Personal profile
Research interests
I am a Professor of Astrophysics, Joint-Director of the UK's SKA Regional Centre and the Head of Science Operations and User Support for the e-MERLIN/VLBI National Facility.
I play a key role within the University of Manchester's Centre for Excellence in Radio Astronomy (CERA) which draws together research and operational staff working on e-MERLIN, VLBI, ALMA, LOFAR and the SKA.
My main areas of research are extragalactic radio astronomy, encompassing star-formation and accretion processes through cosmic time, spectral line observations at high resolution, transient astronomical events and radio interferometric techniques. I am PI (along with Ian McHardy, Southampton) of the e-MERLIN Legacy project, Legacy e-MERLIN Multi-band imaging of Nearby Galaxies (LeMMINGS), which has been granted a total of 810hrs of e-MERLIN time. This programme will image 300 nearby galaxies with sub-arcsecond resolutions and microJansky sensitivities.
Overview
I am a Professor of Astrophysics, Joint-Director of the UK's SKA Regional Centre and the Head of Science Operations and User Support for the e-MERLIN/VLBI National Facility.
I play a key role within the University of Manchester's Centre for Excellence in Radio Astronomy (CERA) which draws together research and operational staff working on e-MERLIN, VLBI, ALMA, LOFAR and the SKA.
My main areas of research are extragalactic radio astronomy, encompassing star-formation and accretion processes through cosmic time, spectral line observations at high resolution, transient astronomical events and radio interferometric techniques. I am PI (along with Ian McHardy, Southampton) of the e-MERLIN Legacy project, Legacy e-MERLIN Multi-band imaging of Nearby Galaxies (LeMMINGS), which has been granted a total of 810hrs of e-MERLIN time. This programme will image 300 nearby galaxies with sub-arcsecond resolutions and microJansky sensitivities.
Contact Address:
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, The Alan Turing Building, School of Physics and Astronomy,
The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
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Jodrell Bank Observatory,
Lower Withington, The University of Manchester,
Maccelsfield, Cheshire, SK11 9DL, UK
Keywords
- Star-formation
- Supernovae
- Distant galaxies
- Spectral-lines
- ISM
- e-MERLIN
- SKA
- ALMA
- Extragalactic Radio/mm-wave Astronomy
- radio interferometry
- Research Infrastructures
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 13 Climate Action
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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LeMMINGs VII: 5 GHz, 50 mas e-MERLIN observations of a statistically complete sample of nearby AGN
Williams-Baldwin, D. R. A., Baldi, R. D. & Beswick, R. J., Mar 2026, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Radio activity from the rapidly rotating T dwarf 2MASS 2228-4310
Wandia, K., Garrett, M. A., Golden, A., Hallinan, G., Williams-Baldwin, D., Lucatelli, G., Beswick, R. J., Radcliffe, J. F., Siemion, A. & Myburgh, T., 1 Mar 2026, In: MNRAS. 546, 4, p. stag085Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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The PARADIGM Project II: Characterising Nuclear and Diffuse Radio Components in Local U/LIRGs
Lucatelli, G., Beswick, R., Moldon, J., Alberdi, A., Pérez-Torres, M. Á., Palacio, S. D., Wandia, K., Aalto, S., Barcos-Muñoz, L., Williams-Baldwin, D., Conway, J. E., Romero-Cañizales, C., Varenius, E., Klöckner, H.-R., Garrington, S. T., Baan, W. A. & Pihlstrom, Y. M., 15 May 2026, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Upper limits on radio emission from the K2-18 system
Wandia, K., Tremblay, C., Garrett, M. A., Andersson, A., Li, M. G., Gajjar, V., Beswick, R. J., Radcliffe, J. F., Czech, D., DeBoer, D. R., Demorest, P. B., Wael Farah, Heywood, I. & Siemion, A., 3 Feb 2026, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A consistent radio to sub-mm pc-scale study of the nucleus of NGC 1068
Mutie, I., Del Palacio, S., Beswick, R., Williams-Baldwin, D., Gallimore, J. F., Gallagher, J. S., Aalto, S. E. & Baki, P. O., 1 May 2025, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 539, 2, p. 808-819Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
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Building the foundation for geodetic excellence in Africa through the Africa-UK Physics Partnership
Radcliffe, J. (PI) & Beswick, R. (CoI)
13/02/25 → 12/02/27
Project: Research
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Space at Manchester
Smith, K. (PI), Crisp, N. (PI), Roberts, P. (PI), Foster, T. (PI), Jeevendrampillai, D. (PI), Agir, M. B. (Researcher), Bourne, N. (CoI), Allmendinger, R. (CoI), Koehler, S. (CoI), Dresner, D. (CoI), Storchi, R. (CoI), Falkowska, M. (CoI), Peakman, A. (Affiliate), Quinn, M. (CoI), Hollingsworth, P. (CoI), Utyuzhnikov, S. (CoI), Modell, S. (CoI), Stappers, B. (CoI), Thornton, A. (CoI), Thomas, C. (CoI), Allen, A. (CoI), Farrell, M. (CoI), Browning, P. (Affiliate), Ryder, P. (PGR student), Garrett, M. (CoI), Marsh, L. (CoI), Li, Q. (CoI), Cobb, S. (CoI), Joy, K. (CoI), Piccirillo, L. (CoI), Fisher, M. (CoI), Harris, A. (CoI), Cowpe, J. (Technical team), Soutis, C. (Affiliate), Cocco, P. (Affiliate), Milosavljevic, N. (CoI), Turner, J. (CoI), Gautam, P. (PGR student), Allen, G. (CoI), Porumb, V.-A. (CoI), Bellamy, R. (CoI), Battye, R. (CoI), Rakhi, P. (CoI), Buckley, P. (CoI), Beswick, R. (CoI), Xiao, P. (CoI), Collins, E. (CoI), Dixon, C. (CoI), Pritchard, R. (CoI), Schultz, D. (CoI), Mingo, B. (CoI), Waller, L. (Researcher), Kotselidis, C.-E. (CoI), Snape, J. (CoI), Foster, T. (PI), Crowther, S. (CoI), De Bo, G. (CoI), Domingos, M. (CoI), Binks, D. (CoI), Mamman, J. (Researcher), Gaydecki, P. (CoI), Lawless, B. (Researcher), Lee, E. (CoI), Ebruka, N.-H. (PGR student), Lyon, I. (Affiliate), Da Conceicao Bispo, P. (CoI), Withers, P. (CoI), Currell, F. (CoI), Chernyavsky, I. (CoI), Bempong-Manful, E. (CoI), Mason, L. (PGR student), O'Brien, T. (CoI), Jones, E. (PGR student), Dennis, L. (CoI), Bull, P. (CoI), Parkes, B. (CoI), Gilmour, J. (CoI), Zhao, P. G. (CoI), Cimpan, I. (CoI), Gibson, M. (CoI), Smith, G. (CoI), Edmondson, S. (CoI), Conselice, C. (CoI), Barrett, E. (CoI), Garrington, S. (CoI), Coulson, B. (Researcher), Zhong, S. (CoI), Tartese, R. (CoI), Mcgrath, C. (CoI), Harish, A. (CoI), Sarov, A. (Technical team), Bradlaugh, A. (Researcher), McMorrow, J. M. (CoI), Brown, T. (CoI), Chluba, J. (CoI), Sutcliffe, S. (Researcher), Jones, R. (CoI), Thottungal Ravy, D. (Affiliate), Nair, M. (CoI) & Mcculloch, M. (CoI)
Project: Research
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Astrophysics and Cosmology Research at the JBCA 2020-2023
Battye, R. (PI), Beswick, R. (CoI), Breton, R. (CoI), Brown, M. (CoI), Browne, I. (CoI), Browning, P. (CoI), Chluba, J. (CoI), Dickinson, C. (CoI), Fuller, G. (CoI), Garrett, M. (CoI), George, D. (CoI), Grainge, K. (CoI), Gray, M. (CoI), Jackson, N. (CoI), Kay, S. (CoI), Keith, M. (CoI), Kerins, E. (CoI), Kramer, M. (CoI), Leahy, P. (CoI), Lyne, A. (CoI), Muxlow, T. (CoI), O'Brien, T. (CoI), Piccirillo, L. (CoI), Scaife, A. (CoI), Smith, R. (CoI), Spencer, R. (CoI), Stappers, B. (CoI), Weltevrede, P. (CoI) & Zijlstra, A. (CoI)
1/04/20 → 31/03/23
Project: Research
Prizes
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Royal Astronomical Society Group Achievement award
Beswick, R. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Max-Planck-Institut fur Radioastronomie (External organisation)
Beswick, R. (Academic expert member)
1 Oct 2018 → 1 Oct 2021Activity: Membership › Membership of committee › Research
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National Science Foundation (NSF) (External organisation)
Beswick, R. (Academic expert member)
1 Feb 2017 → 1 May 2017Activity: Membership › Membership of grants peer review panel › Research
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Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) (External organisation)
Beswick, R. (Academic expert member)
1 Jan 2016 → 1 Apr 2017Activity: Membership › Membership of grants peer review panel › Research
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Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (Journal)
Beswick, R. (Peer reviewer of publications)
2010 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Publication peer-review › Research
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Proceedings of Science (Publisher)
Beswick, R. (Editor in chief)
2010Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial work › Research
Impacts
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Jodrell Bank astronomy research inspires millions of people from a wide range of backgrounds to be more engaged with science
O'Brien, T. (Participant), Beswick, R. (Participant), Breton, R. (Participant), Dickinson, C. (Participant), Garrington, S. (Participant) & Kramer, M. (Participant)
Impact: Economic, Attitudes and behaviours, Awareness and understanding
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Radio astronomy and big data - bringing STEM training to the developing world
Beswick, R. (Participant), Scaife, A. (Participant), Stappers, B. (Participant), Wilkinson, P. (Participant), Breton, R. (Participant) & Richards, A. (Participant)
Impact: Economic, Policy
Press/Media
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Research Spotlight: Space
Forshaw, J., O'Brien, T., Grainge, K. & Beswick, R.
20/07/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Spotlight on: Space
O'Brien, T., Beswick, R., Breton, R., Dickinson, C., Scaife, A. & Stappers, B.
1/07/22
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert comment
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THE INDEPENDENT: Astronomers capture a supermassive blackhole devouring a star for the first time
20/06/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research