About
Last updated: 16 October 2026
Hej, everyone! I'm Floor van Donkelaar, a computational astrophysicist and Herchel Smith Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Astronomy and Kavli Institute for Cosmology at the University of Cambridge.
What I study
I use cosmological simulations to study the formation and evolution of dense stellar systems, particularly star clusters and clumps, in the early Universe. I am especially interested in where these structures form, how their environments shape their evolution, and what they might become. Alongside this, I study the formation of the first galactic discs.
My journey
I completed my PhD at the University of Zürich with Lucio Mayer, after studying astrophysics at Lund University and sociotechnical engineering at the University of Twente. And now you can find me in Cambridge :).
Beyond research
Outside work, you'll often find me on a rugby pitch, cycling or exploring somewhere new. I also enjoy sharing science and bringing people together. Recently, I even got to talk about galaxies and dyslexia on the BBC's The Sky at Night!