Integrated Product Design & Development (DFX)
Engineering Design Methodologies eg Design for X (Emotions, Environment, Manufacture)
Design of technical systems and biomedical devices
Intelligent Computer Aided Integrated Product Design & Development
AI in Design & Manufacture
Have been appointed a Full Professor since March 2013 with the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, UM;
Am also Honorary Professor at the University of Miskolc, Hungary (since June 2017);
Served as Head, Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Malta between 2001-2012.
Has secured over 1.6M Euro (2.1M US$) of funding for the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering from various external sources including ERDF, EU- AsiaLink, EUMEDIS, FP6, MCST R&I Projects. List of Awards/Grants.
Undertook a two year sabbatical period between 1.10.2012 and 30.9.2014 carrying out empirical research observations related to product development challenges and issues in industry;
Was the prime mover in setting up the taught Masters degree (MSc in IPD) at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Malta;
Co-founder and host of the International PhD Summer School on Integrated Product Development;
Founder of the Concurrent Enginerering Research Unit (CERU) at the University of Malta;
Spearheaded the organisation of the 'Future of Manufacturing in European Malta' Conference addressed by the Prime Minister of that Time, the Lawrence Gonzi; (Programme)
Co-Founder and first Secretary of UMASA, involved at that time in negotiating with MUT for the formation of UASC.
Frequently featured on Maltese public media concerning research in product development; #1; #2; #3; #4; #5
Has research results covered by 3 patents. Details here: WO2011141873, PT4283, PT4284,
Have been part of a number of Scientific Advisory Committees for a number of International Conferences held around the globe.
Acted as the University Workshop Director between 2001-2012.
Successfully supervised postgrads including MSc and PhD.
R&D work on smart, Above the Kneee Prosthesis
Seminar on 'Amplifying Innovation in Manufacturing' Project
Interview on Times of Malta
Made Honorary Professor at Miskolc University, Hungary
Chairing a plenary session at the 27th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE2025)
With some of our foreign graduates
EU-Asia project visit at University of Troyes, France
Acting as Program Chair for IEEE's 10th International Conference on Mechanical and Intelligent Manufacturing Technologies in Cape Town, South Africa
Editorial Board Member for the Journal Digital Manufacturing Technology
International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED 2023, Gothenburg, Sweden)
July 2020: To act as PhD External Examiner at the Department of Design, Manufacturing & Engineering Management, University of Strathclyde (UK).
2020 European Research Council Chair for the 'Products & Processes' Starting Grant Panel (PE8) awarding over 42M Euro grants
October 2019: Panel Member of the PhD Jury held at the Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering at Université de Technologie de Compiègne (France) on the topic of 'Deep Learning and Unsupervised Learning to automate visual inspection in the manufacturing industry'
January 2018: PhD Opponent for candidate at the Department of Production Engineering, KTH University in Sweden on the topic of 'An Ontological Approach to support Knowledge Sharing between Product Design and Assembly Process Planning (APP)'
Joint Conference on Mechanical, Design Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing (2014, Toulouse, France)
8th International Conference on Digital Enterprise Technology (Stuttgart, Germany)
International Conference on Research into Design (ICORD'15 India)
International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED 2015, Milano, Italy)
International Conference on Meaningful Technology and Design (MTD2017, Portugal)
International Conference on Research into Design (ICORD'17 India)
3rd Int. Conference on Information Management & Industrial Engineering (Cape Town)
International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED 2017, Vancouver, Canada
Keynote Speaker, 4th Int. IEEE Conference on Information Management & Industrial Engineering (Cape Town)
Jonathan has been instrumental in the introduction of Compter Aided Product Design & Development topics in the Faculty of Engineering, way back in 1992. Over the years, Jonathan has introduced a number of modules related to the product deveopment field including Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) and Engineering Design Methodology. Of significance is that in 2005, Jonathan lead the launch of the taught MSc in Integrated Product Development (IPD) at the University of Malta which is still running till today. In addition, Jonathan secured around 1 Million Eur (1.3M US$) funds for the setting up of a Rapid Prototyping lab, thereby enhancing the research and training facilities available for product development in the Faculty of Engineering. Due to his academic expertise, Jonathan has also contributed for several years in the teaching of Strategic Innovative Design for Business Performance within the Edward de Bono Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking. I find it very important that students focus on learning rather than just studying to pass an exam. For this reason, I tend to utilize deep learning techniques.
Following completion of his MSc in 1993 in Computer Aided Engineering Design at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Jonathan setup the Concurrent Enginerering Research Unit (CERU) at the University of Malta. In 1999, Jonathan graduated with PhD from the University of Strathclyde, UK. Through CERU, Jonathan attracted a number of postgraduate students and made a number of scientific contributions to the field of product development, this reflected from the generation of around 100 refereed scientific publications. In addition, research in which Jonathan was Principal Investigator has resulted in the filing of 3 patents and the award of a number of both internal and external research grants. He spent a 24 month sabbatical period between October 2012 and September 2014 carrying out research and following product development activities in two multi-national firms. This exposure in industry let to the setting up of the Integrated Product Development International Summer School for postgrad researchers including PhD candidates interested in both understanding and researching the various interrelations between design, manufacturing and business aspects. mic Achievements
Prof. Dr Ing Philip Farrugia, PhD (Graduated) Related project
Dr Ing Alexia Grech, PhD (Graduated) Related project
Prof. Dr Ing. Emmanuel Francalanza, PhD (Graduated) Related Project
Dr Ing. Lawrence Farrugia, MSc by Research MSC Project / PhD Project
Nicholas Patiniott, PhD Project
Oliver Fenech, MPhil (Graduated) Related project
Amanda Galea, MSc by Research Related Project
Samantha Runco, MSc Integrated Product Development (Graduated)
Keith Vella, MSc IPD (Current)
Jean Paul Attard Baldacchino (MSc IPD, Graduated)
Greta Attard, MSc IPD
MIguel Borg MSc IPD
David John Attard IPD
Adrian Mercieca (MSc by Research)