I not actually doing research in "computational physics". I am merely using computational tools to investigate physics. In computational physics research the core business is on the physics, not the 'computation'. One begins with a very well-defined physics problem to solve. Computational tools such as programming language or numerical packages are merely tools. if one knows the tools well it help a lot in the process. However, knowing only the tool does not lead you anywhere. At the end of the day what one really needs is the physics. Familiarity with all the computational tools is only a necessary condition but not the sufficient one. The computational tools are merely the means. But if you can't master the means there is no point to talk about the physics.
Nevertheless, the familiarity knowledge in computational tools is a relatively advanced skill to pick up. For example, you need to know to command and use the language (e.g., fortran), software packages (e.g., mathematica), graphical packages e.g., gnuplot, and the physics packages e.g., ABINIT, WIEN2k, LAMMPS etc. at your finger tips. Usually undergraduates don't learn all these sort of tool as they are mainly meant for people who are diving deep into the research field. So i don't expect a generic Malaysia undergraduate in physics to know very much such specialised technical knowledges. i guess a basic training in numerical methods could serve a good foundation for more advanced computational techniques which could be picked up when she/he begins the research.
For most fresh Malaysian students graduated from local undergraduate physics schools which normally run a 3-year course, the physics and mathematics training is simply insufficient. Personally I am reluctant to believe that an excellent undergraduate result in a local Malaysian university infers an excellent physics training. Good academic score on paper merely says one is excellent in scoring exams, not necessarily means knowing sufficient physics. That is the Malaysian undergraduate system I know. So if you wish to do a PhD I reckon you really got to do a lot of reading and re-training in basic physics and its methodology. Be expected to spend a lot of time and effort to brush up fundamental before embark on a Ph.D-level research program.
Many people have talked with me for the possibility to do a PhD or master research study. So far only two persons stay, the rest are all scared away for various reasons, one being that my research program looks too scary. If you are thinking of taking up the challenge, please be prepared for a intellectually challenging life ahead. There is no free lunch in the academic world. You have to earn it yourself.
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I agree with you.
回覆刪除Physics is a subject that relates the mathematics to the physical phenomenon. Many physics problems are usually represented by mathematics algebras. Nowadays, many students can see the mathematics, however, they do not see the physics inside the problem actually as they might do not have a very good imagination mentally (for example, like me). Therefore, visualization based on physics equations is very essential, especially dealing with the microscopic phenomenons. To visualize the physics problems, computational packages can help us a lot.
In fact, the courses given by university are really insufficient for both the computer, problems solving, and instrumentation courses. The method of training given to us is sometimes carelessly. Moreover, the outlines and objectives of the courses are sometimes unclear. Many students do not know why they need to study that course? What is the usage of that course? How to apply it?
In my opinion, instead of test and exam, sometimes group assignments with presentation can understand the thinking of the students more clearly. Even though sometimes the students are copycat, but at least, they might know the background of their study more applicably as compared to the pure paper works (they not only study alone but have to listen to the other). For motivation, awards might be given to those have excellent idea even though they are doing the same title of project.
Through out a project,we can shared the thinking to each other and sometimes stimulate the "new" idea of someone. This cannot be simply observed by just marking the test or exam papers since most of the questions set in the test or exam will take into consideration the percentage of fail, therefore the scope of exam is usually limited. Hence, new idea coming from exam is usually very rare.
Learning by project not means that we can learn more things compared with examination system, however, it might identify the intelligent or stimulate the real ability or interest of a student. Profession is usually come from the experience of specialized field.
I hope that the training program given by school can be improved soon so that it can help the student becomes more skillful, and stimulate the actual ability of the students. I believe that there are so many students weak in exam but they have many strong ability that not yet been discovered.
Teaching is not just a responsibility, but it also a meaningful and a great job if we can cultivate as much as possible the professional posterity that may contribute to our society and country.
From: saicheong