Loren E Held

Dr. Loren E. Held is a Research Fellow in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) at the University of Cambridge, part of the Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics research group. His primary affiliation is with the Faculty of Mathematics. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Astrophysics from the University of Cambridge (2016–2020), preceded by a Part III Mathematics degree (2015–2016) and an MSci in Astrophysics from Royal Holloway, University of London (2011–2015).

His research focuses on astrophysical fluid dynamics, particularly accretion disk dynamics. Key areas include MRI turbulence, convection in disks, and the effects of magnetic fields. He has explored warped, eccentric, and tidally distorted disks, as well as systems arising from binary neutron star mergers. His work bridges theoretical models with numerical simulations, addressing topics like magnetic Prandtl numbers and thermal instability.

Notable contributions include studies on MRI-driven dynamos, vertically oscillating disks, and the interplay between convection and MRI in Dwarf Nova systems. His research also extends to turbulence under various forces (e.g., MHD, convective, rotating media). Held has collaborated with groups such as the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (2020–2023), where he worked on relativistic MHD simulations of neutron star mergers.