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Staff Profile

Dr Dominic Bowman

Reader in Astrophysics

  • Personal Website:
Background

About Me

Dominic was born in the United Kingdom and holds both British and Irish citizenship. He completed his MSci Physics and Astrophysics degree at the University of Birmingham (Sept 2009 - July 2013), and obtained his PhD in astronomy from the of the University of Lancashire (Oct 2013 - Nov 2016), which was funded by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). In February 2017, he moved to Leuven in Belgium to become a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Prof. Conny Aerts at the , KU Leuven, Belgium (Feb 2017 - Oct 2020). In November 2020 he obtained a competitive  senior postdoctoral research fellowship also based at KU Leuven (Nov 2020 - Aug 2023). Since September 2023, Dominic holds a Readership Faculty position in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics at Â鶹´«Ã½ in the UK, in addition to holding a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF) and an ERC/UKRI Frontier Research Grant: .



Research Network

Dominic is a Fellow of the (FRAS), a Member of the (MInstP), a member of the (EAS), and a junior member of the . These professional organisations provide networking support for researchers in physics and astronomy. They also organise scientific meetings, training and mentoring workshops, with a focus on improving communication, outreach and career prospects. Dominic is also a , which supports his role as an academic and educator based at a UK University.


Dominic currently holds leading roles in several international consortia focussed on various astrophysical aspects of massive stars, including:

  • : Detection, characterisation and understanding of magnetic fields in early-type stars
  • : in-orbit proof-of-concept for spectroscopy with a cubesat and facilitating massive star asteroseismology from spectroscopic line profile variability
  • : UV, visible and infrared spectroscopy of massive stars at low metallicity
  • : coordination of the BRITE-Constellation network of cubesats assembling time-series photometry of bright stars
  • : proposed mission for M7 ESA call; chair of the 'Hot BA star' working group
  • : proposed mission for M8 ESA call; co-chair of the massive star working group
Research

Asteroseismology

Asteroseismology is the study of oscillations inside stars, which telescopes capture as changes in their surface brightness. The detection of stellar oscillation frequencies allows us to probe the physics of stellar structure and evolution, with the ultimate goal of asteroseismology being to improve our understanding of the interior physical conditions and processes for a diverse range of stars. The quality of space observations, such as from the CoRoT, Kepler/K2 and TESS space telescopes, provide an excellent opportunity to study physics that is not currently well understood for massive stars.


My current ERC/UKRI Frontier Research Grant, , focuses on asteroseismology of massive stars and in particular blue supergiants, which are those that will eventually explode as violent supernovae and leave behind a neutron star or black hole. The project is using existing and developing new techniques for applying asteroseismology and determining the physical properties of massive stars, such as their interior rotation profiles, (core) masses and ages. These properties are not accurately known for massive stars, because our best current theoretical models contain large uncertainties. Massive stars pulsate in gravity and pressure mode oscillations which probe the deep stellar interiors and radiative envelopes, respectively, thus provide excellent insight of the physics at work within stellar interiors. The ongoing TESS mission is targeting thousands of massive stars thanks to my several  spanning cycles 1-8. In addition to these new TESS data, the SYMPHONY project is exploiting high-resolution spectroscopy from ESO and Mercator telescopes, and the KU Leuven  mission, and soon also the ESA mission. Read more at the .


Several PhD and postdoc positions are working within the SYMPHONY project. If you cannot find details of any open vacancies on the Â鶹´«Ã½ website, please feel free to contact me to discuss possible options.


Read more about massive star asteroseismology:

  • , 'Asteroseismology of high-mass stars: new insights of stellar interiors with space telescopes'
  • , 'A calibration point for stellar evolution from massive star asteroseismology'
  • , 'Making waves in massive star asteroseismology'


Teaching

Academic year (25/26)

  • Module Leader and Lecturer for Stage 3 Stellar Structure and Evolution (PHY3040)
  • Physics extended MPhys project (PHY8054)


Academic years (23/24 - 24/25)

  • Physics BSc individual projects (PHY3027 & 3034)
  • Physics group projects (PHY3025)
  • Physics extended MPhys project (PHY8054)


Online Resources

  • Science Communication:
  • Asteroseismology:


Publications

  • Articles

    • Jannsen N, Tkachenko A, Royer P, De Ridder J, Seynaeve D, Aerts C, Aigrain S, Plachy E, Bodi A, Uzundag M, Bowman DM, Fritzewski DJ, IJspeert LW, Li G, Pedersen MG, Vanrespaille M, Van Reeth T. . Astronomy & Astrophysics 2025, 694, 22.
    • Kalita AJ, Bowman DM, Abdul-Masih M, Simón-Díaz S. . Astronomy & Astrophysics 2025, 703, 13.
    • Vanlaer V, Bowman DM, Burssens S, Bharati Das S, Bugnet L, Mathis S, Aerts C. . Astronomy & Astrophysics 2025, 701, 13.
    • Nardini F, Bodensteiner J, Sana H, Mahy L, Deshmukh K, Bowman DM. . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2025, 540(3), 2009-2030.
    • Patrick LR, Lennon DJ, Najarro F, Shenar T, Bodensteiner J, Sana H, Crowther PA, Britavskiy N, Langer N, Schootemeijer A, Evans CJ, Mahy L, Gotberg Y, de Mink SE, Schneider FRN, O'Grady AJG, Villasenor JI, Bernini-Peron M, Bowman DM, de Koter A, Deshmukh K, Gilkis A, Gonzalez-Tora G, Kalari VM, Keszthelyi Z, Mandel I, Menon A, Moe M, Oskinova LM, Pauli D, Renzo M, Sander AAC, Sen K, Stoop M, van Loon JT, Toonen S, Tramper F, Vink JS, Wang C. . Astronomy and Astrophysics 2025, 698, A39.
    • Bodensteiner J, Shenar T, Sana H, Britavskiy N, Crowther PA, Langer N, Lennon DJ, Mahy L, Patrick LR, Villasenor JI, Abdul-Masih M, Bowman DM, de Koter A, de Mink SE, Deshmukh K, Fabry M, Gilkis A, Gotberg Y, Holgado G, Izzard RG, Janssens S, Kalari VM, Keszthelyi Z, Kubat J, Mandel I, Maravelias G, Oskinova LM, Pauli D, Ramachandran V, Rocha DF, Renzo M, Sander AAC, Schneider FRN, Schootemeijer A, Sen K, Stoop M, Toonen S, van Loon JT, Valli R, Vigna-Gomez A, Vink JS, Wang C, Xu X-T. . Astronomy and Astrophysics 2025, 698, A38.
    • Britavskiy N, Mahy L, Lennon DJ, Patrick LR, Sana H, Villasenor JI, Shenar T, Bodensteiner J, Bernini-Peron M, Berlanas SR, Bowman DM, Crowther PA, de Mink SE, Evans CJ, Gotberg Y, Holgado G, Johnston C, Keszthelyi Z, Klencki J, Langer N, Mandel I, Menon A, Moe M, Oskinova LM, Pauli D, Pawlak M, Ramachandran V, Renzo M, Sander AAC, Schneider FRN, Schootemeijer A, Sen K, Simon-Diaz S, van Loon JT, Vink JS. . Astronomy and Astrophysics 2025, 698, A40.
    • Villasenor JI, Sana H, Mahy L, Shenar T, Bodensteiner J, Britavskiy N, Lennon DJ, Moe M, Patrick LR, Pawlak M, Bowman DM, Crowther PA, de Mink SE, Deshmukh K, Evans CJ, Fabry M, Fouesneau M, Holgado G, Langer N, Maiz Apellaniz J, Mandel I, Oskinova LM, Pauli D, Ramachandran V, Renzo M, Rix H-W, Rocha DF, Sander AAC, Schneider FRN, Sen K, Simon-Diaz S, van Loon JTh, Toonen S, Vink JS. . Astronomy and Astrophysics 2025, 698, A41.
    • Sana H, Shenar T, Bodensteiner J, Britavskiy N, Langer N, Lennon DJ, Mahy L, Mandel I, de Mink SE, Patrick LR, Villasenor JI, Dirickx M, Abdul-Masih M, Almeida LA, Backs F, Berlanas SR, Bernini-Peron M, Bowman DM, Bronner VA, Crowther PA, Deshmukh K, Evans CJ, Fabry M, Gieles M, Gilkis A, Gonzalez-Tora G, Grafener G, Gotberg Y, Hawcroft C, Henault-Brunet V, Herrero A, Holgado G, Izzard RG, de Koter A, Janssens S, Johnston C, Josiek J, Justham S, Kalari VM, Klencki J, Kubat J, Kubatova B, Lefever RR, van Loon JT, Ludwig B, Mackey J, Maiz Apellaniz J, Maravelias G, Marchant P, Mazeh T, Menon A, Moe M, Najarro F, Oskinova LM, Ovadia R, Pauli D, Pawlak M, Ramachandran V, Renzo M, Rocha DF, Sander AAC, Schneider FRN, Schootemeijer A, Schosser EC, Schurmann C, Sen K, Shahaf S, Simon-Diaz S, van Son LAC, Stoop M, Toonen S, Tramper F, Valli R, Vigna-Gomez A, Vink JS, Wang C, Willcox R. . Nature Astronomy 2025, 9, 1337-1346.
    • Bowman DM, Van Daele P, Michielsen M, Van Reeth T. . Astronomy & Astrophysics 2024, 692, 10.
    • Ratnasingam RP, Edelmann PVF, Bowman DM, Rogers TM. . Astrophysical Journal Letters 2024, 977(1), L30.
    • Tkachenko A, Pavlovski K, Serebriakova N, Bowman DM, IJspeert L, Gebruers S, Southworth J. . Astronomy and Astrophysics 2024, 683, A252.
    • Zwintz K, Pigulski A, Kuschnig R, Wade GA, Doherty G, Earl M, Lovekin C, Müllner M, Piché-Perrier S, Steindl T, Beck PG, Bicz K, Bowman DM, Handler G, Pablo B, Popowicz A, Rozanski T, Mikolajczyk P, Baade D, Koudelka O, Moffat AFJ, Neiner C, Orleanski P, Smolec R, St-Louis N, Weiss WW, Wenger M, Zoclonska E. . Astronomy & Astrophysics 2024, 683, A49.
    • Shenar T, Bodensteiner J, Sana H, Crowther PA, Lennon DJ, Abdul-Masih M, Almeida LA, Backs F, Berlanas SR, Bernini-Peron M, Bestenlehner JM, Bowman DM, Bronner VA, Britavskiy N, De Koter A, De Mink SE, Deshmukh K, Evans CJ, Fabry M, Gieles M, Gilkis A, Gonzalez-Tora G, Grafener G, Gotberg Y, Hawcroft C, Henault-Brunet V, Herrero A, Holgado G, Janssens S, Johnston C, Josiek J, Justham S, Kalari VM, Katabi ZZ, Keszthelyi Z, Klencki J, Kubat J, Kubatova B, Langer N, Lefever RR, Ludwig B, MacKey J, Mahy L, Maiz Apellaniz J, Mandel I, Maravelias G, Marchant P, Menon A, Najarro F, Oskinova LM, O'Grady AJG, Ovadia R, Patrick LR, Pauli D, Pawlak M, Ramachandran V, Renzo M, Rocha DF, Sander AAC, Sayada T, Schneider FRN, Schootemeijer A, Schosser EC, Schurmann C, Sen K, Shahaf S, Simon-Diaz S, Stoop M, Toonen S, Tramper F, Van Loon JT, Valli R, Van Son LAC, Vigna-Gomez A, Villasenor JI, Vink JS, Wang C, Willcox R. . Astronomy and Astrophysics 2024, 690, A289.
    • Farrell E, Buldgen G, Meynet G, Eggenberger P, Dupret M-A, Bowman DM. . Astronomy & Astrophysics 2024, 686, A267.
    • Frost AJ, Sana H, Mahy L, Wade G, Barron J, Le Bouquin J-B, Merand A, Schneider FRN, Shenar T, Barba RH, Bowman DM, Fabry M, Farhang A, Marchant P, Morrell NI, Smoker JV. . Science 2024, 384(6692), 214-217.
    • Thompson W, Herwig F, Woodward PR, Mao H, Denissenkov P, Bowman DM, Blouin S. . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2024, 531(1), 1316-1337.
    • Holdsworth DL, Cunha MS, Lares-Martiz M, Kurtz DW, Antoci V, Barcelo Forteza S, De Cat P, Derekas A, Kayhan C, Ozuyar D, Skarka M, Hey DR, Shi F, Bowman DM, Kobzar O, Ayala Gomez A, Bognar Zs, Buzasi DL, Ebadi M, Fox-Machado L, Garcia Hernandez A, Ghasemi H, Guzik JA, Handberg R, Handler G, Hasanzadeh A, Jayaraman R, Khalack V, Kochukhov O, Lovekin CC, Mikolajczyk P, Mkrtichian D, Murphy SJ, Niemczura E, Olafsson BG, Pascual-Granado J, Paunzen E, Posilek N, Ramon-Ballesta A, Safari H, Samadi-Ghadim A, Smalley B, Sodor A, Stateva I, Suarez JC, Szabo R, Wu T, Ziaali E, Zong W, Seager S. . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2024, 527(4), 9548-9580.
    • Bowman DM, van Saders J, Vink JS. . Galaxies 2023, 11(5), 94.
    • Bowman DM. . Astrophysics and Space Science 2023, 368, 107.
    • Shenar T, Wade GA, Marchant P, Bagnulo S, Bodensteiner J, Bowman DM, Gilkis A, Langer N, Nicolas-Chené A, Oskinova L, Van Reeth T, Sana H, St-Louis N, de Oliveira AS, Todt H, Toonen S. . Science 2023, 381(6659), 761-765.
    • Burssens S, Bowman DM, Michielsen M, Simón-Díaz S, Aerts C, Vanlaer V, Banyard G, Nardetto N, Townsend RHD, Handler G, Mombarg JSG, Vanderspek R, Ricker G. . Nature Astronomy 2023, 7, 913-930.
    • Pedersen MG, Aerts C, Papics PI, Michielsen M, Gebruers S, Rogers TM, Molenberghs G, Burssens S, Garcia S, Bowman DM. . Nature Astronomy 2021, 5, 715-722.
    • Bowman DM, Burssens S, Simon-Diaz S, Edelmann PVF, Rogers TM, Horst L, Ropke FK, Aerts C. . Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020, 640, A36.
    • Edelmann PVF, Ratnasingam RP, Pedersen MG, Bowman DM, Prat V, Rogers TM. . The Astrophysical Journal 2019, 876(1), 4.
    • Bowman DM, Aerts C, Johnston C, Pedersen MG, Rogers TM, Edelmann PVF, Simón-Díaz S, Van Reeth T, Buysschaert B, Tkachenko A, Triana SA. . Astronomy & Astrophysics 2019, 621, A135.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)

    • Frost AJ, Sana H, Mahy L, Wade G, Barron J, Le Bouquin J-B, Merand A, Schneider FRN, Shenar T, Barba RH, Bowman DM, Fabry M, Farhang A, Marchant P, Morrell NI, Smoker JV. . In: 41st Liège International Astrophysical Colloquium on "The eventful life of massive star multiples". 2024, University of Liège, Belgium: Société Royale des Sciences de Liège.

  • Letter

    • Lecoanet D, Bowman DM, Van Reeth T. . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2022, 512(1), L16-L20.

  • Reviews

    • Southworth J, Bowman DM. . Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 2026, 64. In Press.
    • Bowman DM, van Saders J, Vink JS. The Structure and Evolution of Stars: Introductory Remarks. Galaxies 2023, 11(5), 94.