Currently I teach: Ph461/561 and Ph505, senior year undergraduate and graduate ‘Math Methods’ (Fall); Ph481, the senior year undergraduate ‘Physical Optics’ (Winter); and Ph585, graduate ‘Atomic and Molecular Optical Physics’ (Spring).

Previously I taught the first-year graduate quantum mechanics sequence, consisting of three courses.
The first term. Fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics. Kets, bras, operators. Measurements, observables, uncertainty relations. Wave functions in position and momentum space. Schroedinger's equation. The Schroedinger and Heisenberg pictures. Simple harmonic oscillator. One-dimensional quantum systems.
The second term. Particles in spherically symmetric potential. Spin angular momentum. Addition of angular momenta. Time-independent perturbation theory.
The third, last, term. Stationary and time-dependent perturbation theory and its applications. Interactions of particles with electromagnetic fields. Identical particles.
( Spring 2006 – faculty release )


An outline of teaching approach

My main teaching principle is that learning should take place in the atmosphere of mutual respect, and it must be challenging and fun.

In my opinion, teaching and learning process is most efficient if the communication between the instructor and the students is effective, and the constant feedback from the students is obtained. An integral part of my quantum mechanics courses (which are intended for senior undergraduate and first year graduate students) are worksheets designed for in-class work (3-5 minutes), amounting to 10% of the final grade. At every lecture, during presentation of new material or after considering physical examples, the students are asked to answer one or more questions, which either involve deriving intermediate steps in a calculation or probe understanding of the physical meaning of the topic discussed in the lecture. These worksheets are graded and returned to the students at the next lecture. This type of feedback allows me to check the effectiveness of my presentation of the material to this particular group of students, and also helps the students check their understanding of the material. In addition, active in-class work promotes students' attentiveness during the lecture and provides them with an effective training in fast problem-solving.

To stimulate the students with skill levels above the class average, I introduce bonus problems in the homework and worksheets as well as pose 'brain teasers' during the lecture. Bonus problems are more difficult; they are not compulsory and are for extra credit.

I also believe that it is important to show to students the connection between the material studied in class and modern research. Therefore, several homework problem sets contain assignments in which the students are asked to read a certain paper (usually, Physical Review Letters, Nature or Science) and answer a number of questions, including calculations of various parameters (discussed in the class) based on the results of the paper.

My classes are dynamical and challenging. Motivation and hard work are encouraged, appreciated and rewarded.