Prof Matt Jarvis Awarded (ERC) Advanced Grant

Professor Matt Jarvis, a Fellow of St Cross, has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant which will enable him to investigate the physics of galaxy formation and evolution. ERC Advanced Grants are highly competitive, with only 14% of 2022 applications being successful. 

Matt will use the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, alongside the wealth of multi-wavelength data that is available over the same patches of sky. Specifically, he will use this data to understand the role of neutral hydrogen gas in the evolution of galaxies, and how the large-scale environment affects how galaxies form and evolve over the history of the Universe. 

Matt said, “It’s a relief and honour to receive this award and at just the right time to be able to fully exploit the amazing data that is coming out of the MeerKAT telescope, to really push our knowledge of the role of neutral hydrogen in galaxy evolution. I can’t wait to recruit to the positions that are funded through the grant and get the research underway.” 

The most enjoyable part of this grant, Matt says, will be the time and space to be able to help develop the PhD students and researchers that will be funded from it. They will have a unique opportunity to lead exciting science with the best data that will be available from visible, near-infrared and radio wavelength surveys in a group that he hopes is stimulating, welcoming and enables people to flourish in a collaborative environment. 

Four other researchers at Oxford who received ERC Advanced Grants in 2022 – three (four including Matt) within MPLS and one from the Humanities Division. 

Professor Sam Howison, Head of MPLS Division, said, “I'm delighted that Matt Jarvis has secured this international recognition from the ERC, in an extraordinarily competitive field, and I look forward to following the progress of his project.” 

Congratulations, Matt, on this exciting award!