Sobre nosotros
This is a group for anyone who has ever rigorously studied physics – or has wanted to. Here's why you'd want to join us:
- If you feel like physics is the most interesting and most difficult subject that there is;
- If you're burning with a desire to deeply understand the universe at its smallest and largest scales;
- And if you thrive in an environment of learning through collaboration with people like yourself...
... then you've found the right place!
Join us to participate in lively discussions and learn core material in serious study groups. We offer multiple tracks of study, regularly host special events and talks, and are constantly tweaking the meetup to make it more useful. We also stay in touch between meetings to motivate and help each other continue learning.
Everyone is welcome from every level of experience! Many of us are (re)discovering physics after college (sometimes long after) and it can be easy to feel rusty or underqualified. Don't fall into that false narrative! If you think some of the material in this meetup is too advanced, we want you to join us so that we can help you learn!
Eventos próximos
268
Quantum Gravity Explorations
·En líneaEn líneaOverview
This is a collaborative study group dedicated to understanding the foundations, motivations, and current landscape of quantum gravity research. Our goal is breadth over depth: rather than mastering every technical detail, we aim to build a clear conceptual picture of why quantum gravity is challenging, what the major approaches attempt to do, and how they compare.Nevertheless, developing a coherent understanding of quantum gravity does require engaging with the mathematics. We will work through explicit equations and derivations to understand how gravitational dynamics emerge, how quantum consistency constrains theories, and why certain results are unavoidable rather than assumed.
Participants should have a basic familiarity with the principles of quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, and general relativity, and be comfortable with the Lagrangian formalism of physical theories.
What to expect
- We assign readings, lectures to watch, and curated exercises prior to each meeting, which will be announced below.
- During the meetings, one or more of the volunteers will walk through the assigned materials and moderate the discussion.
- Additional discussion between meetings will take place on our chat server, where we can exchange solutions, notes, interesting and relevant articles, etc. Notes and solutions may also be hosted in our Github repository.
What this group is NOT
- Not a popular science or sci-fi discussion group.
- Not a high-pressure, exercise-heavy bootcamp.
- Not a forum to strongly endorse or air grievances against any one approach to quantum gravity .
For casual physics chat or general discussion, please see our other Meetup groups.
Community & Continuity
We maintain a live chat server for continuing discussions between meetups, and a link can be provided upon request if you’d like to join. This even is part of the broader Physics With Friends community, which hosts multiple collaborative study tracks across physics and mathematics.Materials & Assignments
For the next several meetings, we will be going through Barton Zwiebach’s A First Course in String Theory, 2nd Ed. (Amazon link).- Read Ch. 4 of Zwiebach, and work through problems 4.1, 4.4, and 4.5.
- Read sections 1.1 and 1.2 of Tong's notes (link)
13 asistentes
Weekly Open Self-Study & Office Hours for Previous Attendees
·En líneaEn líneaThis is a weekly Zoom meeting (see below for link) for anyone who's already attended our previous meetups to have (mostly-)quiet self-study time on any topic in physics or math. The goal is to recreate the feeling of being in the same study room together, just like in college. So leave your camera on! You may come and go at any time during study hours.
Unlike our other events, this is not a facilitated or structured event and there is no specific topic of study. Sometimes people may decide to work on the same topic together, and other times everyone will be reading or solving problems on their own.
Although this is primarily a quiet study session, talking is allowed as long as it's on the topic(s) of study and with the purpose of asking a question or helping someone. Otherwise, please be courteous and respectful of other people by leaving your microphone off.
This event complements our other meetups, which are subject-specific, structured learning environments.
If you are new to Physics With Friends, before coming to this quiet self-study event we ask that you please come to one of our other meetups first so that we can get to know one another.
*** ZOOM LINK ***
The Zoom meeting URL is a pinned message in the #study-buddies channel. If you don't know what this means, it's because we haven't met you yet. Please come to one of our meetups and we'll help you get set up.1 asistente
Differential Geometry, Ch. 2 Gaussian Curvature
·En líneaEn líneaNote date change: Apr 28 -> Apr 21
### Can a Surface Detect Its Own Curvature?
What if you were confined to a surface—with no outside view—could you still tell if it’s curved?
We’re studying Visual Differential Geometry and Forms — Tristan Needham, focusing on intuition first, formulas second.
Last meeting: curved geometries, spherical vs. hyperbolic space, angular excess, and geodesics as “straight” and “short.”
This meeting: Gaussian curvature—how a surface detects its own curvature using only internal geometry—completing Act I.
### What to Expect
• Calculus required
• Reading Chapter 2 encouraged
• Reviewing problems is helpful
• Discussion-based (not a lecture)### Why It Matters
Curvature underlies:
• General relativity
• Gauge theory
• Machine learning & data geometry### Important
Discussion will stay focused on the agenda.
For casual physics conversation, see other group meetings.### Optional References
Weeks • Baez & Muniain • Greenberg • Isham
### More in Physics With Friends
This event is one of many collaborative study tracks in our Physics With Friends community.
Explore other topics and join additional study groups here:
https://www.meetup.com/physicswithfriends/events/
Join anytime — come prepared to think.16 asistentes
Math Methods for Physics
·En líneaEn líneaThis weekly study track explores the mathematical tools that can be applied to physics problems. The main text for this study track is Zee's Group Theory in a Nutshell for Physicists (previously Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences by Mary L. Boas). Each week, we pick some book material to cover and/or problems to solve and discuss.
These meetings are primarily question-driven, meaning that we seek to answer each other's questions about problems/topics that we have already given some effort to understand. When we cover new material from the book, at least one volunteer will give a quick summary of that material at the beginning of the meeting before we dive into individual questions. When we solve problems, individuals will present any blockers they had so that the group can help unblock them.
If you have just found this event and don't think you are caught up in material, feel free to still drop in a shadow! Everyone is welcome.
We also maintain a live chat server for staying in touch between meetups. Ask us for a link.
This event is one of the many other collaborative study tracks in our Physics With Friends community. Check out all of our other events to find additional physics topics that you might want to study together!
Please note that the Math Methods in Physics meetup series is a highly mathematical meetup for everyone who is serious about learning the advanced branches of math and physics that one needs to master in order to deeply understand the tools used in solving real problems. It is not a general discussion group for popular physics topics or sci-fi tangents. For casual physics chat, please attend our regular "Discuss Physics and Make Friends" event, held every third Wednesday of the month.
3 asistentes
Eventos pasados
1138
