A couple years ago, we revised the General Education requirements at the college to require all students to take a “Sophomore Research Seminar” in their second year. These classes are supposed to be writing-intensive, and introduce students to the basics of academic research. The specified course components are pretty heavily slanted toward the humanities– library… Continue reading Half-Baked Course Idea: Great Experiments
Author: Chad Orzel
Applications of Quantum Mechanics
Over at the theoretical physics beach party, Moshe is talking about teaching quantum mechanics, specifically an elective course for upper-level undergraduates. He’s looking for some suggestions of special topics: The course it titled “Applications of quantum mechanics”, and is covering the second half of the text by David Griffiths, whose textbooks I find to be… Continue reading Applications of Quantum Mechanics
Reasonably Comfortable Questions: Modern Physics
In the “uncomfortable questions” comment thread, Thony C. suggests: You say you’re teaching “modern physics” so how about a running commentary on the stuff your teaching? That’s a good suggestion, and I’ll start posting some sketchy reports soon. First, though, Bora asks: What is un-modern physics? Roughly speaking, physics gets divided into “Classical Physics” and… Continue reading Reasonably Comfortable Questions: Modern Physics
The Fine Line Between Plagiarism and Necessary Repetition
My senior thesis student this year came to my office today to ask a question as he’s starting to work on writing his thesis. I’ve given him copies of the theses of the last couple of students to work in my lab, and asked him to start on a draft of the background sections. He… Continue reading The Fine Line Between Plagiarism and Necessary Repetition
links for 2009-01-08
The Quantum Pontiff : Relatively Right in Front of Your Nose "In other words, there is a reference frame in which what is "right under your nose" is far far away, and just seconds after the big bang (let’s ignore cosmology for now.) " (tags: science physics blogs relativity) The Best Jobs in the World… Continue reading links for 2009-01-08
Peevish Question: Word Attachments
I get tons of all-campus email, and more and more of these seem to be of the form “Please see the attached Word file, containing a plain text document with minimal formatting that could just as easily have been pasted into the body of the message.” Happily, I have my campus email forwarded to my… Continue reading Peevish Question: Word Attachments
Relatively Comfortable Question: Big Bang
In response to the call for uncomfortable questions, Jason Failes asks: What’s the best evidence for the Big Bang theory? The more I read about it (25 years ago to present), the more contrived, ad hoc, and retro-dictive it seems. At this point, what would falsify the Big Bang theory? What would falsify the Big… Continue reading Relatively Comfortable Question: Big Bang
Uncomfortable Question: Creationist Theology
In the uncomfortable questions thread, David White asks: Ever entertained the notion that attacks on true science from the muscular political creationism/ID lobby might be vitiated by exposure of their great and inexplicable theological flaw (gasp!) dating all the way back to William Paley? Not really, no. Because, you know, there are only so many… Continue reading Uncomfortable Question: Creationist Theology
Uncomfortable Question: Tuition Hikes
In response to my request for uncomfortable questions, Lou asks: As a private college professor and a new parent, I’m sure you are aware that the current rates of tuition growth are unsustainable indefinitely. When do you expect to see the rates drop back to inflation levels, rather than continuing to grow 3-4% above it?… Continue reading Uncomfortable Question: Tuition Hikes
links for 2009-01-07
Discovering Biology in a Digital World : Another reason why science education sucks "According to the article almost 40% of the 59 science education specialists, surveyed in the California University system, were "seriously considering leaving" their current jobs and some (20%) were considering leaving the field entirely." (tags: science education stupid academia) Squeezing and over-squeezing… Continue reading links for 2009-01-07