- #1
CAF123
Gold Member
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I've just graduated with a Masters and am starting my PhD in September in LHC collider phenomenology (in another institute). My Masters consisted of a final year dissertation and introductory to more advanced courses in quantum field theory, statistical physics and symmetries of space time. Usually I would spend the summer doing research with a supervisor but I have now graduated from my uni so I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions about the best and most productive way to spend the summer? Here are a few of my ideas and any comments would be valued:
1) Go through some more books on QFT/advanced QFT and read through the subject and do the problems from a different author/outlook just to deepen my knowledge of the subject, more practice etc... (i.e the latter half of Peskin and Schroder or something). Any suggestions of better books would also be appreciated.
2) Since my PhD project is in the field of perturbative QCD, I was thinking of finding a good book introducing the foundations of this subject which would still be accessible to someone having just done two semesters of quantum field theory (one semester, the canonical formalism, the second semester, the path integral approach)
3) Since a PhD can involve teaching duties, I also thought about refreshing my knowledge about some of the most basic things that perhaps I may have lost touch with - e.g go through an advanced mechanics text, em, qm etc.. just so I am on top of my game with this stuff when it comes to potentially tutoring it at UG level. I would probably do this in addition to 1) or 2) rather than exclusively.
4) Contact the institute where I will do my PhD and ask them - I thought about this but then again I didn't want to come across as too enthusiastic/nerdy etc.. maybe I am just overthinking but thought I'd ask what your opinions are here first.
Thanks for recommending any of the above or any other ideas!
1) Go through some more books on QFT/advanced QFT and read through the subject and do the problems from a different author/outlook just to deepen my knowledge of the subject, more practice etc... (i.e the latter half of Peskin and Schroder or something). Any suggestions of better books would also be appreciated.
2) Since my PhD project is in the field of perturbative QCD, I was thinking of finding a good book introducing the foundations of this subject which would still be accessible to someone having just done two semesters of quantum field theory (one semester, the canonical formalism, the second semester, the path integral approach)
3) Since a PhD can involve teaching duties, I also thought about refreshing my knowledge about some of the most basic things that perhaps I may have lost touch with - e.g go through an advanced mechanics text, em, qm etc.. just so I am on top of my game with this stuff when it comes to potentially tutoring it at UG level. I would probably do this in addition to 1) or 2) rather than exclusively.
4) Contact the institute where I will do my PhD and ask them - I thought about this but then again I didn't want to come across as too enthusiastic/nerdy etc.. maybe I am just overthinking but thought I'd ask what your opinions are here first.
Thanks for recommending any of the above or any other ideas!