Rahul Nandkishore
Ever wonder why birds flock together? Or how molecules are organized in water compared to ice? Or if there are phases of matter besides the familiar solid, liquid and gas? These examples of emergent phenomena are found in everyday life, and they form the basis of a large subfield in physics called condensed matter physics.
Condensed matter is by some measures the largest subfield of physics, but it is not well-known outside of physics. Associate Professor Rahul Nandkishore remarked 鈥渨hen people think of physics, they think of string theory or large colliders, but there are large and fascinating areas of physics that are completely unknown to the public.鈥� Nandkishore found himself eager to popularize the field and share what makes condensed matter so fascinating.
To make the subject more accessible, Nandkishore recently developed a Coursera course, 鈥�.鈥� The course communicates the compelling nature of condensed matter physics at a level intended for the public. In the course, Nandkishore presents topics including emergent phenomena, phases of matter, symmetries, energy and entropy, and he demonstrates where these concepts show up in everyday life.听
Designed for the layperson, the course does not assume any prior knowledge of calculus or quantum mechanics. Nandkishore hopes people participate in the course at whatever level is comfortable for them. Ready to learn more about the study of complexity in systems? Join听!