Starting a Phd in particle physics any advice?

[matt_crouch]

Hi

I wil be starting a PhD in particle/accelerator physics in September it's titled " beam dynamics and beam beam effects for Hilumi LHc and LHeC"
Has anyone got any advice for me? It's a fully funded Phd at Manchester university Uk, but it's mainly based at the cockcroft institute. I'm excited but neverous to start, although I have just finished my MPhys which included particle physics I have never done any accelerator physics.

Ye just any advice would be greatly appreciated, either academic or personal

Cheers

 

[ZapperZ]

Unless you have a different way of naming things over there, it appears that you will be doing accelerator physics, not particle physics. This is not a bad thing, because your expertise and employability when you graduate are not tightly dependent on the state of funding in night energy physics.

And that is my advice, I.e to make sure you broaden your area to include the study of various beam dynamics, which is where it looks like you are going. Also, see if you can enroll in one of the particle accelerator schools that are offered at various places in Europe.

Zz.

 

[matt_crouch]

Accelerator physics textbooks

Also one more question can anyone recommend any good textbooks for accelerator physics that they recommend

 

[ZapperZ]

Most people that I know who have gone through a particle accelerator school will have used the classic Wangler's text "RF Linear Accelerator". I have a copy and I use it as a reference often.

Zz.