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Questions, comments and answers.
15 November 2005
231 Lecture Summaries and all that.
Hey, I was wondering if when you're putting up the summaries of the 231
lectures on the web, you could put up a very brief summary of what you
plan the next few to be about. Not that that would then be a definite
guide, but would rather would be something we could take a quick look at a
read up quickly on the basics of the subject matter. It always seems as
though you have a fairly definite direction in mind for the lectures so
maybe this mightn't be too difficult. With thanks (and hope, i suppose).
Reply How about I give out photocopies of the notes in advance?
11 February 2005
Tutorial speed As someone from the
half of the class who doesn't know everything before you put it on the
board, I think it would be appreciated if you could slow down in the
tutorials. There is often time left over at the end, and I for one
could really do with some slower explanations, particularly if you're
using tricks which might be obvious to some, but can at times seem to
come out of nowhere! Thanks.
Reply That's good to know, I
had actually tried to speed up a bit because, before the last few
problem sheets the tutorial classes were running over time and there
never seemed to be any questions, I will slow down again! Please do
ask questions if you don't understand something, the idea of tutorials
is to have questions from the class, something that almost never
happens. I do try to promote a more informal atmosphere for the
tutorial classes and would be very happy to explain things more if
there were questions about them. This would also help me to judge how
fast to go.
17 February 2005
Hi Conor
Two things:
1. I cannot thank you enough for providing (almost) comprehensive printed
notes. I am unfortunately unable to concentrate and write at the same time, so
most lectures in other subjects are a complete waste of time for me, and I have
to try to understand what they were about afterwards by reading my notes.
Please try to strongly encourage all of your colleagues to also provide
comprehensive printed notes. Prof. Simms also has notes on his website, but
they were written 10 years ago, so many sections are out-dated. They are also
full of mistakes :(
2. I'd just like to point out that the final question on the last tutorial
sheet we had to hand-up was also a question on Prof. Simms Christmas
Assignment, so if we all have the same solution you now know why.
Finally, I'd just like to say that your's are the only lectures that I actually
enjoy going to, so thank you for being so nice :)
Reply Many thanks for your nice message, I am suprised and pleased by your positive comments, I am also embarrassed since I would far prefer to have full printed notes and hope to do so in future, I am glad the handwritten ones are some use in the meantime.
17 February 2006
TP course Hi Conor,
I really enjoyed
the discussion that took place in 231 today.
First I want to also
give my support to more computational (programming) courses availbale
for TP students. I think it is a pity that TPs don't do any
programming in 2nd year, and we don't seem to do any in later years
either. 161 was my favourite course in 1st year.
Another point I
want to make is that there is a lot of repetition between the maths
and physics department courses. Most of the stuff we do in the physics
department (Quantum physics, etc.) we do again in the maths
department, only in the maths department it is done from a more
theoretical point of view which suits TPs better.
I know you don't
have anything to do with it, but I also want to mention that the first
year physics courses that we do are mostly just leaving cert. stuff,
because we are in with the Natural Sciences people who don't have to
have done physics in the LC (but TPs have to have gotten at least a B
in higher level physics).
Reply I also found the discussion
today very useful and interesting and I feel I have a better grasp now
of some of the issues we face in considering the course. I hope the
class does not mind taking time from 231 to discuss this, I certainly
feel it was worthwhile. I will try to represent the classes views as I
understand them in any discussion I am involved in. Thanks also for
your useful comments on computing and on the physics courses, I amn't
sure that these points are so well appreciated by us and, again, I
will repeat what you've said in informal discussions.
21 Febuary 2006
References Hi
First of all congratulations on your new baby.
I wanted to thank you for last friday's class - it was great. It's
good to know that someone actually values students' opinions and
concerns, and it was great to have the opportunity to ask questions
other than those directly related to the course - we've never been
able to do that before, in any course, and I think everyone
appreciated it - I certainly did (Sergey would have been extremely
jealous as he's always trying to get us to ask more questions in 241).
You mentioned the importance of actually getting to know members
of staff so that they can give you a reference should you need it.
This is something to which I have given much thought to recently and
my question is: how can I do this? The physics department (I'm a tp)
has a research program for undergraduates but it's mainly for 3rd year
students - second years may only apply if they have an "outstanding
academic record" which I don't think I have.
You also need two references which brings me back to the original
problem. Sergey has also expressed vague enthusiasm for student
research projects but I'm afraid that that would involve a Landau and
Lifshitz style interview.
I've been looking into this for some time
and I thought I'd ask you for advice after last friday's class and
because you're the most approachable of all my lecturers (well it's
either you or Eric Finch).
Anyway thanks for taking the time to
read this and please do continue to ask the 231 class questions - most
of us really appreciate knowing something about what's going on behind
the scenes in the maths department.
Reply I am sorry for
the delay in writing to you. The usefulness of an academic letter of
reference varies and people reading them do, of course, judge them
according to what stage you are at; my comments about the need for
detail in an academic reference letter would probably mostly apply for
letters supporting an application to a PhD place. Here, certainly, it
is useful to have letters from academic staff who know your abilities
beyond your exam performance and, here, obviously, a project
supervisor is very useful and as a tp you will do a project in the
Physics department in your fourth year. Having a lecturer who you have
interacted with by asking questions is also helpful.
I think
summer intern programmes are great; in the past when I had research
money available I employed summer interns to work on data-mining dog
racing results, this was a lot of fun. Unfortunately it is difficult
to get financial support for this, I think Sergey and the lattice
groups are the only ones who will have positions in maths this year,
there are sometimes positions available outside of the university and
even outside of the country. The Physics department has an extremely
impressive programme funded from a successful application under a very
competitive sfi scheme, for various reasons we have never applied to
this scheme.
In short, it is useful to be able to get letters from
people who you have interacted with, ideally during a project, but
failing that, someone who you have had discussions with or someone
whose course you did well in is good. My comments in the class were
intended to encourage people in maths to do projects but don't let it
worry you to much, obviously for someone like you in their second year
it would be very unusual to have too detailed an academic reference
and people reading your letters will know that.
I amn't sure if
this help
24 February 2006
Baby Hi Conor,
Did you get away with giving your daughter the middle name '8'?
Reply Don't know yet, you have to wait ten days before you register children these days, that's the time it takes for the forms to get from the hospital to the registry. I'll let you know.
In the end they wouldn't allow the number eight, but they did allow it as a word, so her name is Aine Fong Jean Eight Houghton.
3 April 2006
Hawaiian shirt So I'm sitting in the exam
hall doing my best to pass the 231 exam, when who do I see walking
past me but Conor Houghton. I don't think too much of this, until I
look up again, and there you are at the top of the exam hall, wearing
your usual black coat, black trousers...and the hawaiian shirt! It
made my day.
Reply I am relieved to hear; I was afraid that such a load shirt would be distracting. Many thanks for the gift; I wear the shirt when I am giving seminars to people who don't know me, it amuses me to think that they would think of me as the guy who wears colourful shirts.