Prof. Inġ. Claire De Marco graduated with a first degree in Mechanical Engineering, B.MEch.Eng.(Hons.) from the University of Malta in 1989. She was sponsored throughout her degree as a medical Mechanical Engineer with the Department of Health, St Luke’s Hospital, Malta. Upon graduation she was the Head of section of Medical Gases Plants and Equipment. She continued her studies at the University of Reading, UK as a Research Assistant, whilst researching for her Ph.D attained in 1992. Her doctoral thesis was on the ‘Tearing of Packaging Materials’ in the field of fracture mechanics funded by SERC. She continued her academic formation as a post doctorate Research Fellow at the same University on project ‘The Tearing of Ships’ Plating upon Grounding’ sponsored by SERC/MTD/MoD, until 1996. She is also a qualified teacher both in the UK and Malta and has also attained a Recognition Assessment in excellence of knowledge and understanding, teaching and assessment, pupil progress, wider professional effectiveness and professional characteristics from the Dffe, UK whilst teaching taught Physics and Mathematics at Reading Grammar School (1997-2003). She joined the University of Malta as a Lecturer in the Mathematics Department (Junior College) lecturing Pure and Applied Mathematics in 2003. In 2008, Claire joined the Mechanical Engineering Department and is an associate Professor 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 mainly in the area of study of Maritime Engineering and Applied Engineering Mechanics, predominantly 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. She has many publications in peer-reviewed journals, conferences and reports and has been a reviewer for several international journals and conferences and on several conference scientific committees. 

Claire is currently a Member, on the Marine and Maritime Board, Government of Malta, Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation member of the Malta Government the coordinator of the area of study in Maritime Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chair of the University Maritime Platform, a member of the UM Committee for Research Engagement, MATSEC examinations Chair, Paper Setter & Marker, University representative to the Malta Maritime Forum, and Royal Institution of Naval Architects, RINA, UK, representative to the university, a council member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, RINA UK, the RINA representative as the European Vice President and has held the post of Honorary Secretary for the RINA-IMarEST Joint Branch in Malta since 2010.  She has also served on Malta government advisory boards of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affair Authority, MCCAA and a member of the Board of Professional Engineers, MRRA.

Claire is currently the project coordinator of an H2020 Project - VENTuRE - A Virtual and physical Experimental towing ceNtre for The design of eneRgy Efficient sea fairing vessels funded from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and Innovation programme.  Project No. 856887, (2020 - ), principal investigator on Renewable, Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Light Weight Bio-Composites (2021 - ), and a co-investigator of CAVEAT- CAVitation Experimentation Acquisition Technology, Maritime Seed Awards (2021), DLANComp - Developing Local Agave Natural Fibre Composites - UM TRAKE - Transdisciplinary Research and Knowledge Exchange Complex, (2021- ), a team member in the SEA-EU - European University of the Seas, reSEArch-EU, reinforce SustainablE Actions, resilience, cooperation and harmonisation across and by the SEA-EU Alliance in the UM SEA-EU, RDI subcommittee  (2019- ) , member of the UM Open Research Data Working Group Member.

Past projects include a Maritime Seed Awards (2018), Exploiting Local Agave PlAnts, ELCAPA, (2019 - 2020),and Maritime Seed Awards (20202), DeSloSH - Decreasing the Sloshing effect on Ship, (2021 – 2022), and MedFOWT - A versatile Floating Offshore Wind Turbine platform concept for Central Mediterranean Conditions, IPAS+, Internationalisation Partnership Awards Scheme Plus Part B: Renewable, sustainable & Eco-friendLy Agave CompositEs - REpLACE - IPAS-2019-001, (2019 - 2020), Fabrication of Advanced hybrid ComposiTe Sandwich panels - Testing & Simulation - FACTS. (2011 – 2013) MCST: R&I-2011-002, and has had smaller projects on Light Weight Green Composites for a Sustainable Future in Maritime Applications (2018 - 2020). Light Weight Structures for Maritime Applications – Design, Fabrication, Characterisation, Testing & Simulation (2015 - 2017). Damage Analysis on Marine Vessels due to Impact and Grounding (2012 - 2014).Ship Design, Sea Keeping and Ship Damage Analysis on Impact and Grounding (2009 - 2012)