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  • 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

Linear Shear Rheology of Incompressible Foams
DMA Buzza, C-Y D. Lu, ME Cates
– The European Physical Journal D
(1995)
5,
37
Bilayer phases
ME Cates
– OBSERVATION, PREDICTION AND SIMULATION OF PHASE TRANSITIONS IN COMPLEX FLUIDS
(1995)
460,
205
A model for the dynamics of sandpile surfaces
J-P Bouchaud, ME Cates, JR Prakash, SF Edwards
– Journal de Physique I
(1994)
4,
1383
Transient electric birefringence in solutions of self-assembled rods
P van der Schoot, ME Cates
– The Journal of Chemical Physics
(1994)
101,
5040
Viscoelasticity of lyotropic smectics
C-YD Lu, ME Cates
– The Journal of Chemical Physics
(1994)
101,
5219
Relaxation mechanisms in worm-like micelles
CM Marques, MS Turner, ME Cates
– Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids
(1994)
172,
1168
Hydrodynamic response of adsorbed polymers
DT Wu, ME Cates
– Colloids and Surfaces A Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
(1994)
86,
275
POLYMERS, BOTH LIVING AND DEAD
ME CATES
– FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS IN STATISTICAL MECHANICS VIII
(1994)
227
THEORETICAL MODELING OF VISCOELASTIC PHASES
ME CATES
– STRUCTURE AND FLOW IN SURFACTANT SOLUTIONS
(1994)
578,
32
Hydrodynamics of adsorbed polymer layers: A new approach
DT Wu, ME Cates
– Physical Review Letters
(1993)
71,
4142
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Research Group

Soft Matter

Room

G1.08

Telephone

01223 337912