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Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

Professor Michael Cates

  • 2015-date: Lucasian Professor of Mathematics
  • 2007-2022: Royal Society Research Professor
  • 1995-2015: Professor of Natural Philosophy, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh
  • 1992-1995: University Lecturer, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge
  • 1989-1992: University Assistant Lecturer, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge
  • 1988-1989: Royal Society University Research Fellow, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge
  • 1985-1995: Junior Research Fellow (1985-1989), Teaching Fellow (1990-1995), Trinity College Cambridge

Research

Mike is a member of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. He heads the Soft Matter research group. His current research interests include: flow of colloids, polymers, emulsions, gels and other soft materials; shear-thickening and rheology in dense suspensions; dynamics of soft glasses; flow of liquid crystals; general theories of active matter; cellular locomotion; phase ordering in active and passive systems; statistical mechanics of active particles; and numerous other topics. He recently completed an ERC Advanced Grant called ADNeSP: Active and Driven Systems, Nonequilibrium Statistical Physics.

Prizes and Awards

  • 2021: International Member, US National Academy of Sciences
  • 2019: International Member, US National Academy of Engineering
  • 2016: Bingham Medal, US Society of Rheology
  • 2013: Weissenberg Award, European Society of Rheology
  • 2009: Dirac Medal and Prize, Institute of Physics
  • 2009: Gold Medal, British Society of Rheology
  • 2007: Fellow of the Royal Society (London)
  • 2005: Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
  • 1996: Fellow of the Institute of Physics
  • 1994: Prix Franco-Britannique (Paris Academy of Sciences)
  • 1991: Maxwell Prize and Medal, Institute of Physics

Publications

Computational confirmation of scaling predictions for equilibrium polymers
JP Wittmer, A Milchev, ME Cates
– EPL (Europhysics Letters)
(2007)
41,
291
(doi: 10.1209/epl/i1998-00145-8)
Rheological instability in a simple shear-thickening model
DA Head, A Ajdari, ME Cates
– EPL (Europhysics Letters)
(2007)
57,
120
(doi: 10.1209/epl/i2002-00550-y)
Yielding and jamming of dense suspensions
ME Cates
– Lecture Notes in Physics
(2006)
688,
3
(doi: 10.1007/11581000_2)
Dynamical heterogeneities in an attraction driven colloidal glass
AM Puertas, M Fuchs, ME Cates
– Journal of Non Crystalline Solids
(2006)
352,
4830
(doi: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2006.01.140)
Rheology of giant micelles
ME Cates, SM Fielding
– Advances In Physics
(2006)
55,
799
(doi: 10.1080/00018730601082029)
Spinodal decompositions driven by orientation fluctuations
A Matsuyama, RML Evans, ME Cates
– Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals
(2006)
367,
3243
(doi: 10.1080/10587250108028666)
Lipid organization and the morphology of solid-like domains in phase-separating binary lipid membranes.
VD Gordon, PA Beales, Z Zhao, C Blake, FC Mackintosh, PD Olmsted, ME Cates, SU Egelhaaf, WCK Poon
– Journal of Physics Condensed Matter
(2006)
18,
L415
(doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/18/32/L02)
Sensitivity of arrest in mode-coupling glasses to low-q structure.
MJ Greenall, T Voigtmann, P Monthoux, ME Cates
– Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys
(2006)
73,
050501
(doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.73.050501)
Minimal model for chaotic shear banding in shear thickening fluids
A Aradian, ME Cates
– Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys
(2006)
73,
041508
(doi: 10.1103/physreve.73.041508)
Do current-density nonlinearities cut off the glass transition?
ME Cates, S Ramaswamy
– Physical Review Letters
(2006)
96,
135701
(doi: 10.1103/physrevlett.96.135701)
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Research Group

Soft Matter

Room

G1.08

Telephone

01223 337912

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