Challenges in Theoretical Physics Education in Nordic Countries 2025

15 May 2025, 09:00 → 16 May 2025, 22:15 Europe/Stockholm

Eddy Ardonne (Stockholm University), Ivan Khaymovich (Stockholm University, Nordita), Jesus Zavala Franco, Mikael Fogelström (Stockholm University), Stellan Östlund (Göteborgs Universitet), Watse Sybesma (University of Cambridge)

Venue

Nordita, Stockholm, Sweden

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Scope

Theoretical physics as a subject requires a large educational effort in order to reach the scientific frontier. The continuous education in theoretical physics, building upon the Bachelor level and evolving into the focused Master programs is important to sustain the quality of teaching in this subject.

This workshop will bring together the administrators and faculty involved in teaching theoretical physics from the various Nordic Universities to raise the issue of how to maintain and improve the quality of theoretical physics education in the Nordic countries. The purpose of the workshop will be to identify these problems, share existing solutions, and hopefully help solve some of the problems, but also to aid in networking and cooperation between the universities. 

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Organizers

• Eddy Ardonne (Stockholm University)
• Mikael Fogelström (Nordita)
• Ivan Khaymovich (Nordita)
• Stellan Östlund (Göteborgs universitet)
• Watse Sybesma (Nordita)
• Jesús Zavala Franco (University of Iceland)

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Sponsored by:

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Thursday 15 May

09:00 → 11:00 Pedagogical Masterclass on hybrid teaching for Nordic PhD students

Speaker: John Airey (MND)

11:00 → 12:00 Registration

12:00 → 13:30 Lunch

13:30 → 14:35 Nordic teaching initiatives: Part 1

Convener: Prof. Ivan Khaymovich (Stockholm University, Nordita)

13:30 Welcome words

Speaker: Stellan Östlund (Göteborgs Universitet)

13:40 Presentation of Nordita

Speaker: Mikael Fogelström (Stockholm University)

13:50 Last-year workshop summary

Speaker: Stellan Östlund (Göteborgs Universitet)

14:00 Master program SU/Nordita

Speaker: Eddy Ardonne (Stockholm University)

14:15 Icelandic Master program

14:35 → 15:10 Coffee break

15:10 → 16:25 Nordic teaching initiatives: Part 2

15:10 Pilot project: Nordita hosted PhD course

Speakers: Florian Niedermann (Stockholm University, Nordita), Dr Sergej Moroz (Karlstad University)

15:40 Nordic Curriculum

Speaker: Mikael Fogelström (Stockholm University)

16:10 Discussion

16:25 → 16:55 Coffee break

16:55 → 18:00 Pedagogical methods.: Part 1. Motivating (undergraduate) students

16:55 Motivating blackboard lecturing

Speaker: Fawad Hassan (Stockholm University)

17:25 Pedagogical methods to motivate Bachelor students

Speaker: Ulf Gran (Chalmers University of Technology)

18:00 → 19:00 Discussion and mingle at Proviant

19:00 → 20:30 Conference Dinner

Friday 16 May

09:00 → 10:15 Pedagogical methods.: Part 2. Hybrid and cooperative teaching

09:00 Hybrid teaching

Speaker: Carlo Canali (Linnaeus University)

09:30 Cooperative teaching

Speaker: Prof. Gil Cavalcanti (Utrecht University, board member MasterMath)

10:15 → 10:35 Coffee break

10:35 → 11:50 Pedagogical methods.: Part 3. Artificial intelligence in teaching

10:35 Machine learning in physics?

Speaker: Bernhard Mehlig (University of Gothenburg)

11:05 Artificial intelligence for teaching

Speaker: Prof. Bor Gregorcic (Uppsala University)

11:50 → 12:00 Concluding remarks

Speaker: Stellan Östlund (Göteborgs Universitet)

12:00 → 13:30 Lunch at Proviant

13:30 → 15:30 Informal meeting to share experiences with AI and teaching platforms

Convener: Stellan Östlund (Göteborgs Universitet)