The course starts with two introductory sessions, with lectures given by Professor Csabai in the various topics of modern computational physics. These two sessions are followed by 8 weeks of interactive "task sessions", where you will be expected to work on specific computational tasks in groups and briefly present your results. The language of the course is English, but within-group discussions can be held in any language. At the end of the semester, each group will choose their favourite topic and present it in more detail. Grading during the semester will be based on both group work and individual performance.
At the start of the semester you're placed into a group of four. Groups are assigned randomly, and stay fixed for the whole semester.
Each group is assigned to Track A or Track B. Only one track meets in a given week, so you attend every second week during the interactive task sessions.
A short background document will be handed out before each task. It won't reveal the specific task or the code you'll be working on, only the concepts you'll need.
Before each session, a short background reading is provided, containing physics/math concepts, key equations, and a textbook reference where relevant. Reading it is optional but recommended, as it makes the working time more productive.
Each group picks the task it found most interesting or successful during the semester, and develops it further at home. The results are presented in more depth (15 minutes), and every group member is expected to take an active role: you may be asked to explain any part of the work, not just the part you personally worked on.
| Weeks | What to expect |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Introductory sessions. You will be introduced to the course format, the tools you can use, and you'll be assigned to a group and a track (A or B) by week 2 (when sign-up to courses are officially closed). Additionally, Professor Csabai will give an overview of modern computational physics. |
| 3-10 | Task sessions. Only one track (A or B) meets each week, so each student attends every second week. You'll work on specific computational problems in groups and present and discuss your results. |
| 11-13 | Final project presentations. All students will attend and watch the presentations of each group based on their favourite task of the semester. |
Class calendar
Classes are held on Wednesdays, 2-4pm
Semester ends December 9.
| Component | What it reflects | Number of grades | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group grade for task solution | Quality of your group's answer, assigned to each group member uniformly. Awarded for each task. | 4 | 6.25% |
| Presentation performance | How well you present your group's result, on the one occasion you're the presenter. Awarded to the individual member. | 1 | 25% |
| Question-asking performance | Quality of the questions you ask another group, on the one occasion you're the questioner. Awarded to the individual member. | 1 | 25% |
| Final project presentation | Depth and quality of your group's extended project, and your individual contribution to it, assigned to each group member individually, based on their perceived contribution and preformance. It is your own and your group's responsibility to make sure that each member is represented equally during the final project presentation. | 1 | 25% |
Task, presentation, question, and final project grades are recorded in a shared spreadsheet as the semester progresses.
Over the semester, groups work through a range of computational physics tasks, covering areas: