Nathan Meurrens
I am a PhD student at the University of Amsterdam, supervised by Daniel Baumann. Before starting my PhD, I completed Part III of the Mathematical Tripos at the University of Cambridge, supported by the Sheepshanks Studentship in Astronomy from Trinity College. Before that, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in physics with minor in mathematics at KU Leuven.
Research
The main focus of my research is quantum field theory in de Sitter space, with the aim of better understanding the inflationary phase in the early history of our universe. Much of my work uses symmetry and bootstrap methods, drawing on techniques from AdS/CFT. I particularly enjoy the interplay between boundary and bulk, where predictions from the boundary bootstrap can be tested against explicit computations in de Sitter space. I am especially interested in quantum aspects of gauge theories, such as gravity and Yang-Mills theory, in de Sitter space. More broadly, I am drawn to the question of what makes an interacting quantum field theory in an expanding universe consistent, and what this might teach us about the quantum nature of our own cosmos.
About me
Outside of physics, I am a keen road cyclist and occasionally compete in races with my cycling team. In summer, I like to ride in the Alps, and in winter I enjoy skiing with friends.
Publications
- D. Baumann, K. Hinterbichler, C. R. T. Jones, A. Joyce, H. Lee, J. Mei, and N. Meurrens, “Constraints on Long-Range Forces in De Sitter Space,” JHEP 02 (2026) 134, arXiv:2508.18353 [hep-th].
- Borovik, C. de Korte, N. Meurrens, and D. Pavlov, “Constraining Conformal Correlators,” arXiv:2605.31491 [math.CO].
- D. Baumann, K. Hinterbichler, C. R. T. Jones, and N. Meurrens, “Bootstrapping Weakly Broken Gauge Theories in (A)dS,” arXiv:2609.38308 [hep-th].
