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Matthew Bate

Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics in the School of Physics at the University of Exeter.

In September 2013, I was awarded a 5-year ERC Advanced Grant.

In November 2005, I was awarded a 5-year EURYI (European Young Investigator) fellowship, one of only 25 awards within Europe in 2005.

Prior to my appointment at Exeter, from 1998-2001, I was a theory postdoc at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, U.K. From 1995-1998, I was a postdoc in the theory group at the MPIA in Heidelberg . I studied for my PhD at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge and received my degree in 1996.

Before studying for a PhD in the United Kingdom, I completed a B.Sc.(Hons) degree in Physics at Massey University in New Zealand .

Latest Research

I am best described as a numerical astrophysicist. I use computer simulations to understand the processes of star and planet formation. This involves performing self-gravitating fluid dynamical simulations, some of which also include radiation transport and magnetic fields. Many of the simulations require months and years of computer time and must be performed on some of the world's most powerful supercomputers. Currently, my simulations are performed on the University of Exeter Supercomputer, and the STFC DiRAC machines, and from 2000-2007 I was a heavy user of the UK Astrophysical Fluids Facility (UKAFF).

I have made many of my simulations into movies that can be downloaded, the most recent of which can be linked to below.

STELLAR PROPERTIES AT REDSHIFT z=5 is now available (25 Nov 2022):

DUST COAGULATION DURING STAR FORMATION is now available (17 May 2022):

THE DEPENDENCE OF STELLAR PROPERTIES ON METALLICITY is now available (9 Jan 2019):

ON THE DIVERSITY AND STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF PROTOSTELLAR DISCS (2018) is now available (23 Jan 2018):

ON THE DYNAMICS OF DUST DURING PROTOSTELLAR COLLAPSE is now available (9 Nov 2016):

TORIDAL VORTICES AS A SOLUTION TO THE DUST MIGRATION PROBLEM is now available (26 Jan 2016):

TORIDAL VORTICES AND THE CONGLOMERATION OF DUST INTO RINGS IN PROTOPLANETARY DISCS is now available (17 Jul 2015):

STELLAR CORE AND OUTFLOW FORMATION IN RMHD SIMULATIONS is now available (3 Oct 2013):


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