December 2020 - sps-list

by Morin, David

If you are doing research through Phys 90r this semester, this google form replaces the old paper form: https://forms.gle/YgQhmxz4f54CvAT8A Please fill this out as soon as your 90r research plan is settled. This is just an internal physics form, so don’t forget to officially sign up for 90r in your crimson cart. Let me know if you have any questions.

4 months

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concentration reqs

by Morin, David

For the SENIOR Physics and Chem/Phys concentrators among you (but also for non-seniors, for future reference): I checked through all of the seniors' records and emailed you of any remaining concentration requirements. But just as a double check, in case I missed anyone, here are some general comments and caveats: 1. Even though I checked through things, you should also check through the requirements listed in the Handbook. 2. Ignore the "Advising Report" in my.harvard, as far as the Physics concentration reqs go. It may very well say that some requirements aren't satisfied when in fact they are. The information I emailed to you supersedes the Advising Report. (However, the Gen Ed part of the Advising Report is probably correct, so you _should_ pay attention to that.) 3. Students who skipped 15b and/or 15c (and took an approved substitute instead) are still required to do the labs, on a pass/fail basis. (But no need to do the 15b lab if you took AP50b or PS12b.) 4. The secondary-field information isn't recorded in the system, so I didn't take that into account in my assessment of any remaining requirements. If you are doing a secondary, be aware that only one course can double count for concentration and secondary. (In contrast, there is unlimited double counting in joint concentrations.) 5. Similarly, for the very few students doing the AB/AM program, the system sometimes doesn't show which courses are bracketed. Be aware that bracketed courses can't count for the undergrad part of the degree.

1 year, 4 months

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15b, 15c lab requirement

by Morin, David

This email is a reminder about the Physics Department's rule for the 15b and 15c labs. This rule applies to Physics concentrators, Chem/Phys concentrators, and students completing a Physics secondary: If you skip 15b and/or 15c and satisfy the E&M and/or waves requirement by taking an alternative course (approved by Prof. Georgi or me), then you must still complete the 15b and/or 15c labs at some point, on a pass/fail basis. (However, you don't need to do the 15b lab if you took AP50b or PS12b.) You can complete the labs in a future semester if you wish, but my recommendation is that you do them at the same time you take the alternative course. (Students in 15b and 15c must of course do the lab when taking the course.) To schedule your lab time, please email, as soon as possible: 15b: Dr. Carey Witkov (witkov(a)fas.harvard.edu) 15c: TF Kristine Rezai (kristinerezai(a)gmail.com) Please let me know if you have any questions.

1 year, 9 months

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TODAY! LPPC Seminar: Wednesday, March 4 @ 4pm | Justin Evans: The NEMO-3 and SuperNEMO experiments

by Gardner, Felice Ann

WHAT: LPPC SEMINAR WHERE: Palfrey House, 18 Hammond St. WHEN: Wednesday, March 4th @ 4:00pm TITLE: The NEMO-3 and SuperNEMO experiments Justin Evans, University of Manchester<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.research.mancheste…> Abstract: The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νββ) would be evidence both for lepton-number violation and the Majorana nature of the neutrino. In the search for 0νββ, the elimination of radiological backgrounds is critical. The NEMO-3 and SuperNEMO experiments address this challenge with a unique technological approach that allows full topological reconstruction of double-β decay events. A gaseous tracker provides the reconstruction and identification of the β-decay electrons and elimination of non-ββ backgrounds; a plastic-scintillator calorimeter provides the electron energy measurement that identifies events at the ββ-decay end-point. I will give an overview of the results of the NEMO-3 experiment, and describe the SuperNEMO Demonstrator Module, currently under construction at the Modane Underground Laboratory with a goal of demonstrating an almost-zero-background measurement in the ββ-decay end-point region of selenium-82.

3 years, 3 months

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SAVE THE DATE - OCT. 6 @ 5:00pm: Cumrun Vafa | Harvard Science Book Talk

by Gardner, Felice Ann

Harvard Science Book Talk: CUMRUN VAFA<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…>, Harvard<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…> Puzzles to Unravel the Universe<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…> Tuesday, October 6 @ 5:00pm Register<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…> [https://mcusercontent.com/2a42f9e6c5264bb277175db04/images/895b505c-850e-41…] Beneath all of the complex and formidable mathematical structures that formulate physical laws rest simple but deep nuggets of truth. It is these simple truths, and not the complicated technical details, that scientists strive for when uncovering the laws of nature. Fortunately, these core ideas can often be illustrated with simple mathematical puzzles. These puzzles are so simple that one can tackle them and appreciate their meaning without using any complicated math. Prof. Cumrun Vafa (Harvard) will talk about his new book, Puzzles to Unravel the Universe, which aims to take the reader on a journey to unravel the laws of the universe through fun puzzles. It includes over a hundred puzzles and their solutions, along with discussion on how they relate to deep ideas in physics and math. Examples are drawn from classical physics, such as Newton's laws and Einstein's theory of relativity, as well as from modern physics, including black holes and string theory. This book is designed for the general public, and it does not require extensive background in mathematics or physics--just a sense of curiosity! Online Lecture Tuesday, October 6 @ 5:00pm REGISTER HERE<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…> [Twitter]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…> This lecture is free and open to the public. View previously recorded lectures<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…> or the schedule of future talks<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us9.list-2Dman…>. For more information and to be notified about future events, please contact: science_lectures(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:science_lectures@fas.harvard.edu>.

3 years, 4 months

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Office hours during break

by Morin, David

I hope you’re all settling into a nice relaxing break and catching up on sleep. I’ll be having office hours now and then over break. The schedule is located here: https://scholar.harvard.edu/david-morin/office-hours I’ve switched back to Zoom for now. The link is: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/95258793192?pwd=cEViNis1d1ozNDk3MmdpWjRyOVY1QT09<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.zoom.us_j_9525…> Password if needed: morinOH Stay tuned for an email about summer funding in the next couple days…

3 years, 4 months

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Office hours today, and lunchtime meetup

by Jacob Barandes

Hi students, Hope you're all doing okay. Just a reminder that I'll be holding my Tuesday-Friday 10-noon office hours as usual this week (including today). Feel free to drop by. I'll also be hosting our lunchtime meetups again – noon EST each day. Everything will be at: https://gather.town/app/lov6zNRGvKgTvRjl/universityquad Password: HarvardPhysics Best wishes, Jacob

3 years, 4 months

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summer research, REUs

by Morin, David

For those of you who are planning to do research this summer, this email contains important information, as does the physics summer-research webpage: https://www.physics.harvard.edu/undergrad/summer At the moment, there is no way to know what the summer will look like – in person or remote. And there is also no way to know when things will be known. So just contact professors and apply to various programs as you would do in a normal summer, and then we’ll see what happens. You can do research either with a Harvard professor, or in a program somewhere else. For the latter case, there are a zillion REU opportunities listed at: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp And others are listed on the above summer webpage. In you want to do research with a Harvard prof, your main task is to find an advisor by searching the faculty webpage: https://www.physics.harvard.edu/people/faculty and sending out emails. (Feel free to look in related departments too.) Once you find a lab (let me know if you have any trouble with this), the funding is guaranteed to work out, with the following caveat: Assuming that the usual number of students apply for Physics Dept funding (pieced together with HCRP and faculty funding), we'll been able to give awards of about $4200 (total from all sources). In the event that the number of students increases significantly, the amount will probably be more like $4000. The standard time span is 10 weeks of full-time work (don't try to add on a summer course). If you are planning on heading to grad school, my personal recommendation is to do at least one summer of research with a Harvard prof, and then a second summer either here or elsewhere (in either order). Variety can be nice - it's good to see some other places in the country/world. For the summer you spend with a Harvard prof, try to bookend it with at least one semester of research, so that you have a longer total time in the lab. You should strongly consider applying for PRISE (for research here) and for the Herchel Smith fellowship (for here or elsewhere). See the above summer webpage. These deadlines are early. If you get one of these, then there is no need to apply to Physics or HCRP. Because of this, the Physics application purposely won’t be available until early March. I’ll send out a link to a google form then. If you're a first-year who is going to be a Physics or Chem/Phys concentrator, then you're certainly eligible for Physics Dept funding (item #3 on the above summer webpage). Let me know if you have any questions. Office hour schedule: https://scholar.harvard.edu/david-morin/office-hours Zoom link: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/95258793192?pwd=cEViNis1d1ozNDk3MmdpWjRyOVY1QT09<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.zoom.us_j_9525…> Password if needed: morinOH DJM

3 years, 4 months

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Gather lunch today at noon

by Jacob Barandes

Hi students, Just a reminder about our daily lunchtime meet-up at noon EST on Gather. Feel free to stop by for conversation and games. https://gather.town/mapmaker/lov6zNRGvKgTvRjl/universityquad Password: HarvardPhysics Jacob

3 years, 4 months

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Office hours reminder

by Jacob Barandes

Dear students, Just a reminder that I'll continue to have office hours 10am–noon on Tuesdays and Fridays going forward. I'll be holding them on Gather rather than on Zoom: https://gather.town/app/lov6zNRGvKgTvRjl/universityquad Password: HarvardPhysics If you'd like to chat during those times, please drop by my "office," which is right near the entrance as you first enter the Commons. If someone is already speaking with me, please wait just outside. Best wishes, Jacob

3 years, 5 months

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sps-list December 2020