Courses

• GRS PY 741: Solid-State Physics I
  Methods and properties of electron and phonon band structures--local density functional, Green functions (APW and KKR) and phase shift, pseudopotentials, tight binding. Representative systems: covalent, ionic, simple metals, transition metals, transition metal compounds, and correlation gaps. Screening, dielectric function and applications: optical properties and photoemission, excitons, electron-photon interaction, Kohn anomalies, lattice instabilities. Electrons and phonons at surfaces. Transport equations.
• GRS PY 742: Solid-State Physics II
  Continuation of CAS PY 741; applications of quantum theory to solid-state systems with many-body effects: electron-phonon interaction and the Frölich Hamiltonian, polarons, superconductivity; microscopic theory of magnetism, spin waves, and magnons. Quantum transport theory and the Kubo formula. Scattering theory, localized states, averaging over disorder; Anderson localization. Various topics of current interest: quantum antiferromagnets, charge and spin density waves, heavy fermions, surface physics, quantum Hall effect, metal-insulator transition.
• GRS PY 744: Polymer Physics
  Introduction to polymer physics, focusing on the structure, phase behavior, and dynamics of isolated chains, polymer solutions, and gels. Development of underlying theoretical formalism and comparison with experimental results. Discussion of applications to novel polymeric materials.
• GRS PY 747: Advanced Statistical Mechanics
  Classical and quantum statistical ensembles and their physical interpretations; connection between statistical and thermodynamic quantities. Irreversible process: Boltzmann equation, transport theory, thermal fluctuations, introduction to stochastic process theory. Applications, e.g., imperfect gases, phase transitions, cooperative phenomena, and liquid helium.
• GRS PY 751: High-Energy Physics
  Yearlong course on phenomenological aspects of modern high-energy physics. Principal topics are the standard model of strong and electro-weak interactions and the physics of electro-weak symmetry breaking. Intended for both theoretical and experimental students; emphasis on current calculational techniques.
• GRS PY 752: High-Energy Physics
  Yearlong course on phenomenological aspects of modern high-energy physics. Principal topics are the standard model of strong and electro-weak interactions and the physics of electro-weak symmetry breaking. Intended for both theoretical and experimental students; emphasis on current calculational techniques.
• GRS PY 841: Symmetry in Solid-State Physics
  Theory of finite groups, crystalline point groups, crystal double groups, crystal field theory, selection rules, perturbation theory, Kramer's theorem, applications to solid-state physics.
• GRS PY 895: Seminar: Special Topics in Theoretical Physics
  Theoretical research topics include general relativity, quantum field theory, high energy and particle physics, phase transitions, renormalization group, laser physics, kinetic equations, biophysics, computational physics, and selected topics in mathematical physics.
• GRS PY 896: Seminar: Special Topics in Theoretical Physics
  Theoretical research topics include general relativity, quantum field theory, high energy and particle physics, phase transitions, renormalization group, laser physics, kinetic equations, biophysics, computational physics, and selected topics in mathematical physics.
• GRS PY 897: Seminar: Special Topics in Experimental Physics
  Surface physics; intermediate energy nuclear physics experiments; low temperature techniques; liquid and solid helium; and magnetism at low temperatures. Raman effect, gels, and biophysics. High-energy physics experimental techniques.
• GRS PY 898: Seminar: Special Topics in Experimental Physics
  Surface physics; intermediate energy nuclear physics experiments; low temperature techniques, liquid and solid helium, and magnetism at low temperatures. Raman effect, gels, and biophysics. High-energy physics experimental techniques.
• GRS PY 901: Research in Physics
  
• GRS PY 902: Research in Physics
  
• GRS PY 909: Directed Study in Physics
  
• GRS PY 910: Directed Study in Physics
  
• GRS PY 961: Scholary Methods in Physics
  Introduction to scholarly methods in physics teaching and research. Reading and reporting scientific literature; ethical obligations in physics teaching and research; priority disputes; online publications and copyright issues; effective reading and writing in physics; discussions about careers in physics. Required of first-semester doctoral students.
• GRS RN 601: Varieties of Early Christianity
  Surveys the many different and often competing forms of Christianity that arose and flourished in the second to the seventh Century, from the "apostolic period" to the Arab conquest in the Middle East.
• GRS RN 616: Modern Islam
  Focuses on formations of Islam in colonial and postcolonial periods. How modernist and Islamist thinkers have negotiated the encounter between tradition and modernity.
• GRS RN 622: History of Judaism
  Major trends in postbiblical Judaism; academy and synagogue; Mishna and Talmud; Babylonian diaspora; medieval poetry, philosophy, and mysticism; codes of law; organization of the Jewish community "in exile"; land of Israel; Judaism and Islamic and Christian civilization.
• GRS RN 626: Jewish Mystical Movements and Modernization, 1492–2000
  Mysticism, spiritual, and social influences. Early modern, modern periods. Focus on "conservative" and "revolutionary" tendencies. 1492 and Iberian, German, Polish Jewry; leadership of "third generation" of survivors; Christian and Islamic influences; Kulturkampf precipitated by popularization of Kabbala, antinomianism, Hasidism, magic, science.

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