PhD Student Josephine Chishala to Present at African Astronomical Society Conference

9 Mar 2026

PhD student Josephine Chishala from the School of Physics at University College Cork (UCC) has been awarded funding to present her research at the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) 2026 General Assembly and Conference, taking place in Botswana from 22–27 March 2026.

Josephine, who is supervised by Dr Michael Tremmel, received support from the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) programme to attend the conference. The event brings together astronomers and researchers from across Africa and the international scientific community.

At the conference, Josephine will present research from her MSc studies exploring how interactions between nearby galaxies may influence both black hole activity and star formation. Her work investigates the connection between galaxy mergers and active galactic nuclei (AGN), helping scientists better understand how galaxies evolve.

In addition to her research presentation, Josephine will also present an outreach and capacity-building initiative aimed at engaging young people and local communities in STEM and astrophysics in Zambia. The project highlights efforts to build interest and scientific skills in astronomy as the country prepares to participate in opportunities linked to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

Ahead of the main conference, Josephine will also take part in a Hackathon workshop (20–21 March) and a science communication workshop (22 March).