Emmanuel Bempong-Manful is currently a postgraduate research student working under the supervision of Professor Martin Hardcastle in the Centre for Astrophysics Research (CAR) at the University of Hertfordshire. Broadly conceived, his research focuses on resolving the physics driving the observed jet structure in powerful radio galaxies. Prior to this, he participated in the Royal Society postgraduate training in Radio Astronomy and as well completed a postgraduate programme: MPhil. Applied Nuclear Physics (2013) at the University of Ghana where he also worked as Teaching Assistant for three years at the Department of Physics. Before that, he obtained a BSc. in Physics (2010) from the University of Cape Coast.

Extragalactic jets are thought to be highly relativistic, produce the most energetic observable photons and occurs on scales ≲ 100 RG (≲ 1 milliarcsec). Although they are known to be the primary channel of energy loss from accreting supermassive black holes (SMBH), and impact their surroundings significantly, there is still a great deal we do not understand about these jets; including what we are actually seeing in radio emission – does this come from the whole jet or just a small region, the nature of jet particle acceleration, and the role of magnetic fields. At CAR, Emmanuel is primarily involved with data reduction for some of the known powerful jet sources, construction of the highest resolution and sensitivity maps of these jets to date, and thus directs his efforts in answering these outstanding questions in jet physics

He looks forward to obtain a postdoctoral position in Astrophysics in the next 5 years, and thereafter join an active astrophysics research group as full time faculty member particularly within the AVN framework, and also become a member of the SKA Extragalactic Science Working Group; working with other scholars and professionals in answering many of the outstanding puzzles in the formation and evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, whiles providing coaching and mentoring for younger generations.