This page lists all Units I
have taught or am teaching now. Access to the complete page is
now restricted to University of Bath users.
This teaching is regularly evaluated
and assessed, by peers and by the students.
In 2003, I completed the
(long and comprehensive) University of Baths Initial
Professional Development Programme, accredited by the Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher
Education (UK).
These units are:
|
Electronics and Data
Analysis |
Year 1 undergraduates |
|
|
Laboratory and
Information Skills 1A (PC Lab) |
Year 1 undergraduates |
|
|
Laboratory and
Information Skills 1B (PC Lab) |
Year 1 undergraduates |
|
|
Building Blocks
of the Universe |
Year 2 undergraduates |
|
|
NS/M&P lab |
Laboratory for
Natural Sciences and Maths & Physics |
Year 1+2 undergraduates |
|
XX30172 |
State of the
Planet |
Final Year undergraduates |
|
Final-Year
Project A |
Final Year undergraduates |
|
|
Final-Year
Project B |
Final Year undergraduates |
|
EG20102 |
Practice of
Science |
Year 2 undergraduates |
PH30024
|
Contemporary
Physics |
Final Year undergraduates |
|
XX50124 |
Environmental
Acoustics |
Final Year undergraduates |
|
MS3231 |
Marine
Surveying (University of Cardiff) |
Final Year
undergraduates |
(units in italics are not
taught anymore)
6 credits, 1st-year undergraduates in Physics
The aim of this unit is to provide
a preparation for work in the undergraduate physics laboratory by discussing dimensions
and units, developing an understanding of basic concepts in ac and dc electric
circuits, and introducing basic ideas of probability and statistics relevant to
the understanding and interpretation of experimental data.
After taking this unit, the student should be able to:
-
[
]
-
write down expressions for the fundamental probability
distributions and apply them appropriately;
-
evaluate the standard error on a mean of experimental
measurements;
-
apply least-squares fitting to experimental data;
-
apply the propagation of errors formula.
6 credits, 1st-year undergraduates in Physics
The primary aims of this unit are to give the
student confidence and competence in basic laboratory and information processing
skills, and to introduce laboratory project work. A further aim is to reinforce
other course material through self-paced laboratory demonstrations. While
taking this unit the student should be able to:
* demonstrate the correct use of common laboratory equipment, such as
oscilloscopes, multimeter, digital timer/counters and optical detectors;
* correctly follow written instructions for setting up and carrying out
experimental demonstrations in various topics relating to level 1, semester 1
physics modules;
* use a scientific log book for recording details of experimental procedure,
experimental results and data analysis;
* plan, design and carry out a physics project consisting of a small-scale
experimental investigation in one of various topics relating to major areas of
physics;
* use computer software packages for word processing, spreadsheet and data
analysis to write a formal scientific project report.
6 credits, 1st-year undergraduates in Physics
The aim of this unit is to build on the basic
laboratory skills developed in PH10011, extending the scope of the
demonstrations and project work. Two additional aims are to introduce the use
of computer software to simulate electrical circuits, and to give students
experience of presenting their work in the form of a poster. While taking this
unit the student should be able to:
* build simple electronic circuits involving operational amplifiers;
* correctly follow written instructions for setting up and carrying out
experimental demonstrations in various topics related to level 1, semester 2
physics modules;
* plan, design and carry out a physics project consisting of a small-scale
experimental investigation in one of various topics relating to major areas of
physics, this project to be of a more challenging nature than that carried out
in PH10011;
* build an electronic circuit using basic logic components to perform a simple
task;
* design and make a poster based on the physics project, and present this at an
open poster presentation;
* use a computer software package (P-Spice) to simulate the operation of
passive networks and compare the results with the measured behaviour.
6 credits, 2nd-year undergraduates in Physics,
Maths & Physics and Natural Sciences
The aims of this unit are to give an overview
of our current picture of elementary particles and the forces between them, to
describe properties and reactions of atomic nuclei and to discuss how these
enable us to understand the origin of the Universe and the elements, stars and
galaxies within it. After taking this unit the student should be able to:
* describe the classification of fundamental particles and explain terms used
in their description;
* describe the characteristics of the fundamental forces, and quote and use
conservation laws to determine allowed particle reactions;
* apply decay laws to problems in particle and nuclear physics, and define and
perform simple calculations on cross section and centre of mass frame;
* discuss binding in nuclei and explain the energetics and mechanisms of
radioactive decay;
* describe the liquid drop and shell models of nuclei and use them to calculate
and interpret nuclear properties;
* describe the physical processes involved in fission and fusion reactions and
in stellar nucleosynthesis;
* give a qualitative description of the early stages of the Universe and the
condensation of particles, nuclei and atoms from the primeval fireball.
6 credits, final-year undergraduates in Physics (by groups
of 2 for each project).
The aims of this unit are to provide students with the
opportunity to investigate in depth some aspect or application of physics, to
develop experimental and/or computational skills complementary to those
developed in formal lecture courses, and to give students first-hand experience
of innovation and/or research. While taking this unit, the student should be
able to:
* demonstrate enthusiasm, industry and motivation in carrying out the project,
as well as good time management skills in allocating appropriate amounts of
time to the project;
* thoroughly research the background to the project using academic journals,
textbooks and computer-based resources;
* for an experimental project, demonstrate good practical skills in the
construction of apparatus and circuits and in data measurement and analysis;
* for a computational project, design, write and test computer programs to simulate
the physical system under study, and interpret the results from these programs;
* demonstrate some innovation and initiative, as well as a basic understanding
of the theory and background to the project;
* make a short oral presentation to the tutor at the end of the unit,
describing the background to the project and any results obtained to date.
6 credits, final-year undergraduates in Physics (by groups
of 2 for each project).
The
projects for 2001/2002 were: Acoustic backscattering on the seabed / Acoustic
response of fish shoals with commercial echosounders (in collaboration with Dr.
R. James)
The projects for 2002/2003 were: Acoustic backscattering on
the seabed / Dolphin echo-locating (in collaboration with Dr. P. Dobbins) /
Acoustics of the hurdy-gurdy (in collaboration with Dr. P. Dobbins)
The projects for 2003/2004 are: Acoustic backscattering on
the seabed / Dolphin echo-locating (in collaboration with Dr. P. Dobbins) /
Acoustics of the hurdy-gurdy (in collaboration with Dr. P. Dobbins)
6 credits, 2nd-year
undergraduates in Natural Sciences
The aims and objectives of this unit are to familiarise
the student with the organisation of science as a collective human enterprise,
laying some emphasis on areas associated particularly with scientific
communication, funding, and scientific ethics where there may be differences of
opinion and potential conflict. After taking the unit students should be able
to
* discuss the organisation of science as a collective human enterprise, making
reference to such aspects as scientific communication, funding, intellectual
property and professional, social and environmental responsibility;
* take a responsible part in a group project;
* play a responsible part in an oral presentation of the findings of a group
project;
* recognise the inherently mutable nature of the prevailing social paradigm;
* engage fairly with matters of controversy and formulate their own opinions.
The project for 2003/2004 is: Access to Underwater Sites in International Waters
Scientists vs. the Rest of the World? (group of 4 students)
6 credits, MSc Environmental
Sciences (2002/2003)
Course aims:
i.e. to give you sufficient
background information to comprehend the basis of a noise guideline or an item
of noise legislation.
This course does not consider: Noise reduction inside
buildings // Limits on noise exposure
6 credits, final-year
undergraduates in Physics, Maths & Physics, Natural Sciences and
Mathematics
The aim of this unit is to enable students to
find out about some of the most exciting developments in contemporary Physics
research. While taking this unit the student should be able to:
* demonstrate good time management skills in allocating appropriate amounts of
time for the planning, research and writing of reports;
* carry out literature searching methods for academic journals and
computer-based resources in order to research the topics studied;
* develop the ability to extract and assimilate relevant information from extensive
sources of information;
* develop structured report writing skills;
* write a concise report following each seminar, at a level understandable by a
final year undergraduate unfamiliar with the subject of the seminar;
* write a detailed technical report on one of the seminar subjects of the
student's choice, displaying an appropriate level of technical content, style
and structure.
The topics for 2002/2003
were: Astronomical Archaeology, Acoustic Scattering on the Seabed,
Semi-Conductor Lasers, Self-Organised Criticality
The topics for 2003/2004
were: Underwater Acoustics, Quantum Entanglement, Bose-Einstein Condensates,
Spintronics
The topics for 2004/2005
were: Bistatic Seabed Scattering, Quantum Entanglement, Bose-Einstein
Condensates, Photonic Fibres
Other courses taught have included:
Coastal
geology (MS3231) (Marine
Surveying part), final-year undergraduates (ca. 20 students), MSc Marine
Geology and Environmental Surveying, Department of Earth Sciences, University of
Cardiff, UK, 2000/2001 and 2002/2003 18
hours each year
Postgraduate
Research Seminars, Department of
Physics, University of Bath (30 students), 2002/2003 6 hours
Marine
Surveying (Sidescan sonar part),
final-year undergraduates (ca. 20 students), MSc, School of Ocean and Earth
Science, University of Southampton, UK, 1998/1999
Sidescan
Sonar Image Processing, Royal Navy
Hydrographers Course (ca. 30 students), Southampton Oceanography Centre, UK,
1995/1996, 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1998/1999
Planetary
Geophysics, Year 1 undergraduates
(ca. 3 x 30 students), University of Paris-XI Orsay, 1990/1991 and 1991/1992
Field
Geophysics, Year 2 undergraduates
(ca. 3 x 30 students), University of Paris-XI Orsay, 1991/1992
Computer
Sciences, Year 2 undergraduates (ca.
3 x 30 students), University of Paris-XI Orsay, 1990/1991 and 1991/1992
Mr. Chris Stedham (Acoustic
Scattering on the Seabed) (2002-2004)
Mr. James Adamson (Acoustic
Time Reversal in collaboration with Prof. V. Humphrey, Institute of Sound and
Vibration Research, Southampton, UK) (2001-
)
Ms. Julia Braun (Bistatic
Scattering on Seabed and Targets Comparison of models and experiments)
(2005- )
Ms. Claudia Wienberg,
University of Bremen, Germany Multibeam Bathymetry of the Weser Estuary, 2002
Mr. Daniel Aylen, Radstock
School, England 3-D image synthesis in support of acoustic experiments, 2003
Mr. Mario Cosci, University
of Pisa, Italy Bistatic Scattering Experiments and Modelling, 2003-2004
Aspirant
Philippe Bastard, Aspirant Antoine Belot, Ecole Navale (French Naval Academy)
High-frequency acoustic backscattering and small-object detection, 2004
Ms.
Maοtι Dupuis (ENS), Mr. Thomas Christen (INPG), France Stereo-photogrammetry
in support of acoustic experiments, 2005
Aspirant
Arnaud Le Bιguec, Aspirant Franηois-Eudes Laurent, Ecole Navale (French Naval
Academy) Bistatic sonar experiments, 2005
Page last updated: 21 September
2006