Statistical Mechanics: Phase Transitions

To address a curriculum gap in physics education, we are launching a summer study group for graduate students (who passed the preliminary examination) on statistical mechanics, particularly focusing on phase transitions. Meeting once weekly starting in late June, we will study important topics such as Ising model, mean field theory, broken symmetries, Ginzburg-Landau theory, and renormalization group. 

Organizers: Yun Suk Eo, Wade DeGottardi, and Robert Duncan

Our Teams Channel

See this Review of Modern Physics Paper "Critical phenomena in microgravity: Past, present, and future" by Prof. Rob Duncan (Texas Tech Physics)!

Week 1 (June 29, 2026): Overview (Chapter 1) by Yun Suk Eo

Week 2 (July 6, 2026): Review of Statistical Mechanics (Chapter 2) - by Yun Suk Eo

Week 3 (July 13, 2026): Ising Model (Chapter 3) - by Wade DeGottardi

Week 4 (July 20, 2026): Problem Solving and Discussions - by Connor Aronoff

Week 5 (July 27, 2026): Mean Field Theory 1 (Chapter 4) - by Yun Suk Eo

Week 6 (Aug 3, 2026): Mean Field Theory 2 (Chapter 4) - by Yun Suk Eo

(See wikipedia on Kullback-Leiber Divergence)

Week 7 (Aug 10, 2026): Broken Symmetry (Chapter 5) - by Connor Aronoff

Week 8 (Aug 17, 2026): Broken Symmetry II (Chapter 5) - by Connor Aronoff

Week 9 (Aug 24, 2026): Landau Free Energy I (Chapter 6) - by Yun Suk Eo

Week 10 (Aug 31, 2026): Landau Free Energy 2 (Chapter 6) - by Yun Suk Eo

Week 11 (Sept 7, 2026): Labor Day

Week 12 (Sept 14, 2026): Ginzburg Landau I (Chapter 7) - by Connor Aronoff

Week 13 (Sept 21, 2026): Ginzburg Landau II (Chapter 7) - by Yun Suk Eo

Week 14 (Sept 28, 2026): No Meeting due to schedule adjustment

Week 15 (Oct 5, 2026): Ginzburg Landau III (Chapter 7) - by Yun Suk Eo

Week 16 (Oct 12, 2026): Self Consistent Gaussian Approximation I (Chapter 8) - by Wade DeGottardi