I am an associate professor at the Department of Physics and the Institute of Space Sciences & Astronomy (ISSA) at the University of Malta.

Between 2012 and 2016 I was a postdoctoral researcher in astrophysics at the Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik (AIP) in Potsdam, Germany, working in the Galaxies & Quasars group and the MUSE Consortium.

Previously, I carried out my doctoral research in the high-redshift group within the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford, where I read for a DPhil in astrophysics as a Marie Curie research fellow in a network associated with the NASA/ESA James Webb Space Telescope NIRSpec Instrument.

Research

My research interests in astrophysics include:

  • Reionization
  • Galaxy formation & evolution
  • Lyman-alpha emission
  • Galactic dynamics
  • Light pollution
  • History of astronomy

Within astrophysics, my work is largely aligned along two streams: (1) the Early Universe (exploring distant, high-redshift galaxies), and (2) Galactic Dynamics. I make use of both simulations and observations (employing ground-based and space-based observatories for imaging and spectroscopy).

I am involved in a number of collaborations. On Galactic Dynamics, my group collaborates with the research group of Prof Victor Debattista at the University of Lancashire; and on galaxy formation and evolution with the group of Prof. Stephen Wilkins at the University of Sussex. I have served on the management committee (representing Malta) on the Europe-wide MW-Gaia COST Action (Gaia is a European Space Agency observatory) and am a contributing scientist to THESEUS, as a member of Working Group1 (‘Exploring the Early Universe with Gamma Ray Bursts’), and Working Group 5 (‘Synergy with Future Facilities’).

Since 2017 I have  been carrying out research on night sky brightness and the impact of light pollution. My group produced the first detailed and comprehensive night sky brightness (NSB) map for the Maltese archipelago, and monitors the NSB on a regular basis. For my work and advocacy on light pollution, I am the recipient of Dark Sky International‘s 2025 Dark Sky Defender Award for the continent of Europe.

Over the past decade I have been engaged on a research project on the history of astronomy.

Outside astrophysics, I have an interest in the application of statistical methods and mathematical models to decompression theory in hyperbaric medicine. For this work, I have collaborated with the Hyperbaric Units at Mater Dei hospital (Malta’s acute general teaching hospital) and Gozo General Hospital.

For more information visit the research page.

A selected list of my publications may be found on Google Scholar, the NASA astrophysics database system (ADS), or the publications page on this website.

You may also download a copy of my CV here, and you may contact me via email: joseph [dot] caruana [at] um [dot] edu [dot] mt

Teaching

At the University of Malta, I currently teach:

In the past I have also taught Nuclear Physics. More details are available on my teaching page. 

Previously, at Christ Church, University of Oxford, I tutored General Relativity and Cosmology.

My Other Activities

Outside my research and teaching duties, I am active in speaking about light pollution and the importance of preserving our Dark Sky Heritage Areas (DSHAs).

In my free time, I try my best to spread awareness about Dwejra, a Natura 2000 site and DSHA in Gozo which is very close to heart. I enjoy taking photographs, venturing underwater, and playing the piano.

Students

I have been fortunate to supervise a number of great students – from undergraduate to PhD. Below is an incomplete (!) list.

  • Kathleen Sammut (PhD supervisor); currently a PhD student under my supervision at UM.
  • Jonathan Farrugia (B.Sc.; PhD supervisor); currently a PhD student under my supervision at UM.
  • Connor Sant Fournier (M.Sc.; PhD supervisor); currently a PhD student under my co-supervision at UM, and president of the Astronomical Society of Malta.
  • Francesca Borg (B.Sc. supervisor); subsequently read for a M.Sc. in astrophysics (Erasmus Mundus; Rome and Belgrade); about to start a PhD in astrophysics at the University of Cologne.
  • David Attard (B.Sc. supervisor); currently a PhD student in astrophysics at the University of Sussex.
  • Micole Miceli (B.Sc. supervisor); subsequently read for a M.Sc. in astrophysics at the University of Padova.
  • Denise Buttigieg (B.Sc. supervisor); subsequently read for a Masters in financial mathematics at the University College Dublin; currently Quantitative Analyst at Forvis Mazars Dublin.
  • Keith Bajada (B.Sc supervisor); subsequently read for a M.Sc. in Aerospace engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology; currently Graduate Aerodynamicist at Aston Martin F1 Team. 
  • Christina Pisani (B.Sc. supervisor); subsequently carried out studies at SPD Scuola Politecnica di Design.
  • Ryan Vella (B.Sc. supervisor); subsequently read for a M.Sc. in Geosciences, did a fellowship in Earth Observation at ESA, read for a PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz; currently a postdoctoral researcher in atmospheric physics at ETH Zurich.
  • Karl Fiteni (B.Sc.; M.Sc.; PhD supervisor); currently a postdoctoral research in galactic dynamics at the University of Insubria.