Daniel F. Styer

There are only two kinds of people in this world: Those who appreciate the full variety and complexity and splendor of the human condition, and those who believe that there are only two kinds of people in this world. -- Dan Styer

Schedule: I'm happy to talk with anyone wanting to learn about physics. If you want to talk with me, suggest a time when you are free -- if I'm free too I'll set up a Zoom conference.

Books:

• D.F. Styer, Invitation to Quantum Mechanics.
  
• D.F. Styer, Relativity for the Questioning Mind (Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 2011).
  
• R.P. Feynman, A.R. Hibbs, and emending editor D.F. Styer, Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals: Emended Edition (Dover Publications, Mineola, NY, 2010).
  
• D.F. Styer, The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2000).
  [A serious, rigorous, and honest presentation of quantum mechanics for a general audience, focusing on spin-1/2 systems.]
• J.R. Hiller, I.D. Johnston, and D.F. Styer, Quantum Mechanics Simulations (Wiley, New York, 1995).
  [Includes software; part of the CUPS project.]

Tips for students and teachers:

• Solving Problems in Physics
• Study Tips for Introductory Physics Students
• The Whys and Hows of Physics Problems
• Tips for Honors Exams (PDF)
• Tips for Oral Exams (PDF)
• Sample Oral Exam Questions (PDF)
• Tips for Talks (or, if you must, for 'oral presentations') (PDF)
• The Evaluation of Teaching
• The Teaching of Quantum Mechanics
• Entropy
• Enhancing Science Literacy at Oberlin College

Courses taught (selected):

• Einstein and Relativity
• The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics
• Introductory Astronomy
• Mechanics and Relativity
• Electricity, Magnetism, and Thermodynamics
• Electricity, Magnetism, and Thermodynamics laboratories (PDF)
• Modern Physics
• Classical Mechanics
• Quantum Mechanics
• Applied Quantum Mechanics
• Electrodynamics
• Statistical Mechanics

• CircuitSurveyor, a program demonstrating the electric, magnetic, and Poynting fields associated with electric circuits.
• InterferenceSimulator, a program demonstrating quantal two-slit Fresnel interference patterns with one, the other, or both slits open. A magnetic flux situated between the two slits allows demonstration of the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Simulations with short de Broglie wavelengths illustrate the classical limit of quantum mechanics. Because of the universality of wave phenomena, this program can also demonstrate the geometrical-optics limit of wave optics for small wavelengths.
• Documentation for InterferenceSimulator

Old software published:

• Quantum mechanical time development (QMTime), available from Wiley, see "Books" above.
  Download a free version that avoids the Borland Pascal bug on faster computers.
• QMValue, a descendent of QMTime that treats both time development and the energy eigenproblem.
  Download a self-extracting archive that includes the executable program, the Pascal source code, eight profiles, and more.
• Identical particles in quantum mechanics (Ident), available from Wiley, see "Books" above.
  Download a free version that avoids the Borland Pascal bug on faster computers.
• Additional materials related to Ident:
  Download a self-extracting archive.
• Software related to the article "Insight into Entropy":
  Download a self-extracting archive.
• This is old software, but I have had good success in running it under DOSBox.

Education:

• I grew up on Styer Orchards, which is still an orchard and which retains its old name, even though no one from my family works there any longer.
• Neshaminy High School
• B.A. 1977, Swarthmore College
• Ph.D. 1983, Cornell University

Teaching interests:

• Statistical mechanics, Quantum mechanics.
• The use and abuse of computers in physics education.

Research interests:

• Statistical mechanics, Chaos in quantum mechanics, Quantum mechanical time revivals.

Honors and awards:

• Invited speaker at the "Gordon Conference on Physics Research and Education: Quantum Mechanics," June 2002.
• Invited author of article on "Quantum Mechanics" for the Macmillan Encyclopedia of Physics, Supplement: Elementary Particle Physics (John S. Rigden, editor), April 2001.
• Associate Editor for American Journal of Physics (January 1997 -- December 1999).
• A winner in the 1994 Computers in Physics Educational Software Contest (see Computers in Physics, 8 (1994) 672-678).
• Research Status Leaves from Oberlin College: 1991-1992, 2005-2006.
• Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement grant, "Using computers to build insight", from the National Science Foundation, 1991-1992.
• Research Corporation grant, "Statistical mechanics of low-dimensional disordered materials", 1989-1990.

Other interests:

• Backpacking. Botany. Running. The restoration and preservation of natural areas. John Muir studies. Aldo Leopold Locations. Waterfalls of northern Ohio.

Vita (PDF)