Graduate Classes
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PHYSICS 501: Quantum Mechanics
Content: 501 is a graduate course in quantum mechanics. General formulation of quantum mechanics and applications to various types of problems including: matrix formulation, quantization of physical observables, time evolution of a system state, perturbation theory, theory of angular momentum, two level systems, magnetic dipole-dipole interactions, spin-orbit interactions, Zeeman effect, systems of identical particles, and atomic structures.
Particulars: Grades are based on homework assignments and class presentations. Problems are assigned on a regular basis. Subjects of presentations will be assigned by the instructor with the consent of the presenting students
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
PHYSICS 502: Mathematical Methods I
Content: Essential mathematical tools for graduate physics, with an emphasis on fluency and intuition over formal rigor. Topics include complex analysis, linear algebra, basic differential equations, Fourier analysis, and variational calculus.
Prerequisite: Consent of the Instructor.
PHYSICS 503: Classical Theory of Particles & Fields
Content: The central goal of the course is to introduce the scientific method in the context of classical mechanics and electromagnetism. The laws of nonrelativistic classical mechanics (Newton’s laws), relativistic mechanics, and electromagnetism (Maxwell’s equations) are derived from the general observations about the symmetries of spacetime. Important special cases are analyzed, including statics, oscillations, and wave emission and propagation. The course also identifies connections between classical dynamics and other areas of physics. The discussed mathematical tools include perturbative methods, calculus of variations, systems of ordinary and partial differential equations, and Green’s functions.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
PHYSICS 504: Collective & Emergent Phenomena I
Content: In this course we will learn how to link microscopic with macroscopic descriptions of matter, we will learn how to understand collective phenomena and emergent properties of matter, and we will do so through the lenses of symmetry, of scale, and of statistical physics. Over the semester we will study thermodynamical descriptions of both bulk phases and the transitions between them, and we will then understand how this essentially phenomenological approach can be understood via statistical physics (a subject grew out of concerns about steam engines and billiard-ball models of the air around us, led to beautiful and abstract ideas like entropy and information, and today gives us a systematic framework to study complex systems from across disciplines!). We will close with a first look at critical points, universality, and the renormalization group, one of the most beautiful ideas to come out of 20th century physics.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
PHYSICS 590A: Seminar in Teaching College Physics
Consents: This seminar serves two purposes: (1) to set up and prepare to teach each week’s specific undergraduate laboratory experiment and (2) to read and discuss important studies that have come from the field of physics education research. In the short term, this survey of physics education research is meant to inform and improve the beginning teaching assistant’s effectiveness in the undergraduate classroom. In the long term, this seminar provides our graduate students with a significantly deeper teaching experience than the standard job as an introductory lab TA.
Audience: Required for physics graduate students, to be taken concurrently with the first semester of service as a teaching assistant.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 590B: Seminar in Teaching College Physics II
Contents: This course accompanies a graduate teaching assistant's work in the intro electricity and magnetism labs. Various physics education research ideas, results, and articles are examined in addition to preparation for weekly teaching duties.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 502: Mathematical Physics
Content: Physics 502 is a graduate course in mathematical methods that have proved useful in solving theoretical problems in physics and that should form part of the toolkit of any theoretical physicist. In this course we will follow a modular structure in which some of the most important mathematical methods are introduced. We have selected the following modules: Probability theory and stochastic processes; Random matrix theory with applications to disordered system; An introduction to path integrals in quantum mechanics and stochastic processes; Nonlinear dynamical systems and chaos theory; Green’s functions with applications to electromagnetism.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
PHYSICS 525: Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics
Content: An introduction is given to the quantum mechanics of solids. Properties of metals, insulators and semiconductors will be discussed. Equations governing the charge transport inside materials and at their interfaces will be derived. Applications such as solid-state diodes, transistors, photovoltaic and thermoelectric structures will be discussed. Quantum phenomena arising in reduced dimensions, including mesoscopic/nanoscale systems, quantum wells, surfaces and interfaces, will be discussed. Topics will also include the phenomena of superconductivity and magnetism, and the Quantum Hall state.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Text: Solid State Physics, Aschcroft, NW
PHYSICS 526: Statistical Physics
Contents: Statistical mechanics is a systematic approach to constructing probabilistic descriptions of large numbers of interacting microscopic degrees of freedom in order to understand the macroscopic behavior of equilibrium systems. Topics covered in this course include thermodynamics, probability theory, equilibrium properties of classical and quantum gases, interacting systems, phase transitions, and scaling near critical points.
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 528: Continuum Mechanics
Content: This course provides students with the basic physics necessary to describe continuous media such as fluids and solids. It is an introductory course intended for graduate students as well as upper-level undergraduate students. Students will learn how to apply Newtonian mechanics and conservation laws to deformable systems which can bend, stretch, and flow. Topics include hydrostatics, buoyancy, surface tension, elastostatics, buckling, stress and strain tensors, Navier-Stokes equations, incompressible flow, viscosity and viscous flow, elastic vibrations, and dimensionless numbers. The course will also include selected special topics such as turbulence, seismology, jumps and shocks, instabilities and linear stability analysis, vorticies, boundary layers, and convection.
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration)
Audience: Graduate Students and Advanced Undergraduates
PHYSICS 534: Physical Biology
Content: The course explores physical and statistical constraints used by biological systems, from bacteria, to large organisms, and to entire populations, to sense external environmental signals, and shape a response.
PHYSICS 544: Advanced Laboratory
Contents: Modern experimental techniques and hands-on laboratory projects, and astronomical photometry.
Particulars: Each student will complete written reports for at least three experimental projects. All student must enroll in both classes.
Prerequisites: Physics 253 and consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 556: Single Molecule Biophysics
Content: Single Molecule Biophysics covers the fundamental single-molecule techniques (physical principles, chemical strategies for sample preparations and methods of analysis) and illustrates how they may be used in studies of biological significance. In particular, the course discusses atomic force microscopy (static and dynamic) electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopic imaging, tethered particle motion (TPM), molecular manipulation techniques (magnetic and optical tweezers), fluorescence and fluorescence resonance energy transfer microscopy, super-resolution techniques, and other recent developments in single-molecule approaches. Demonstrations of some of these techniques with “field trips” to labs and facilities on campus are offered. The flipped classroom method is implemented so that much class time is dedicated to student presentations of current single-molecule literature and student-led discussions. Finally, elements of research project development and grant writing are taught as the students are coached through a research project they have to individually develop and turn in as a major part of their grade.
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 552: Biomacromolecules
Contents: Biomacromolecules is a course meant to provide graduate students and advanced undergraduates with the fundamental knowledge necessary to perform research in biophysics. Toward this goal, the first part of the course will introduce the structure of different types of biomacromolecules including an overview of the nature of the chemical bonds involved in the structure and function of biomacromolecules. The course then discusses the interaction of biomacromolecules with different types of environments, bio macromolecular driving forces and mechanics, biopolymer bending and torsional elasticity and molecular motors.
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 554: Molecular Biophysics
Contents: The course focuses on how structure and dynamics at the molecular level contribute to the observed function of biological systems, with a specific emphasis on proteins. An introduction to protein structure and dynamics is given, followed by a detailed examination of specific protein systems, including those involved in solar energy conversion, visual transduction and molecular motion (motors). A parallel focus is on the physical techniques of spectroscopy and scattering that are used to obtain the molecular-scale information. The physical techniques are described in the context of the problems in molecular biophysics that they have solved.
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 556: Single Molecule Biophysics
Contents: This course will cover the fundamental single-molecule techniques and illustrate their physical principles and how they may be used for the study of biological materials. In particular, the physical principles of atomic force microscopy (static and dynamic), electron microscopy, tethered particle motion (TPM), nanoparticle manipulation (magnetic and optical tweezers), single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, and super-resolution microscopy will be discussed. Demonstrations of some of these techniques will be offered. Examples of the application of each of these techniques to biophysical problems will be discussed using current publications. Each student will be required to present articles from the literature to the class and participate in vigorous discussions.
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor.
Physics 562: Introduction to Soft Matter
Contents: This survey course covers materials such as emulsions, gels, colloids, foams, polymers, liquid crystals, surfactants, simple liquid, and sand; methods such as rheology, microscopy, laser tweezers, scattering, and simulation; and diverse other topics such as energy landscapes, effective temperature, percolation, diffusion, nonlinear dynamics, spin glasses, and fractals.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 564: Introduction to Polymers
Contents: Polymer structures and conformations, polymer synthesis, molecular weight distribution and characterization; properties of polymer solutions, solubility and miscibility, polymer blends; properties of bulk polymers, glass and melt transitions, crystallization, rubber elasticity, viscous flow and viscoelasticity, time-temperature superposition; polymer dynamics, Rouse and reptation models. This course is intended to give students an overview of important concepts in polymer science, and highlight some of the current areas of research and how it relates technological applications.
Text: Polymers Chemistry, 2nd Ed., Hiemenz & Lodge, 2007.
Audience: Graduate Students and Advanced Undergraduates.
PHYSICS 591R: Graduate Seminar
Contents: This seminar is for 1st and 2nd year graduate students and covers a variety of topics associated with scientific and professional ethics, as well as attendance in departmental activities, such as the colloquia series.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 726: Advanced Statistical Physics
Contents: The course will first cover topics related to the non-equilibrium statistical mechanics of stochastic processes in physics, chemistry and biology. Topics covered will include Langevin equations, the fluctuation dissipation theorem, Fokker-Planck equations, master equations, reaction rate theory and kinetic models. We shall also study (as time permits) some topics in quantum dynamics and linear response theory, first-passage problems in physics, and biological topics such as chemotaxis, chemoreception and movement of ions across membranes.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
Audience: Graduate Students and Advanced Undergraduates
PHYSICS 731R: Quantum Computing/Information (Special Topics in Theoretical Physics)
PHYS 731R: Special topics listed as: PHYS 380 General Relativity
Contents: An introduction to qubits, quantum gates, quantum circuits, quantum key distribution, quantum teleportation, quantum dense coding, Grover's search algorithm, Shor's factoring algorithm, quantum entanglement and Bell's theorem, and quantum error correction.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 731R: Special Topics in Theoretical Physics
PHY 731R: Theoretical Physics
Contents: This course covers advanced topics in theoretical physics, at the discretion of the instructor.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 731R: Special Topics in Theoretical Physics
PHY 731R: Field Theory
Contents: This course gives a survey of modern field theory techniques relevant to condensed matter physics such as second quantization, path integral representation for many-particle systems, Ginzburg-Landau theory of phase transitions, Dirac and Majorana fields, topological gauge theories, dualities and bosonization. These techniques are introduced in the context of interacting electrons, topological phases of matter and symmetry-broken phenomena, such as crystals, superfluid and magnetic systems.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 731R: Special Topics in Theoretical Physics
PHY 731R: General Relativity
Consents: Development and solution of the Einstein field equations for cases of astrophysical interest. May include Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics for black holes, Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker cosmology, and gravitational waves.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 741R: Special Topics in Biophysics
PHY 741R: Measuring and Modeling Animal Behavior
Contents: This seminar will provide a survey of modern methods for quantitatively measuring and modeling animal behavior, focusing primarily on the scientific literature. Readings will be composed of a combination of experimental, theoretical, and computational studies, with the overall goals of outlining the current state of our knowledge and highlighting areas of recent investigation. Covered topic will include: measuring behavior from images and time series, analyzing patterns and sequences of behavior, biomechanics and control, collective and social behavior, and aspects of genetic and neurobiological mechanisms. All students will be responsible for reading and presenting articles, completing approximately bi-weekly assignments, and developing a final project.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 751R: Special Topics in Solid State Physics
PHY 751R: Advanced Topics in Polymer Materials
Contents: This course is taken at the discretion of the instructor. It covers advanced topics in polymers which are not covered in PHYS 564.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 751R: Special Topics in Solid State Physics
PHY 751R: Nanophononics
Contents: Theoretical foundations, propagation and focusing of optical fields, resolution and localization, confocal microscopy, nanoscale optical microscopy, optical super-resolution techniques, optical interactions, quantum emitters, surface plasmons, optical antennas and nanophotonic devices, optical metamaterials, optical forces.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
PHYSICS 751R: Special Topics in Solid State Physics
PHY 751R: Topological Phases of Matter
Contents: This course will build the theory of topological phases of matter from the ground up. It will cover topological phases in one, two, and three dimensions and their associated paradigmatic models. There will be a final individual project whose topic will be chosen by the student from a list of proposed topics and references.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
Spring 2024 Classes
PHYSICS 503: Classical Theory of Particles & Fields | |||||
Urazhdin | TTH | 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: MSC N302 |
Content: The goal of the course will be to introduce the scientific method, in the context of classical mechanics and electromagnetism. Instead of accepting Newton's laws, special relativity or Maxwell's equations as the generalizations of empirical observations, you will understand how these laws naturally emerge as a consequence of the general symmetries of space-time. The course will also identify connections between classical dynamics and other areas of physics. Our intent is to provide you with the methodological ammunition for developing theories and models in your graduate research and beyond. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. |
PHYSICS 504: Collective & Emergent Phenomena I | |||||
Sussman | TTH | 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: Chem E363 |
Content: Statistical mechanics is a systematics approach to constructing probabilistic descriptions of large numbers of interacting microscopic degrees of freedom in order to understand the macroscopic behavior of equilibrium systems. Topics covered in this course include thermodynamics, probability theory, equilibrium properties of classical and quantum gases, interacting systems, phase transitions, and scaling near critical points. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. |
ELECTIVES
PHYSICS 530: Introduction to Biophysics | |||||
Kim | TTH | 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM | MAX: 18 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: MSC E301A |
Content: The course is designed as a broad introduction into the field of biophysics: molecular/cellular biophysics, biomechanics, evolution, and neuroscience. Prerequisite: Department Consent Required |
PHYSICS 544: Advanced Laboratory | |||||
Brody/Srivastava | M | 2:30 PM - 5:15 PM | MAX: 5 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: MSC N301 |
Brody/Srivastava | W | 2:30 PM - 5:15 PM | MAX: 5 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: MSC N301 |
Content: The purpose of this course is to broaden and refine laboratory and analytical skills, to further mastery of several fields of physics, and to write lab reports in the style of journal papers. Various advanced experiments may include quantum entanglement, atomic force microscopy, and pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. Particulars: Each student will complete written reports for at least three experimental projects. All students must register for both M 2:30-5:00 and W 2:30-5:00 Prerequisites: Physics 253 and consent of the instructor. |
PHYSICS 731: Special Topics In Theoretical Physics: Statistics Physics Inference | |||||
Nemenman | MW | 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM | MAX: 16 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: MSC N301 |
Content: This course covers advanced topics in theoretical physics, at the discretion of the instructor. |
PHYSICS 751: Special Topics in Solid State Physics: Nanophotonics | |||||
Harutyunyan | MW | 11:00 AM - 12:45 PM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: Chemistry E301A |
Content: Theoretical foundations, propagation and focusing of optical fields, resolution and localization, confocal microscopy, nanoscale optical microscopy, optical super-resolution techniques, optical interactions, quantum emitters, surface plasmons, optical antennas and nanophotonic devices, optical metamaterials, optical forces. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. |
Research Courses
PHYSICS 599R: Thesis Research (Pre-Candidacy) | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
PHYSICS 796R: Qualifier Proposal | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
PHYSICS 799R: Advanced Research (Post-Candidacy) | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
PHYSICS 598: Research Summary | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
Directed Studies
PHYSICS 597R: Directed Study | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
Teaching Courses
PHYSICS 590/A: Seminar in Teaching | |||||
Bing | Monday | 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM | MAX: 10 | Credit: 1 Hour | Room: MSC W307C |
This seminar serves two purposes: (1) to set up and prepare to teach each week's specific undergraduate laboratory experiment and (2) to read and discuss important studies that have come from the field of physics education research. In the short term, this survey of physics education research is meant to inform and improve the beginning teaching assistant¿s effectiveness in the undergraduate classroom. In the long term, this seminar provides our graduate students with a significantly deeper teaching experience than the standard job as an introductory lab TA. Audience: Required for physics graduate students, to be taken concurrently with the first semester of service as a teaching assistant.
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PHYSICS 590/B: Seminar in Teaching | |||||
Bing | Wednesday | 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM | MAX: 16 | Credit: 1 Hour | Room: MSC W202 |
This course accompanies a graduate teaching assistant's work in the intro electricity and magnetism labs. Various physics education research ideas, results, and articles are examined in addition to preparation for weekly teaching duties. Audience: Required for physics graduate students, to be taken concurrently with the first semester of service as a teaching assistant. |
Fall 2024
Core Classes
PHYSICS 501: Quantum Mechanics | |||||
Benalcazar | TTH | 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: TBA |
Content: General formulation of quantum mechanics and applications to various types of problems including: matrix formulation, quantization of physical observables, time evolution of a system state, perturbation theory, theory of angular momentum, two level systems, magnetic dipole-dipole interactions, spin-orbit interactions, anomalous Zeeman effect, exchange degeneracy and systems of identical particles, atomic structures, and scattering theory. Particulars: Grades are based on homework assignments and class presentations. Problems are assigned on a regular basis. The instructor with the consent of the presenting students will assign subjects of presentations. Prerequisite-Physics 503A or consent of the instructor. Audience: Graduate Students and Advanced Undergraduates. |
PHYSICS 502: Mathematical Methods I | |||||
Weissman | MW | 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: MSC N301 |
Content: Mathematical methods, with an emphasis on approximation, asymptotics, and perturbation theory, including: dominant balance, graphical methods, nonlinear dynamics, and integration. The focus is on understanding an dskills that are complementary to what computers can do. Particulars: Consent of the Instructor |
Electives
PHYSICS 544: Advanced Laboratory | |||||
Brody | M | 2:30 PM - 5:15 PM | MAX: 10 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: Emerson E101 |
Brody | W | 2:30 PM - 5:15 PM | MAX: 10 | Room: Emerson E101 | |
Content: Modern experimental techniques and hands-on laboratory projects, including semiconductor device physics, chaos in electronics, X-ray crystallography, and astronomical photometry. Particulars: Each student will complete written reports for at least three experimental projects. All students must register for both M 2:30-5:15 and W 2:30-5:15 Prerequisites: Physics 253 and consent of the instructor. |
PHYSICS 554: Molecular Biophysics | |||||
Warncke | MW | 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: Emerson E101 |
Content: The course focuses on how structure and dynamics at the molecular level contribute to the observed function of biological systems, with a specific emphasis on proteins. An introduction to protein structure and dynamics is given, followed by a detailed examination of specific protein systems, including those involved in solar energy conversion, visual transduction and molecular motion (motors). A parallel focus is on the physical techniques of spectroscopy and scattering that are used to obtain the molecular-scale information. The physical techniques are described in the context of the problems in molecular biophysics that they have solved. Particulars: Consent of the Instructor |
PHYSICS 562: Introduction to Soft Matter | |||||
Weeks | TTH | 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: Emerson E102 |
Content: Introduction to the field of soft matter physics spanning such soft and complex materials as colloids, gels, and polymers with emphasis on big picture scientific concepts that explain these systems. Particulars: Consent of the Instructor |
PHYSICS 731R: Special Topics in Theoretical Physics: Physics of AI | |||||
Can | MW | 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM | MAX: 20 | Credit: 3 Hours | Room: Emerson E101 |
Content: Large language models (LLMs) have started a technological arms race to achieve artificial general intelligence. Are the massive investments made by industrial and academic labs into this direction justified? Are they even a good idea? We do not really know the answer to these questions, since currently we lack any deep scientific understanding of these models. The tradition of research in physics, with its constant dialogue between theory and experiment, is ideally suited to tackle the scale and complexity of LLMs, and is poised supply basic pillars of knowledge to this new scientific discipline. The goal of the course is to give an overview of recent progress in AI, and explore what a “physics of AI” might look like. As a self-contained course, all necessary background will be provided. Emphasis throughout will be placed on theoretical approaches. Particulars: Consent of the Instructor |
Research Courses
PHYSICS 599R: Thesis Research (Pre-Candidacy) | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
PHYSICS 799R: Advanced Research (Post-Candidacy) | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
PHYSICS 598: Research Summary | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
Directed Studies
PHYSICS 597R: Directed Study | ||||
Faculty | TBA | TBA | ||
Prerequisite: (Written Permission of Instructor Required Prior to Pre-Registration) |
Teaching Courses
PHYSICS 590/A: Seminar in Teaching | |||||
Bing | Wednesday | 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM | MAX: 16 | Credit: 1 Hour | Room: MSC W307C |
This seminar serves two purposes: (1) to set up and prepare to teach each week's specific undergraduate laboratory experiment and (2) to read and discuss important studies that have come from the field of physics education research. In the short term, this survey of physics education research is meant to inform and improve the beginning teaching assistant¿s effectiveness in the undergraduate classroom. In the long term, this seminar provides our graduate students with a significantly deeper teaching experience than the standard job as an introductory lab TA. Audience: Required for physics graduate students, to be taken concurrently with the first semester of service as a teaching assistant.
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PHYSICS 590/B: Seminar in Teaching | |||||
Bing | Wednesday | 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM | MAX: 16 | Credit: 1 Hour | Room: MSC W202 |
This course accompanies a graduate teaching assistant's work in the intro electricity and magnetism labs. Various physics education research ideas, results, and articles are examined in addition to preparation for weekly teaching duties. Audience: Required for physics graduate students, to be taken concurrently with the first semester of service as a teaching assistant.
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