discussed through various sources, so I anticipate a wide variety of options.

Annotated Bibliography

Attard, G. (2010, June 16). Maternity, paternity leave – the other side of the coin. Retrieved February 6, 2011, from National Council of Women of Malta: http://www.ncwmalta.com/maternitypaternityleave

This article, written by president of the National Council of Women of Malta, stresses the importance of equality for women with dependent children in the workplace. Even recently, there is an overwhelming gap between employment rates of men compared to that of women (over 25%). In the article, Attard stresses the importance of keeping women in the labor market: mainly due to the fact that when women are forced to leave jobs due to pregnancy, they often do no return. This article in particular will be useful in my research because it is a prime example of how women are far from equal to men (in the workplace in particular). It also provides slight suggestions to go about possibly remedying this problem in the Maltese society. Unfortunately, it is only one of the many problem areas that women face, but, according to Attard, is one on the forefront of being remedied. I believe that the solution will be a stepping stone to fixing various other problems as well, so I understand Attard's focus and commitment.

Attard, G. (2008, July 25). Sending a strong message against violence – More action for less violence. Retrieved February 6, 2011, from National Council of Women of Malta: http://www.ncwmalta.com/councilviews?id=6

Another large problem women face is one of domestic violence. Statistics show that "one in three women will be victims of violence during their lifetime" and that "more women die from the consequences of violence than from cancer." This is a horrible problem that women face in not just Malta but Europe as a whole. It is also a problem that creates fundamental problems of equality between women and men: one that cannot be overcome without significant outside influence. It is a problem that perpetuates the dominant image of the male. This is an extremely important point in my research and gives one fundamental cause (or continuation) of this drastic inequality. I think the method of solving this problem provided by Attard is an important: one that is the responsibility of all society to combat, which I believe will play a large role in my research.

Caruana-Dingli, M. (2005). Integrating ICT and multicultural aspects within a classroom: the SAIL project. Intercultural Education , 16 (4), 395-404.

This article focuses on using Information and Communication Technology in the classroom to more effectively teach, but more importantly, stress the involvement and education of minority groups. There is an important overlap here between minority groups and technology, although maybe not the traditional one (in the workforce). This article brings education into the picture, which I would also like to focus on somewhat for my research project. Fundamentally, I believe with better, or maybe more appropriate, education, many problems that exist can begin to be dissolved. Notably, when the education of minority groups is becoming more effective, which is where the SAIL (Specialized Animated Interactive Learning) program becomes important.

Fenech, D. (1999). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 457-463.

Fenech, D. (2000). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 458-461.

Fenech, D. (2001). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 361-364.

Fenech, D. (2002). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1033-1036.

Fenech, D. (2003). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1026-1028.

Fenech, D. (2004). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1078-1083.

Fenech, D. (2005). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1119-1123.

Fenech, D. (2006). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1198-1200.

Fenech, D. (2007). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1038-1040.

Fenech, D. (2008). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1071-1073.

Fenech, D. (2009). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1047-1051.

Fenech, D. (2010). Malta. European Journal of Political Research , 1089-1094.

The above twelve articles are going to used essentially as a single reference. They are mostly short articles of statistics about demographics within Malta over various years. These statistics include significant amounts of data about elections and political proceedings throughout their respective years. What I found interesting, and hope to use to my advantage, are the statistics about the political offices held during each year. Also provided (and arguably the most important part to me and my research project), is the gender of the office holder. I think it will be interesting and insightful to compare all of the years provided to one another to see if female prevalence in political offices increases at all over the 12 years I have. Also noted in the last 6, are prevalent issues in national policies throughout the year: these may touch on issues both about women and people of color, which would aid towards my project.

Knepper, P. (2009). The 'White Slave Trade and the Music Hall Affair in 1930 Malta. Journal of Contemporary History , 44 (2), 205-220.

This article focuses on the 1930s in Malta which aroused allegations of prostitution of English women who were present due to jobs at the Music Hall. These happened to be false, but spawned an investigation of these types of practices which aimed at foreigners. This article is especially interesting because the military forces from Britain that came in to deal with the problem shifted focus to the “immoral character of women” rather than the problem at hand. This is a point which has many implications and will hopefully contribute to my research project with some useful points. This Music Hall Affair did not end up directly affecting human rights for immigrants coming to Malta, but showed the fears of foreigners in the face of a “limited world view” as shown by those in the military.

Primary and Secondary Education in Malta

Abstract:

The Maltese compulsory education system has many differences from the American system, one of the most noticeable being the multiple levels of secondary education. In order to facilitate the transition of students from primary school to secondary school traditionally educators use standardized examinations, known as the Junior Lyceum examination in the case of public schools, and Common Entrance examination in the case of private and church run schools. Since there are separate levels of education in Malta, entrance examinations can affect a student's course of education, as well as their eligibility for higher education. These exams also affect a slightly higher number of men than women since girls' schools run by the church are mostly continuous from primary to secondary school. Such examinations are fairly controversial, and 2010 has even seen the demise of the Common Entrance examination. The exams have been relied upon less and less since their creation, with the eventual goal of complete abolition of these tools in the transition of primary students into secondary education.

Bibliography

"Assessment of Learning - Extracts from the Junior Lyceum Entrance Examination Reports."CMeLD Website. Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. .

The Maltese government has provided past Junior Lyceum examinations as well as reports on the findings and statistics from these examinations. Such information could be useful, especially if any relevant connections to race and gender can be made.

Bonello, Gerard, and Charles Mallia. Times of Malta 1 Aug. 2010. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. examination>.

Bonello and Mallia write about the removal of the Common Entrance Examination (CE), used in placing students into private and religious secondary schools. The article will be used for its information on the historical development of the CE and its role in the transition between primary and secondary education.

Malta. Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports. Department of Information, Malta. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. .

This source is a report put out by the Maltese government on the transition between primary and secondary schools. It contains comparisons of Maltese standardized tests to those in other countries, as well as comparisons between different Maltese schools.

"STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM IN MALTA." STUDY IN EUROPE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN ARTS, BUSINESS, ECONOMICS, ENGINEERING, MBA, SCIENCE. World Higher Education Database (WHED). Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.euroeducation.net/prof/maltco.htm>.

This source contains basic information on the structure and flow of the Maltese education system. It is a little sparse, but contains some information that the other sources do not, such as progress to the University level.

Welcome to the Ministry of Education - Malta. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. .

More general information about the Education system of Malta, some of which is not contained in other sources. This includes details on education for low achievers, teachers in Malta, and adult education.

Archeological Knowledge of Cisterns and Water Management in Malta

Abstract
Water is a vital resource for life to survive in all environments. The Maltese have been struggling with the lack of water as far back as 3000 BC. My research analyzes how the Island of Malta has handled the water crisis throughout many centuries and continues to handle it today. Through analysis of research in books by Garry Hogg, Quentin Hughes, and a few others, I have found that Malta designed its water management system around the uses of cisterns throughout local communities and large temples. These cisterns primarily were designed as water tanks to become the primary source of fresh water during the dry summer months and were replenished with fresh water during the rainy season. Malta’s terrain is very rocky and largely composed of limestone. This prevents the absorption of rainfall leading to the majority of this water escaping as run-off to the Mediterranean Sea. With the construction of the Wignacourt Aqueduct during the 16th century which transported fresh water from Mdina to Valleta, the new capital city of Malta, water resources became more accessible allowing for agriculture to advance beyond what it was previously capable of. The cisterns were used for many centuries as the main source of storage of fresh water. Even today, thousand year old cisterns are still used for irrigation and plumbing (usually not drinking due to bacteria). As technology advanced in the 19th century, the Maltese now use desalination methods to support the countries need for fresh water. Desalination methods account for about 50% of the fresh water in Malta. This project dives deeper into the analysis of how the water crisis in Malta has impact the culture and the development of water storage methods from 3000 BC till now.

Abstract and Biblio: Science and Engineering in Malta

Brig Bagley

ES 410

Abstract and Annotated Bibliography

10 Feb. 2011

Abstract

Education in Malta for science and engineering has only recently developed into the state we see it today. With most of today’s scientists and engineers in Malta under the age of 35, we see that Malta has made many important changes in its approach to technology. The Malta Council for Science and Technology oversees the scientific advancements of the state, not quite dictating, but certainly directing what areas researchers and educational institutions. Historically, Malta has had many early engineering feats, primarily within the areas of architecture and defense (being a small country geographically located in a prime position in the Mediterranean). But only until recently has the country made a more radical shift in producing more scientists and engineers. Although technology is becoming a more popular profession, it still remains a minority, with business, law, humanities, art, and education remaining the dominant professions. Due to its resources, location, and history, Malta focuses on professions that can easily compete in the global economy (such as business and law) and uphold it as a valuable contributor to the world’s needs.

Annotated Bibliography

Mayo, Peter, Pace, Paul, and Zammit, Edward. (2008). “Adult education in small states: the case of Malta.” Comparative Education Vol. 44, No. 2., pp. 229-246. Routledge: Taylor and Francis Group.

This paper discusses how the small-scale dimensions of the state of Malta affect the types of education available for adults, as well as the methods of education used in the state. In order to best utilize its resources, Maltese educators often serve in multiple educational positions, covering many topics. Also an important part of the system is the focus on enabling public participation and global community. This information might be useful in determining how the education of scientists and engineers is affected. However, since this is education in general, there will likely not be much evidence supporting the proposed thesis.

UNESCO International Science, Technology, & Environmental. (2003) “Malta Council for Science and Technology.” Education Newsletter Vol. 28, Issue 3/4, pp 18-19.

The Malta Council for Science and Technology is a part of the Maltese government that oversees the science and technologies within the state. This short description describes the purposes and goals of the council. This will be very useful in pin pointing the state of education in science and engineering in Malta because it is likely that this council influences governmental decisions that affect the education system in these areas. The council probably encourages schools to focus on certain technologies and likely proposes funding for these particular areas. Unfortunately, this article is very short. There will only be a small amount of information to support my thesis.

“BP teams up with chemical and food giants on biofuels facility.” Professional Engineering. p 12. 28 June 2006.

Although this article is very short and does not address very much about Maltese education, there is one fact mentioned that I find particularly interesting and useful: “Malta has the youngest population of all, with more than half of its scientists and engineers aged 25 to 34.” This means that Malta has only recently started pushing for more scientists and engineers. With this information, I can now use some history of Malta to try to determine why this push happened, and why it was only recently.

Connect: UNESCO International Science, Technology & Environmental. (2000). “THE STATE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN MALTA.” Education Newsletter.Vol. 25 Issue 3/4, p15. EBESCOhost.

Another short article, UNESCO describes some of the direct influence of the Malta Council for Science and Technology on education for science and engineering. This will tie to the previously mentioned source that describes more in general the purpose of the council. The research project described in this synopsis is exactly the type of information I need to help me formulate reasons for the current state of education in Malta for science and engineering. Hopefully I will be able to track down references and sources that are related to this project.

Pollard, Justin. (2009). “The Eccentric Engineer.” Engineering and Technology. p. 18. 6-19 June 2009.

The author of this article explains that the earliest discovered evidence of engineering are in Malta. Because of this evidence, it is likely that the history of Malta’s science and engineering has taken a very different path from that of other countries around the world. Perhaps the recent jump to modern science and engineering was related to the country’s hesitance to deviate from traditional and long used methods of science and engineering. I would need to find evidence to support this claim, which might mean that this article doesn’t really help draw any conclusions.

Griffin, Joe, PhD., Ryan, Kevin. (2010). “Broadening the Education of Software Engineers – some lessons and pointers.” University of Limerick. IEEE.

Griffin and Ryan explain a method of collaboration between computer science students in a few different countries, including Malta. The methodologies correspond well with Global Engineering, as far as working with different cultures and understanding science and engineering from a more global perspective. Although the discussion of this article is relevant to the class and is lightly connected to Malta, it will probably not serve very well as a source in determining the state of Maltese education in the sciences and in engineering.

Teaching Kids About Robots

Part of the ICEX program is visiting kids at Pacheco Elementary School and teaching them about robots. Here are some pictures from the most recent visit where we taught them how to program robots using rotating discs.

Trip to the Pier in Avila

We took our robots to the pier in Avila Beach to do some tests, and to have some fun!