Blog Series: Physics
This article, the fourth in ASSETT’s blog series, brings you three blogs. One is written by a professional particle physicist, another by an Associate Professor whose focus lies in nanoscale physics and condensed matter. A third is written by a professor at USC, who offers a more personal look into the life of a physicist, while also discussing physics theory.
These blogs illustrate how a physics education can translate to the real world. While often drawing on research that only advanced physicists can understand, the blogs can also help to explain how physics affects the daily world.
They can help teachers by providing an example of a modern-day application of a physics education, and can help students by connecting the idea of being a physicist with the personal experiences of three people who are living out that life.
QUANTUM DIARIES SURVIVOR: http://www.scientificblogging.com/quantum_diaries_survivor
Tommaso Dorigo’s About Me states: “I am an experimental particle physicist working with the CMS experiment at CERN and the CDF experiment at Fermilab. In my spare time I play chess, abuse the piano, and aim my dobson telescope at faint galaxies.”
The CMS, or Compant Muon Solenoid experiment, is one involving upwards of 2,000 researchers from more than 150 institutions and 30 countries. The CDF, or Collider Detector at Fermilab, is the world’s highest energy particle accelerator. The goal of the CDF experiment is to discover the identity and properties of the particles that make up the universe.
Dorigo often discusses his and others’ research, which means that often, posts are filled with technical jargon that might not make sense to physics outsiders. Nevertheless, most posts are in-depth and thoughtful discussions and provide a glimpse into a professional researcher’s day-to-day.
One of his most recent posts is a discussion on a research paper’s all-or-nothing aim at trying to replicate an “incredibly striking” event. Dorigo says that this event’s probability of occurring has been determined at less than one in a million. Using a chart to explain the event researchers are trying to reproduce, Dorigo has suggestions for how the research could have achieved better results.
Two other recent blog posts discuss probability and its use in the everyday world, and his recent election to the CMS Statistics Committee. The blog is often updated 2-3 times a week.
NANOSCALE VIEWS: http://nanoscale.blogspot.com/
Associate professor Doug Natelson writes his blog from Rice University. Teacher of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as Physics, Natelson blogs about what interests him most: condensed matter and nanoscale physics. Because, he says, “Why should the high energy and astro folks have all the fun?” Good question.
Writing from a personal perspective, Natelson covers everything from research papers, to research philosophies to curve fitting.
Recent posts include a simple explanation of what research the recent Nobel in Physics award winner completed to win the award. Natelson discusses how even though the research focused more on engineering with physics principles, instead of ‘pure’ physics, it is still a valid win.
Another post discusses first principals and toy models, and asks which is better to use when trying to understand the concept of electronic conduction at the atomic scale. A post on curve fitting quickly covers research that Cornell graduates are engaging in.
Natelson’s blog posts are readable, interesting, and relevant to physics today. They are often short snippets and thoughts as opposed to ones with longer analysis. The blog is updated one to two times per week.
ASYMPTOTIA: http://asymptotia.com/
A professor at the University of Southern California writes this blog. The blogger, Clifford Johnson, states he mainly works on “(super)string theory, gravity, gauge theory and M-theory,” which leads him into thoughts on “space-time, quantum mechanics, black holes, the big bang, extra dimensions, quarks, gluons, and so forth.”
Despite the high caliber academic jargon, Johnson’s blog is often more about the lifestyle of academia and teaching than it is about the research behind it. Johnson separates his blog posts into four basic categories:
Tales from the industry: In these posts, Johnson discusses the intersection of science and the entertainment industry, and his aim at getting more good science into the mainstream media. Blog posts here can cover topics like his role in a History Channel special where he works to explain anti matter, and his concerns and reactions to a subsequent taping of a special covering parallel universes.
Scenes: storm in a teacup: These posts are about string theory and related topics, and the ensuing arguments, debates and wisdom that often follow in the comments under a blog post. Johnson unpacks several papers and arguments that researchers have written on string theory, from the sensationalist to the pragmatic.
News from the front: This category includes posts on research activities. Johnson says on his blog that these posts are not the norm, but the “occasional.” In one post, Johnson discusses his issue with the word “fundamental” which in his view is “usually used as a weapon” by many in high energy particle physicists and which is “allied to a great deal of arrogance and misplaced swagger” and “is often just plain short-sighted.” What follows is a thoughtful discussion on why this attitude can hurt the study of physics.
Notes from the day: This is category of posts where Johnson discusses his day to day, his research, and how “we (theoretical physicists) sometimes think about things…” One of his posts includes the recent revamp of USC’s website, and some videos he appears in on the new page.
Told from a personal, rather than professor or research, perspective, this blog is more about the day-to-day reactions of a physicist to the world around him. This blog is updated 3 to 4 times a week.
A Connection Between Class and the ‘Real World’
These blogs can give students and researchers a look into 3 very different experiences within physics. These blogs offer a connection between the classroom and the real world, and may even inspire students to become what these bloggers already are: professional physicists.
If you’re interested in these blogs, subscribe to their RSS feed. If you were looking for something different, take a look at their blogrolls, and see who they recommend you should be reading.
Written By: Kate Vander Wiede, CU ‘09, ASSETT Staff