Nice to be Back…

Back where? In front of a classroom teaching quantum field theory, that is. It is a wonderful, fascinating, and super-important subject, and it has been a while since I’ve taught it. I actually managed to dig out some pretty good notes for the last time I taught it. (Thank you, my inner pack rat for keeping those notes and putting them where I could find them!) They’ll be a helpful foundation. (Aren’t they beautiful by the way? Those squiggly diagrams are called Feynman diagrams.)

Important? Quantum field theory (QFT) is perhaps one of the most remarkable
frameworks for describing Nature ever devised. It’s most famous for being the theory you use to describe the elementary particles (electrons, photons, quarks, etc) that make up the known matter and forces, but its also hugely important in other fields, such as condensed matter physics. I’ve got a very interesting mix of students enrolled in the class, from a variety of fields, so it is going to be a really fun course to teach, emphasizing where I can aspects and approaches that fit their various research interests.

Should be fun!

-cvj

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7 Responses to Nice to be Back…

  1. Clifford says:

    I don’t know of any particular advanced text any of us use. Depends on the advanced topic.

  2. Clifford says:

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  3. As a professional artist, I’m in complete admiration of your approach, process, your commitment to each and every drawing. And, the challenge of figuring out how to communicate such profound concepts, whether you know how to draw or not. Bravo from California.

  4. Rico Suave says:

    Do you or anyone else there teach an advanced QFT course? What book is used for that?

    What about a particle physics course/Standard Model course? What book is used for that, if so?

    Thanks!

  5. Clifford says:

    I’ll probably use Zee’s book as the primary text. Sorry, course websites are on blackboard here… and I will put notes out for this one. There are many excellent notes out there, and some great books, like Zee.

    Cheers,

    -cvj

  6. Rico Suave says:

    Which textbook(s) will you be using? Also, any chance that your notes will be made available online?

    Oh, and is the course website accessible to non-students?