Professor Gurarie’s research is focused on studying the emergent properties of the interacting quantum many body systems. These can be electrons in solids or cold atomic gases. Of particular interest are many body systems which form topological states of matter, the states whose collective excitations behave like particles which are fundamentally different from the underlying electrons or atoms. Other interesting states under investigation are interacting topological insulators, the states created in cold atomic gases by the artificial gauge fields, quantum gases in low dimensions and out of equilibrium. Mathematical aspects of the theory of these phenomena are also studied.
keywords
condensed matter physics, theoretical and mathematical physics, quantum many body theory, physics of cold atoms
PHYS 1010 - Physics of Everyday Life 1
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019
Intended primarily for nonscientists, this course covers physics encountered in everyday life. Topics include balls, scales, balloons, stoves, insulation, light bulbs, clocks, nuclear weapons, basics of flashlights, and microwave ovens. Department enforced prereq., high school algebra or equivalent. This course should not be taken if the student has a MAPS deficiency in math.
PHYS 1110 - General Physics 1
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022
First semester of three-semester sequence for science and engineering students. Covers kinematics, dynamics, momentum of particles and rigid bodies, work and energy, gravitation, and simple harmonic motion. Degree credit not granted for this course and PHYS 1115.
PHYS 3210 - Classical Mechanics and Mathematical Methods 2
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2024
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian treatment of theoretical mechanics, including coupled oscillations, waves in continuous media, central force motion, rigid body motion and fluid dynamics. The calculus of variations, linear algebra, tensor algebra, vector calculus, and partial differential equations will be introduced in the context of the mechanics.
PHYS 5210 - Theoretical Mechanics
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020 / Fall 2021
Variational principles, Lagrange's equations, Hamilton's equations, motion of rigid body, relativistic mechanics, transformation theory, continuum mechanics, small oscillations, Hamilton-Jacobi theory.
PHYS 5250 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics 1
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023
Quantum phenomena, Ehrenfest theorem and relation to classical physics, applications to one-dimensional problems, operator techniques, angular momentum and its representations, bound states and hydrogen atom, and Stern-Gerlack experiment and spin and spinor wave function. Department enforced prerequisite: advanced undergraduate quantum mechanics course.
PHYS 7230 - Statistical Mechanics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024
Classical and quantum statistical theory, including study of both equilibrium and nonequilibrium systems. Topics covered include kinetic theory, degenerate gases, macrocanonical and grand canonical ensembles, and irreversible processes. Department enforced prerequisite: advanced undergraduate quantum mechanics course.
PHYS 7250 - Quantum Many Body Theory
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Spring 2022
Theory of quantum many body systems, including methods based on Green's functions, Feynman diagrams, and coherent state path integral with applications to interacting quantum gases, superconductivity and superfluidity, quantum phase transitions, quantum magnetism, quantum motion in the presence of disorder, and topological states of matter.
PHYS 7280 - Advanced Quantum Theory
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Spring 2023
Quantum theory of fields, elementary particles, symmetry laws, and topics of special interest. Recommended prerequisite: PHYS 7270 or instructor consent required.
PHYS 7440 - Theory of the Solid State
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2021
Stresses application to the solid state of physical concepts basic to much of modern physics, single-particle approximation, and the energy-band description of electron states in solids, pseudopotential theory applied to ordered and disordered systems, dynamical behavior of electrons in solids, lattice dynamics, Hartree-Fock and random-phase approximation in solids, many-body aspects of magnetism, and superconductivity.
