A few years ago, this cartoon appeared in New Yorker
magazine: (click to enlarge
caption)---------->
The hearts of string theorists soared when we saw the topic, but
fell when we realized that our work has apparently replaced ancient
Greek in the incomprehensibility stakes!
The situation for laypersons' understanding of string theory has
markedly improved, even since then, with airing of an excellent NOVA
documentary on TV and publication of many other popular science books,
articles, and so forth. (One entry point on the web is my recent University Lecture Series page [14
Oct 2005] .)
Arguably more relevant for physicists in our graduate programme,
however, is the following newer development.
Brand-new advances in teaching string theory
Barton Zwiebach, a dynamic and distinguished MIT physics professor,
has been successfully teaching a two-semester course in string theory
to fourth-year physics undergraduates for several years. He has
won both student-judged and faculty-judged teaching awards for this
course. Zwiebach developed the material into a very successful new
textbook: A First Course in
String Theory (Cambridge 2004) .
Zwiebach's text has won high praise from experts and learners
alike. His text requires as background a solid understanding of
third-year physics, specifically quantum mechanics and
electromagnetism. It is remarkably self-contained, and has a plethora
of experience-appropriate exercises. It is suitable for teaching
either fourth-year undergraduate or first-year graduate students, or
indeed any other physics graduate/researcher interested but previously
unable or uninclined to struggle into expert texts like Polchinski or
Green-Schwarz-Witten.
Last year I taught an introductory course on string theory, using
his brand-new book. The 2004-5 PHY2406F students really loved the
Zwiebach text. We had UofT students and Waterloo students enrolled,
and auditors who were Physicists, CITAzens, Mathematicians and even
some Engineers. Most attending were grad students, and there were also
postdocs, faculty, and even undergrads. (The intrepid can check out
my complete lecture notes
from last year here .)
Anyone in the UofT graduate programme who has heard of string
theory and is curious about it is warmly invited to take this
course. Come to the first organizational meeting to express your
interest, vote on assessment formats/weightings and office hours, and
check us out!
Related subjects
Quantum Field Theory (QFT) is a vast subject; at its core QFT is about
quantum, relativistic situations in which creation and destruction of
particles - field quanta - is possible and generally happens.
General Relativity (GR) is a classical theory of gravity, in which
coordinate transformations play an integral role alongside invariance
of the speed of light; a basic tenet is that equations in physics
should be in terms of tensors (scalars, vectors, spinors, etc.).
Both of these subjects are related to string theory. Arguably, QFT
is the more central and important. Hence, I think it sensible to
require QFT I (PHY2403F) as a prerequisite for this string theory
course. However, if you believe you have an equivalent qualification
from your prior studies, then please stop by to discuss it with me.
I also suggest GR I (PHY1483F) as very
helpful additional background.
Whom this course is intended for
String theory is now an integral part of modern high-energy
theoretical physics. Important ideas currently being investigated by
particle physicists and early universe cosmologists (theorists and
experimentalists) came out of string theory - most notably extra
dimensions, branes, and supersymmetry. This is part of the reason why
UofT now has a group of researchers working on string theory!
This 2005-6 PHY2406 course is intended for Masters students in
Physics and will build on a first-semester knowledge of Quantum Field
Theory. A knowledge of General Relativity will also be useful.
If you want to do a Ph.D. in string theory, you must take this
course. It will enable you to go and study on your own the more
advanced textbooks (e.g. Polchinski; see textbook info).
If your intended field of study is particle theory or
astrophysics, then you should come out of this course with useful
intuition about string theory to complement your QFT/GR
intuition. (Among other benefits, this will likely make you more
'marketable' if you aim to apply for postdocs after you finish your
PhD...)
I also hope to catch some intrepid condensed-matter theorists and
particle experimentalists, among others, in my stringy web .
Since this is a graduate course, you should expect to take some
initiative and to work for a good grade. While this course may not be
an easy ride for you, it will definitely be rewarding.
Final thoughts
Students who want to actually learn the material in this course
should enrol, i.e. take it for credit . A fundamental reason is
that UofT cannot afford to offer courses with low enrolments, even at
the graduate level. You enrolling helps keep this course
alive!
If you think you probably want to take this course, but are not
sure, then you are welcome - and invited to my office - to discuss it
with me. Click here for my coordinates .
Mathematics students unsure of the suitability of this course for
them should (a) take advice from Prof. Kentaro Hori (who is a
mathematical string theorist, familiar with the policies and practices
of both the UofT Physics and Math Departments), (b) look
through the recommended textbooks, especially
Zwiebach , and (c) try coming to the first few
lectures. These three sources of information should help you figure
out whether you can pass this course with appropriate effort.
Auditors are welcome, but will be expected to have the same
background as students taking the course for credit. That is, if they
want to ask questions in class.
I hope that the many people in our graduate programme
interested in string theory will be up to the challenge of
participating in this course along with me. Active student
participation will help determine how much material I can teach in the
one-semester (26-hour) timeframe.
. A fundamental reason is
that UofT cannot afford to offer courses with low enrolments, even at
the graduate level. You enrolling helps keep this course
alive!