Teaching

I have taught many courses in chemistry, physics, and mathematics to undergraduate and graduate students over the years. For some of these courses I have made full handouts whereas for others I just have notes explaining specific things.

Some of them are older than others and probably could use a refresh. Most are in PDF format.

Full Courses

Physical Spectroscopy

An introduction to the physical side of spectroscopy, for STEM students. This course does not go as deeply into mathematics or group theory as many courses do, but focusses more on intuitive understanding and learning how to think about the interaction of light with matter. An attempt was made to move slightly away from the "death by gas phase IR spectroscopy" that tends to be the bedrock of a lot of spectroscopy courses.

QM of Molecular Structure and Bonding

A short course on the quantum mechanics behind molecular structure and chemical bonding. I've tried to get away from too much abstract QM, because chemistry students who are already sceptical about learning stuff that looks like physics really don't really see the point of it (and often don't have the necessary mathematical background anyway). Hence there is more of a focus on how it applies to chemistry and chemical bonding.

STEM Mathematics: Calculus

A course on basic calculus designed for STEM students. Assumes no familiarity with calculus (so no need for an A level maths prerequisite). There is also a set of slides which I had to make due to being put in a lecture room without a whiteboard for one year of this course. Version 0.9 of a programmed workbook is here, but incomplete.

STEM Mathematics: Fundamentals

A programmed course on fundamental mathematics for STEM. Assumes almost no prior mathematical knowledge, and takes the view that the reader is probably doing a non-physical STEM degree and is very unconvinced about both maths, and their ability to do it.

Introduction To Chemistry Lecture Course

A basic course for introductory university chemistry. Aims to be a whistlestop tour for the freshly-matriculated undergraduate chemist of the relevant bits of atomic and molecular structure, quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, and a few other bits and pieces. Every year since taking it on I've updated this course, and every year I still think it's terrible, so I keep on changing it.

Solutions and Colloids Handout

A minimal handout for a course on solution chemistry and colloids. These notes are my distilled version of a much more complete course written by a colleague. No figures are in these notes, due to time constraints - these were primarily designed as an aid to me while doing the lectures on the blackboard, but might still be useful to some.

Basic Quantum Mechanics for Chemistry Lecture Course

This is a set of slides for a course designed for chemistry undergraduates meeting quantum mechanics for the (almost) the first time, with a focus on being able to understand atomic and molecular structure later on. Time constraints for delivery meant I didn't make a full monographic handout. It is kept quite qualitative, so there is minimal maths. There is also an associated problem set with solutions.

Ultrafast Optics: For Non-Specialists

This handout grew whilst I was preparing to give a short talk to my research group about ultrafast optics and lasers. Many people enter ultrafast or nonlinear spectroscopy from a variety of backgrounds, especially from the life sciences. Most books on this topic are undoubtedly rigorous and thorough, but also entirely inaccessible for somebody without a physics degree. This handout aims to bridge that gap, and forms the basis of my book published through IOPebooks .

Introductory Quantum Mechanics Lecture Course

This is the handout for a more serious six lecture course designed for chemistry undergraduates meeting quantum mechanics for spectroscopy. It is kept quite qualitative. There is also an associated problem set with solutions. I wrote this many years ago, and the level is a bit higher than we expect for our introductory courses in Leicester today.

Simulating a Velocity-Map Imaging Spectrometer

This rather rambling and questionably complete document was the culmination of one of the worst¹ things I've ever been asked to do in my life. I was mostly trying to find a good geometry for a velocity-map imaging spectrometer, but then ended up in a SIMION rabbit hole and it was all a fairly dark and depressing experience. Hopefully this document a) explains a bit about how VMI works; b) demonstrates that the geometry that Eppink and Parker made in the 80s is still basically fine for 99% of users; and c) helps people use SIMION and Lua without wanting to rend down their computer in a vat of acid after every work day.

Short Explanatory Notes

These notes are focussed on more specific topics or questions: