EXPLORE IV | Winter 2023
Explore (EXPeriential Learning Opportunity through Research and Exchange) IV is an academic course for international student research collaboration. It is an innovative teaching initiative offered by the Goethe University (Germany), York University & University of Alberta (Canada) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA). Canadian students from York University must apply for participation - please check below! See also below for details on the registration for Goethe-University students!
Research topics:
Dark Stars, Dark Matter, Neutron Stars, Gravitational Waves, Cosmology, Cosmic Structure Formation, Quantum Gravity.
| Lecturer(s) |
Prof. Laura Sagunski
Prof. Jürgen Schaffner-Bielich
Prof. Saeed Rastgoo
Prof. Sean Tulin
Dr. Rahul Kannan
Prof. Mark Vogelsberger
|
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Format | Online via Zoom |
| Schedule |
Tuesday & Thursday, see Calender, Online on Zoom |
| Credit Points | See OLAT (Link to Olat) |
Course organisation
-
Application: Canadian students from York University must apply for participation by submitting a cover letter stating their interest, your CV and a transcript (unofficial copy) (Deadline tba). If you have further questions, please contact Sean Tulin (stulin@yorku.ca).
Canadian students from the University of Alberta also need to submit an application including their motivational letter, their CV as well as their transcript (also here deadline tba). More details regarding the credit points will be announced soon.
German students from Goethe University have to register for the astrophysical introductory seminar (Astrophysikalisches Proseminar) and sign into the OLAT course. Everyone is welcome to participate - however, students that have completed the courses Astronomie I-II will be given preference. While Python will be a large part of the research in EXPLORE, no prior experience in Python is needed (except for a strong motivation to learn). The course will be held in English.
US-american students from the MIT who are interested in participating in EXPLORE, please contact Mark Vogelsberger (mvogelsb@mit.edu). - Format: Since EXPLORE is an international collaborative project, all lectures and tutorials will be taking place online via Zoom. Click here to enter the Zoom room.
- Communication: We use a common Slack channel for communication. The invitation link will also be distributed among the participants in the first sessions.
- Exercises: With your peers from Germany, Canada and the USA, you will work in small groups exploring and working on real research topics (see below). These will be accompanied by lectures providing the basic knowledge of the topics and Python tutorials to learn scientific computing. Additionally, there will be weekly team meetings with your group mentor to exchange your ideas and receive feedback.
- Passing the course & exams: You will have successfully passed the EXPLORE course after your presentation of your research project results in a scientific workshop at the end of the semester. The amount of Credit Points a participant will receive from their university will be also announced soon.
Schedule
| ID | Day | Time | Room | Language | Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Meeting of EXPLORE IV | Tuesday, 17 October 2023 |
6 - 7 pm (Frankfurt) 12 - 1 pm (Toronto) 10 - 11 am (Edmonton) |
Online on Zoom | English | Students & (Junior) Mentors |
| Meetings during first month of EXPLORE (Lectures) | Tuesday & Thursday | See Calender for exact times | Online | English | Students & Mentors |
| Research meetings with junior mentors | Individual | Individual | Online | English | Students & Junior Mentors |
Literature & Course Material
- GitHub Repository for Python Programming Learning
- Recorded Lecture 1 from previous EXPLORE edition: Introduction (Mentors) and Cosmology (Laura Sagunski)
- Recorded Lecture 2 from previous EXPLORE edition: Dark Matter (Sean Tulin & Nassim Bozorgnia)
- Recorded Lecture 3 from previous EXPLORE edition: Gravitational Waves (Saeed Rastgoo) & Quasars (Patrick Hall)
- Recorded Lecture 4 from previous EXPLORE edition: Machine Learning (Jim Mertens) & Neutron Stars and compact objects (Jürgen Schaffner-Bielich)
- Recorded Lecture 5 from previous EXPLORE edition: Near-field cosmology with stars (Camilla Hansen)