Soft Matter Physics (435-0-1)

Instructors

John Marko
847/467-1276
Pancoe 4109 / Tech F319

Meeting Info

Technological Institute L158: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

A graduate-level class that will, time permitting, teach the physics of soft materials, including diffusion and hydrodynamics, colloidal liquids and solids, polymer statistical mechanics, networks and gels, liquid crystals, membranes, phase transitions, phase transitions and domain-growth kinetics, and active materials. Throughout the course applications of concepts to problems in cell and molecular biology will be discussed. Theoretical tools that will be developed and used will include scaling methods, statistical field theory, and Langevin ODEs/PDEs.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisites:
Physics 416 - Graduate Statistical Mechanics or equivalent

Evaluation Method

Four or five problem sets, focused on building analytical calculation skills

Class Materials (Required)

None required.

Papers from the current research literature will be discussed and students will be expected to read them.

Class Materials (Suggested)

"Principles of condensed matter physics" ISBN-13: 978-0521794503
by Chaikin and Lubensky is recommended but not required.

Any edition is fine.