Physics

This course introduces students to astrophysical and cosmological concepts. Planets, stars, and galaxies will be covered in the course together with the tools that astronomers, astrophysicists, and cosmologists use to explore them. 

Solid State Physics is a discipline that studies the structure of solids, the interaction of constituent particles and the laws of motion. It is an important part of physics research and a basic course for many disciplines.

Through the study of this course, master the basic theory of solid state physics and understand the basic physical phenomena in solid state.

This course emphasizes hands-on laboratory experience and teaches students research background, relevant theories, and basic laboratory techniques relevant to their field of study. Students formulate a research plan, implement it by conducting experiment-based research, and convey the results in scholarly presentations. Students submit a written research report at the end of the course.

This course provides research training for students through the experience of belonging to a specific laboratory at the University of Tokyo. Students carry out an original research project under the guidance of assigned faculty members. Through a full-time commitment, students will be able to improve their research skills by applying the basic principles and knowledge from the literature related to the research questions, and by developing the skills to collect, interpret, and critique data in order to resolve a research question or evaluate a design for a research project. At the conclusion of the program, students submit their final work (paper, presentation, report etc.) as instructed by their lab supervisors

This course discusses similarities of concepts and methods in finance and physics in order to enhance cross-fertilization of these fields. The course contains portfolio theory and constrained optimization, relations between stochastic differential equations, regression models, time series and forecasting. Bubbles, crashes, and path integrals in physics and finance is also part of the course.

In this course students acquire a broad knowledge base and develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Students actively participate in seminars, read assigned texts and research papers, and analyze research data. Students also discuss results obtained in their own experiments with peers and senior laboratory members.

This course offers a study of fluid dynamics with an emphasis on acoustics. Topics include: fundamentals of fluid mechanics; linear acoustic equations; traveling waves; reflection and transmission of plane waves; resonators, cavities, and waveguides; radiation; dispersion and diffraction; absorption and attenuation; measurement of acoustic parameters.

The course introduces perturbative quantum field theory and some of its applications in modern physics. Main topics include relativistic quantum mechanics, bosonic and fermionic fields, interactions in perturbation theory, Feynman diagram methods, scattering processes and particle decay, and elementary processes in quantum electrodynamics (QED).

The third course of the introductory physics series (Introduction to Physical Science, Classical Physics), this course is designed to study modern physics developed in the 20th century. The course covers special relativity and quantum physics.

Until the recent past, science and food were a combination to be encountered mainly in the food industry. Today, things are changing and we are witnessing a great deal of emerging new scientific ideas about how we (humans) relate to food: neuroscientists trying to understand how our brain creates flavors; physicists attempting to manipulate textures; talented haute-cuisine chefs aiming at creating startling multi-sensorial experiences.

Despite the scientific complexities, cooking is a simple endeavor that can be carried out by anyone. You can open a recipe book, get the ingredients and follow the instructions: a method that is easy to follow, but certainly not the whole story towards culinary success.

Every time you follow a recipe and prepare your favorite food, you are, in effect, performing a scientific experiment. You put matter together, modify the initial structure (for example, texture, flavor, etc.) by means of physical and chemical processes, and evaluate (by eating) the result of the experiment, possibly trying to understand what modifications can improve the result. The "experiment" can be a success or a failure, but understanding the science can increase the chances of success. Viewed like this, the kitchen becomes a science laboratory and cooking an experimental science.

This course embarks on a study of food and science (physics in particular) that is both entertaining and useful. The course explores the new dimension that opens up when the two areas fuse and how this combination can be used to boost creativity as well as critical thinking.

Part 1 of the course (Spring semester) focuses on basic notions such as the properties of food molecules (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and basic science processes. Part 2 of the course (Fall semester) focuses on more advanced application like gels, emulsions, foams, fermentation, and baking.