Professor Alfred J. Vella was born in Bormla in November 1950. He graduated with a B.Sc. in 1971 and M.Sc. in 1975 from the University of Malta, and and a Ph.D. in organic geochemistry in 1984 from Colorado School of Mines. He joined the University of Malta in 1987. Professor Vella mainly teaches and researches the area of environmental chemistry and has published papers in international journals in environmental and pollution science and petroleum geochemistry, among others. Professor Vella served many years as Head of Department of Chemistry, and during 1997 and 2007 he was also Dean of the Faculty of Science. He served as Pro-Rector for Academic Affairs from July 2006 to June 2016. Professor Vella’s commitments frequently extended beyond the university's walls when he acted as a forensic expert in judicial inquiries and as a scientific consultant to state and non-state agencies. Professor Vella also serves on the Environment and Resources Authority.
Professor Vella assumed the position of Rector with effect from 1st July 2016.
