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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

Entropy production in field theories without time-reversal symmetry: Quantifying the non-equilibrium character of active matter
C Nardini, É Fodor, E Tjhung, F van Wijland, J Tailleur, ME Cates
– Physical Review X
(2017)
7,
021007
Pattern formation in chemically interacting active rotors with self-propulsion
B Liebchen, ME Cates, D Marenduzzo
– Soft matter
(2016)
12,
7259
Tunable shear thickening in suspensions
NYC Lin, C Ness, ME Cates, J Sun, I Cohen
– Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
(2016)
113,
10774
Unsteady flow and particle migration in dense, non-Brown suspensions
M Hermes, BM Guy, WCK Poon, G Poy, ME Cates, M Wyart
– Journal of Rheology
(2016)
60,
905
Soft interfacial materials: from fundamentals to formulation.
NJ Brooks, ME Cates, PS Clegg, A Lips, WCK Poon, JM Seddon
– Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
(2016)
374,
20150135
How Far from Equilibrium Is Active Matter?
É Fodor, C Nardini, ME Cates, J Tailleur, P Visco, F van Wijland
– Physical Review Letters
(2016)
117,
038103
Light-induced self-assembly of active rectification devices.
J Stenhammar, R Wittkowski, D Marenduzzo, ME Cates
– Sci Adv
(2016)
2,
e1501850
Viscoelastic and elastomeric active matter: Linear instability and nonlinear dynamics.
EJ Hemingway, ME Cates, SM Fielding
– Physical Review E
(2016)
93,
032702
Clustering and Pattern Formation in Chemorepulsive Active Colloids.
B Liebchen, D Marenduzzo, I Pagonabarraga, ME Cates
– Phys Rev Lett
(2015)
115,
258301
Active Model H: Scalar Active Matter in a Momentum-Conserving Fluid.
A Tiribocchi, R Wittkowski, D Marenduzzo, ME Cates
– Physical Review Letters
(2015)
115,
188302
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Research Group

Soft Matter

Room

G1.08

Telephone

01223 337912