Yasmin Schembri, a local senior environmental consultant, has been awarded the prestigious Watt Club Postgraduate Medal by Heriot-Watt University of Edinburgh, Scotland. The Watt Club, to which Schembri now belongs, was founded in 1854 in honour of James Watt, inventor of the steam engine that heralded the Industrial Revolution.
The medal, which was presented to Schembri by club president Mike Ross last month, is awarded to the student achieving the highest distinction for that academic year. The award took place during the graduation ceremony in which Schembri received a master of science in International Marine Science. She was also presented with a university prize for outstanding merit by Theodore Henry, executive dean of the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society.
Schembri’s dissertation was the first to explore the accumulation of microplastics in sediment among a Maltese seagrass species. Titled What’s past is prologue: Origin and accumulation of microplastics in Maltese Posidonia oceanica seagrass, her study delved into the types of small plastic fragments found among this local and endemic seagrass species.
Schembri’s dissertation was the first to explore the accumulation of microplastics in sediment among a Maltese seagrass species
She also explored the process of how microplastics suspended in the sea are trapped by the Posidonia seagrass and become buried among its shoots. In her work, Schembri analysed microplastic samples collected from the bays in Għadira, Xemxija, St Paul’s Bay and Buġibba to obtain their chemical composition and help identify the source of these plastics. Boating activities, especially in the area of St Paul’s Bay, are believed to be one such contributor to the microplastics found.
Schembri is furthering her career in the environmental sector. She forms part of the family-run business AIS Environment – an environmental consultancy firm that has over 25 years of expertise. The consultancy guides its clients through all the regulatory requirements, from environmental permit applications to complex impact assessments, environmental auditing and environmental monitoring.