Introduces modern astronomical ideas designed for nonscience majors. Topics include an introduction to the cosmos, Earth and its relation to the universe, our solar system (planets, moons, asteroids, and comets), the sun and how it works, stars and their classification, and the life and death of stars. Introduces various tools of the astronomer (the nature of light and radiation, telescopes, the types of spectra, and what they tell us).

PHYS

Astronomy

Offers an intellectual voyage into matter, life, and mind—the three pillars of modern science. It is a mosaic of different themes that offer a concise overview of science's greatest minds, ideas, questions, discoveries, theories, and methods while placing all of them within their historical contexts. Emphasizes the profound scientific revolutions of the 20th century—quantum mechanics, biogenetics, and artificial intelligence—that unlocked the secrets of the atom, unraveled the molecule of life, and created the electronic computer. Recognizes significant trends across a wide range of subjects, including medicine, biotechnology, computing and communicating, artificial intelligence and artificial life, and robotics. Discusses the synergism of science, technology, and business on future scientific development.

Modern Science: A Voyage into Matter, Life, and Mind

Introduces network science as a way to understand complex patterns of connections and relationships in increasingly complex social, infrastructure, transportation, information, and biological networks, as well as business and consumer networks. Describes basic conceptual and computational tools to model networks and discusses applications of those tools through a wide range of examples from the World Wide Web to protein and gene networks to massive social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. Discusses both network structures and dynamical phenomena on networks, such as spreading of information, rumors, gossip, and epidemics.

Introduction to Network Science: From the Human Cell to Facebook

Introduces how to deal with data and computation problems through the use of computer languages commonly used in the sciences. Focuses on manipulating data, but symbolic calculations are also covered. Intended for science majors during the first summer, when such a course can act as a foundation for later work.

Computing, Data, and Science

Seeks to provide nonscience students with a practical knowledge of our present use of the Earth's energy resources and the environmental consequences. Topics include fossil fuels for transportation and electrical power, global warming, nuclear energy, solar energy, wind power, biomass, electric and hybrid vehicles, and air pollution. No previous knowledge of physics is assumed; nevertheless, because of the nature of the subject, a significant part of the course includes simple quantitative reasoning.

Energy, Environment, and Society

Covers mechanics, fluids, and vibrations and waves. Emphasizes the application of physics to a variety of problems in structural engineering. Mechanics topics include one-dimensional motion, forces, vectors, Newton's laws, equilibrium, work, energy, and power. Fluids topics include density, pressure, buoyancy, and fluids in motion. Vibrations and waves topics include mechanical vibrations and sound. Requires knowledge of algebra.

General Physics

Covers mechanics, fluids, and temperature and kinetic theory. The application of physics to a variety of problems in the life and health sciences is emphasized. Mechanics topics include one-dimensional motion, forces, vectors, Newton's laws, equilibrium, work, energy, and power. Fluids topics include density, pressure, buoyancy, fluids in motion, viscosity, and surface tension. Temperature and kinetic theory topics include temperature, thermal equilibrium, gas laws, ideal gas law, kinetic theory, vapor pressure, and diffusion. A laboratory is included.

Physics for Life Sciences 1

Accompanies PHYS 1145. Covers topics from the course through various experiments.

Lab for PHYS 1145

Continues PHYS 1145. Covers heat, electricity, vibrations and waves, sound, geometrical optics, and nuclear physics and radioactivity. The application of physics to a variety of problems in the life and health sciences is emphasized. Electricity topics include electrostatics, capacitance, resistivity, direct-current circuits, and RC circuits. Vibrations and waves topics include simple harmonic motion and wave motion. Sound topics include wave characteristics, the ear, Doppler effect, shock waves, and ultrasound. Optics topics include reflection, mirrors, refraction, total internal reflection, fiber optics, lenses, the eye, telescopes, and microscopes. Nuclear physics and radioactivity topics include atomic nucleus, radioactivity, half-life, radioactive dating, detectors, nuclear reaction, fission, fusion, radiation damage, radiation therapy, PET, and MRI. A laboratory is included.

Physics for Life Sciences 2

Accompanies PHYS 1147. Covers topics from the course through various experiments.

Lab for PHYS 1147

Offers an integrated lecture and laboratory course for pharmacy students.

Physics for Pharmacy

Accompanies PHYS 1149. Covers topics from the course through various experiments.

Lab for PHYS 1149

Students registered for PHYS 1151 must also be registered for PHYS 1152 and PHYS 1153.

MATH

Physics for Engineering 1

Accompanies PHYS 1151. Covers topics from the course through various experiments. Requires concurrent registration in PHYS 1151 and PHYS 1153.

Lab for PHYS 1151

Students registered for PHYS 1153 must also be registered for PHYS 1151 and PHYS 1152.

Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1151

Students registered for PHYS 1155 must also be registered for PHYS 1156 and PHYS 1157.

Physics for Engineering 2

Accompanies PHYS 1155. Covers topics from the course through various experiments. Requires concurrent registration in PHYS 1155 and PHYS 1157.

Lab for PHYS 1155

Students registered for PHYS 1157 must also be registered for PHYS 1155 and PHYS 1156.

Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1155

Covers calculus-based physics. Offers the first semester of a two-semester integrated lecture and laboratory sequence intended primarily for science students. Covers Newtonian mechanics and fluids. Emphasizes the underlying concepts and principles. Takes applications from a wide variety of fields, such as life sciences and medicine, astro- and planetary physics, and so on. Includes topics such as forces, torque and static equilibrium, one-dimensional and three-dimensional motion, Newton's laws, dynamics friction, drag, work, energy and power, momentum and collisions, rotational dynamics, oscillations, pressure, fluids, and gravity.

Physics 1

Accompanies PHYS 1161. Covers topics from the course through various experiments.

Lab for PHYS 1161

Accompanies PHYS 1161. Offers an opportunity for interactive problem solving.

Recitation for PHYS 1161

Continues PHYS 1161. Offers the second semester of a two-semester integrated lecture and laboratory sequence intended primarily for science students. Includes topics such as electrostatics; capacitors; resistors and direct-current circuits; magnetism and magnetic induction; RC, LR, and LRC circuits; waves; electromagnetic waves; and fluids.

Physics 2

Accompanies PHYS 1165. Covers topics from the course through various experiments.

Lab for PHYS 1165

Accompanies PHYS 1165. Offers an opportunity for interactive problem solving.

Recitation for PHYS 1165

Students registered for PHYS 1171 must also be registered for PHYS 1172 and PHYS 1173.

Physics 1 for Bioscience and Bioengineering

Accompanies PHYS 1171. Experiments include measurement and error, forces in one dimension, work and energy on an air track, fluid flow, Brownian diffusion, uniform circular motion, and ideal gas laws. Requires concurrent registration in PHYS 1171 and PHYS 1173.

Lab for PHYS 1171

Students registered for PHYS 1173 must also be registered for PHYS 1171 and PHYS 1172.

Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1171

Students registered for PHYS 1175 must also be registered for PHYS 1176 and PHYS 1177.

Physics 2 for Bioscience and Bioengineering

Accompanies PHYS 1175. Experiments include standing waves, electric charge/field, DC circuits, gel electrophoresis, geometric optics, light spectroscopy, and radioactive decay. Requires concurrent registration in PHYS 1175 and PHYS 1177.

Lab for PHYS 1175

Students registered for PHYS 1177 must also be registered for PHYS 1175 and PHYS 1176.

Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1175

Introduces students to computational problem-solving techniques with common computer languages used in the physical sciences. Begins with programming basics of data handling, visualization tools, random number generators, functions, and control statements and expands to more advanced topics of interpolation, numeric integration, numeric derivatives, ordinary differential equations, and some Monte Carlo techniques. Explores topics contextually using physical models and problems.

Computational Problem Solving in Physics

Reviews experiments demonstrating the atomic nature of matter, the properties of the electron, the nuclear atom, the wave-particle duality, spin, and the properties of elementary particles. Discusses, mostly on a phenomenological level, such subjects as atomic and nuclear structure, properties of the solid state, and elementary particles. Introduces the special theory of relativity.

Modern Physics

Covers the physics underlying computers and our modern electronic world. Focuses on principles of semiconductor devices (diodes, transistors, integrated circuits, LEDs, photovoltaics); analog techniques (amplification, AC circuits, resonance); digital techniques (binary numbers, NANDs, logic gates, and circuits); electronic subsystems (operational amplifiers, magnetoelectronics, optoelectronics); and understanding commercial electronic equipment. Lab experiments are designed to investigate the properties of discrete and integrated devices and use them to design and build circuits.

Electronics

Accompanies PHYS 2371. Illustrates topics from the lecture course through various hands-on experimental projects. Covers the process of electronics design from a goal-oriented perspective. Students are expected to consider their own electronics design project and build a prototype device that accomplishes a specific purpose.

Lab for PHYS 2371

Introduces research through experiments that go beyond the simple demonstration of basic physical principles found in introductory physics courses. Data are taken to higher precision and the analysis is more in-depth. Experiments focus on lasers, fiber-optic communication, spectroscopy, Faraday rotation, speed of light, semiconductor physics, Hall effect, fuel cells, and Fourier analysis of music and sound. Lab reports are assessed on organization, format, grammar, and style. Offers students an opportunity to significantly improve their abilities in written scientific communication.

ENGL

ENGW

Advanced Physics Laboratory

Covers advanced topics in classical mechanics including vector kinematics, harmonic oscillator and resonance, generalized coordinates, Lagrange's equations, central forces and the Kepler problem, rigid body motion, and mathematical methods in physics.

Classical Dynamics

First course of a two-course sequence in electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic theory. Covers electrostatics and dielectric materials, magnetostatics and magnetic materials, currents in conductors, induction, displacement currents, computer solutions of EM problems, and Maxwell’s equations.

Electricity and Magnetism 1

Continues PHYS 3602. Focuses on electromagnetic waves in vacua and matter, electrodynamics and radiation, and computer visualization of electromagnetic fields. Also considers special relativity.

Electricity and Magnetism 2

Investigates the variety of astrophysical signals produced by galactic and extragalactic sources, in connection with and independently from the electromagnetic wave (EM) signals. Introduces the basic theory behind the production, transmission, and detection of astrophysical neutrinos, cosmic rays, dark matter, and gravitational waves. Topical in nature, the course offers a solid introduction to the newest discoveries in astrophysics.

Multimessenger Astrophysics

Focuses on observations of macroscopic and microscopic bodies. Covers the uncertainty principle and wave-particle duality; probability amplitudes; Schrödinger wave theory and one-dimensional problems, Schrödinger equation in three dimensions; and angular momentum and the hydrogen atom.

Quantum Mechanics

Focuses on first and second laws of thermodynamics, entropy and equilibrium, thermodynamic potentials, elementary kinetic theory, statistical mechanics, and the statistical interpretation of entropy. Utilizes the principles of quantum mechanics to describe the behavior of thermodynamic/statistically-large systems such as quantum gases.

Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Covers advanced mathematical methods topics that are commonly used in the physical sciences, such as complex calculus, Fourier transforms, special functions, and the principles of variational calculus. Applies these methods to computational simulation and modeling exercises. Introduces basic computational techniques and numerical analysis, such as Newton's method, Monte Carlo integration, gradient descent, and least squares regression. Uses a simple programming language, such as MATLAB, for the exercises.

Mathematical and Computational Methods for Physics

Offers an introduction to biophysics focusing on development and implementation of physical models for various biophysical processes that occur in living organisms and in living cells. Topics covered, some of which are explored through computational examples, include thermodynamics of solutions and cells, randomness, diffusion, entropy, membranes, electrostatics, and electricity in cells.

Biological Physics 1

Introduces the physical principles and basic mathematical methods underlying the various modalities of medical imaging. These include computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), and ultrasound. Covers nuclear physics and the interaction of radiation with biological matter with application to radiation therapy.

Medical Physics

Offers the first part of a seminar series conducted by expert practitioners from Boston-area hospitals. Examines the clinical applications of medical imaging methods (CT, MRI, and PET), the clinical applications of radiation therapy, and the clinical applications of lasers and optical techniques. Includes site visits to local hospitals and medical instrumentation companies.

Medical Physics Seminar 1

Continues PHYS 4651. Further examines the clinical applications of medical imaging methods (CT, MRI, and PET), the clinical applications of radiation therapy, and the clinical applications of lasers and optical techniques.

Medical Physics Seminar 2

Introduces the physics of elementary particles and the fundamental interactions among them. Topics include classification of particles, electromagnetic interactions, strong and weak nuclear forces, mesons and nucleons, quarks and gluons, and unified theories of elementary particle interactions.

Particle Physics

Introduces students to the quantum materials, the nature and origins of their unique behaviors, and how these systems can be used to enable new quantum technologies. Beginning with a description of the electronic structure of solids, describes how interactions between electrons and spins can manifest electrical and magnetic properties that cannot be explained with a classical description and how isolated defects in solids can be utilized for quantum technologies.

Physics and Applications of Quantum Materials

Introduces network science and the set of analytical, numerical, and modeling tools used to understand complex networks emerging in nature and technology. Focuses on the empirical study of real networks, with examples coming from biology (metabolic, protein interaction networks), computer science (World Wide Web, Internet), or social systems (e-mail, friendship networks). Shows the organizing principles that govern the emergence of networks and the set of tools necessary to characterize and model them. Covers elements of graph theory, statistical physics, biology, and social science as they pertain to the understanding of complex systems.

Network Science 1

Seeks to provide an understanding of our universe through the connection between cosmology and particle physics. Covers basic concepts of the modern universe, stellar structure and evolution, and dark matter theory while introducing recent astrophysical observations and experiments.

Advanced Astrophysics Topics

Introduces time-independent and time-dependent perturbation theory. Covers hydrogen fine structure, Zeeman effect, helium splitting, variational principle, adiabatic approximation, scattering theory, second quantization, and modern topics such as theory of quantum entanglement, quantum computing, and quantum biology.

Advanced Quantum Mechanics

Focuses on reviewing the basic scientific concepts relevant to this field and also gives a broad overview of the current state-of-the-art in research and technology. Nanotechnology promises to transform twenty-first century technology by exploiting phenomena exhibited by nanoscaled materials. This technology is expected to have significant impact in diverse areas such as computers, electronics, health, etc. Successful technological advancement of this field requires that we have a fundamental understanding of the “science” of these materials. This course comprises a series of lectures on various topics: development of nanofabrication methods, advanced microscopy techniques, fabrication of novel nanomaterials, investigation of their fundamental properties and device applications. Provides a strong introduction for students interested in nanoscience and technology.

Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Designed to introduce students to the techniques of modern experimental physics. Topics include communication and information physics, signal processing and noise physics, applied relativity physics, detector techniques, semiconductor and superconductor physics, nanoscale microscopy and manipulation, and lasers and quantum optics.

Principles of Experimental Physics

Designed to improve the ability of students to solve physics problems, which are of the same degree of difficulty as problems that often appear on the qualifying exam.

Methods of Advanced Problem Solving

Offers a weekly seminar to introduce first- and second-year physics graduate students to research being done in the Physics department by advanced physics graduate students and faculty. May be repeated without limit.

Introduction to Research in Physics

Introduces first-year physics graduate students to the role of teaching assistant (TA) in the laboratory. Designed to prepare TAs for the experiments they are required to teach undergraduate students. Focuses on improving their teaching and grading effectiveness.

Methods for Teaching in the Introductory Physics Laboratory 1

Continues PHYS 7220, offered to first-year graduate physics teaching assistants. Designed to prepare TAs for the experiments they teach to undergraduate students. Offers students an opportunity to improve their teaching and grading effectiveness.

Methods for Teaching Introductory Physics Laboratory 2

Covers mathematical methods of physics and classical mechanics. Topics include differential equations, boundary value problems, functions of a complex variable, linear vector spaces, Green's functions, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, linear oscillators, and scattering. May include additional topics as time permits.

Classical Mechanics/Math Methods

Analyzes Maxwell's equations in vacuum and special relativity. Topics include electric and magnetic fields due to known sources with boundary conditions, radiation fields, bremsstrahlung, synchrotron radiation, the energy-momentum tensor for the electromagnetic field, fields in material media, boundary conditions at the interface between two media, and scattering of radiation. May include additional topics as time permits.

Electromagnetic Theory

Briefly reviews thermodynamics. Topics include the principles of statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics; density matrix; theory of ensembles; Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics, application to gases, liquids, and solids; theory of phase transitions; and thermodynamics of electric and magnetic systems, transport phenomena, random walks, and cooperative phenomena.

Statistical Physics

Explores the experimental basis of quantum theory, the Schr÷dinger equation, and probability interpretation of wave mechanics. Topics include the uncertainty principle, application to one-dimensional problems, the harmonic oscillator, orbital angular momentum, and the central force problem.

Quantum Theory 1

Continues PHYS 7315. Topics include quantum theory of scattering; Born approximation; phase-shift analysis; introduction to S-matrix theory; general formulation quantum mechanics in Hilbert space; spin; identical particles and symmetrization principle; time-independent and time-dependent perturbation theory; semiclassical theory of radiation and atomic spectra; addition of angular momentum; Wigner-Eckart theorem; quantum theory of radiation; and absorption, emission, and scattering of photons. Also introduces free particle Dirac equation.

Quantum Theory 2

Covers basic numerical methods for differentiation, integration, and matrix operations used in linear algebra problems, discrete Fourier transforms, and standard and stochastic ordinary and partial differential equations. Specific applications of these methods may include classical chaos, computation of eigenstates of simple quantum systems, classical phase transitions, boundary value problems, pattern formation, and molecular dynamics and classical/quantum Monte Carlo methods to simulate the equilibrium and nonequilibrium properties of condensed phases.

Computational Physics

Covers selected topics in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and nonlinear physics to be selected by the instructor, with emphasis on classical theories of solids, fluids, and other more complex phases of matter. Topics may include Brownian motion, including Langevin and Fokker-Planck equations; linear response theory and transport phenomena; nonequilibrium phase transitions, including nucleation and phase-ordering kinetics; elasticity theory and fluid mechanics; and nonlinear dynamics and pattern formation.

Nonequilibrium Physics

Presents a survey of the present state of elementary particle physics, suitable for all graduate students. Topics include overview of strong interactions and their connection to nuclear physics; nonrelativistic quark structure of strongly interacting particles (hadrons); color and the SU(3) Yang-Mills theory of strong interactions; coupling constant renormalization and asymptotic freedom; and the parton model of scattering. Covers weak interactions including phenomenology of the Fermi V-A theory; universality; and neutrino scattering. Studies the Glashow-Weinberg-Salam theory including unification of weak and electromagnetic interaction, neutral currents, the Higgs mechanism, quark masses and mixing, neutrino masses, and neutrino oscillation. Offers experimental support for the standard model. Also examines supersymmetry including the hierarchy problem and broken supersymmetry; role of supersymmetry in cosmology.

Elementary Particle Physics

Explores condensed matter physics. Topics include Drude and Sommerfield models of electrons in metals, crystal structure, one-electron states in crystal lattices, Bloch's theorem, semiclassical theory of conduction, semiconductors and semiconducting devices, effects of electron-electron interactions, lattice vibrations and the classical and quantum theories of specific heat, optical properties of solids, investigation of crystal structure and excited states of crystals by x-ray and neutron scattering, simple transport theory based on the Boltzmann equation, and magnetic properties of solids.

Condensed Matter Physics

Introduces the principles of quantum field theory. Topics include canonical quantization of scalar and spinor fields, functional integral methods, perturbation theory, regularization and renormalization, and symmetry breaking. Emphasizes applications to particle physics and condensed matter phenomena.

Quantum Field Theory 1

Immerses students in the modeling of dynamical processes (contagion, diffusion, routing, consensus formation, etc.) in complex networks. Includes guest lectures from local and national experts working in process modeling on networks. Dynamical processes in complex networks provide a rationale for understanding the emerging tipping points and nonlinear properties that often underpin the most interesting characteristics of sociotechnical systems. Reviews the recent progress in modeling dynamical processes that integrates the complex features and heterogeneities of real-world systems.

NETS

Dynamical Processes in Complex Networks

Introduces the major classes of biological macromolecules and the physics underlying their structure, interaction, and biological function. Emphasis is on physical techniques for characterizing the structure and dynamics of proteins. Students are required to present a written and oral report on a focused research topic in molecular biophysics, based on a critical review of current scientific literature. Topics may include introduction to biomolecular structure, aqueous solution physics and hydrophobic interactions, chemical thermodynamics and reaction dynamics, spectroscopic techniques, molecular force measurements, and protein dynamics.

Covers unified theories including evidence for supersymmetric SU(5) unification of couplings, and the grand unified scale and proton decay. Discusses particle physics and cosmology including a brief introduction to Einstein's theory of general relativity, candidates for dark matter, inflation and the primordial fluctuations, and the problem of the cosmological constant. Examines developments leading to string theory including normal mode expansion; open and closed strings; deduction of D-26 for bosonic and D-10 for superstrings; scattering amplitudes in strings; heterotic string; compactifications on the torus, orbifolds, and Calabi-Yau manifolds; 4-D strings; and superstring phenomenology. Explores physics with extra dimensions including gravity at small distances, branes, and new approaches to the hierarch problem. May be repeated without limit.

Topics: Elementary Particle Physics and Cosmology

Covers selected advanced topics in the theory of solids to be chosen each time by the interested students and instructor. Topics may include theory of normal metals, Hartree-Fock and random phase approximations, optical and transport properties, solid-state plasmas, Raman spectroscopy, quasiparticles and collective excitations, quantum solids, and amorphous solids. May be repeated without limit.

Topics: Condensed Matter Physics

Undertakes a master's thesis in a selected topic in experimental or theoretical physics. Written thesis required. May be repeated without limit.

Thesis

Provides an opportunity for advanced students to work with an individual instructor on a topic related to current research. The instructor and student negotiate a written agreement as to what topic(s) are covered and what written or laboratory work forms the basis for the grade. Viewed as a lead-in to thesis research. May be repeated without limit.

Advanced Research

Offers an opportunity to conduct full-time research under faculty supervision. May be repeated without limit.

Research

Offers experimental and theoretical work for PhD candidates. Requires written thesis and final oral exam.

Dissertation Term 1

Offers dissertation supervision by members of the department.