Professor Manuel Drees

I am Professor for Theoretical Particle and Astro-Particle Physics at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universtät Bonn.

Lectures

SS 04: Theoretical Astro-Particle Physics
WS 04/05: Theoretical Particle Physics 1
SS 05: Theoretical Particle Physics 2
         Seminar on Advanced Topics in Particle and Quantum Field Theory
WS 05/06: On sabbatical leave
SS 06: Astro-Particle Physics (together with Prof. Peter Schneider)
         Seminar on Relativistic Quantum Field Theory (together with Prof. Hans-Peter Nilles).
WS 06/07: Theoretische Physik 1
SS 07: Theoretische Physik 2b
WS 07/08: Collider Physics
SS 08: Astro-Particle Physics (together with Prof. Uli Klein)
WS 08/09: Theoretical Particle Physics 1
SS 09: Theoretical Particle Physics 2
WS 09/10: Collider Physics
SS 10: Theoretical Astroparticle Physics;
         Seminar on Astroparticle Physics (together with Prof. Marek Kowalski).
WS 10/11: On sabbatical leave
SS 11: Theoretische Physik 1
         Seminar on Astroparticle Physics (together with Prof. Marek Kowalski).
WS 11/12: Theoretische Physik 2
SS 12: Theoretical Astroparticle Physics
WS 12/13: Theoretical Particle Physics 1
SS 13: Theoretical Particle Physics 2
         Seminar on Astroparticle Physics (together with Prof. Marek Kowalski).
WS 13/14: Physics of the Higgs Particle
SS 14: Theoretische Physik 3: Quantenmechanik
WS 14/15: Advanced Quantum Theory
            Seminar on Hunting Physics beyond the Standard Model (with Profs. Dreiner, Hanhart, Krewald, Luu and Wirzba)
SS 15: Theoretical Astroparticle Physics
WS 15/16: Theoretical Particle Physics 1
SS 16: Theoretical Particle Physics 2
WS 16/17: Theoretical Astroparticle Physics
SS 17: Theoretische Physik 1
        Seminar on Quantum Field Theory (with profs. Dreiner and Nilles)
WS 17/18: Theoretical Particle Physics 1
SS 18: Theoretical Particle Physics 2
        Seminar on Evidence for Physics beyond the SM (with profs. Dreiner and Nilles)
WS 18/19: Theoretical Particle Physics 1
SS 19: Theoretical Astroparticle Physics
WS 19/20: Theoretische Physik 2
SS 20: Theoretical Particle Physics 2
        Seminar on Advanced Topics in Quantum Field Theory (with profs. Dreiner and Kubis)
WS 20/21: Theoretical Particle Physics 1
SS 21: Advanced Theoretical Particle Physics
WS 21/22: Advanced Quantum Theory
SS 22: Theoretical Astroparticle Physics
        Seminar on Advanced Topics in Quantum Field Theory (with prof. Duhr and Dr. Loebbert)
WS 22/23: Advanced Topics in Astroparticle Theory
SS 23: Theoretische Physik 1
WS 23/24: Theoretical Particle Physics 1

Crash Course

In the last week of September I'll give a "crash course" on some results from Quantum Field Theory, as (minimal) preparation for the course on Theoretical Particle Physics (physics615), which will be given by me in the coming winter term. Please see
crash course for further details.

Downloads of video files of the lectures, exercise sheets, and solutions can be found here.
The link for the Zoom Q&A sessions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon (2 p.m.) is here.

WS 23/24:

Theoretical Particle Physics 1
Time and Place : Tuesday, 16:15 to 18:00, and Wednesday, 13:15 to 14:00, both times HS 1, PI (i.e., in the big lecture room).
First Lecture: October 10, 2023.
Last Lecture: January 31, 2024.
Tutorials: Will also be in person. The tutors are:
Group 1 : Monday 8:15 to 10:00 a.m., in AVZ, rm. 0.023 (Ü17); tutor: Keshav Chaudhary, e-mail: s6kechau "at" uni-bonn.de
Group 2 : Monday 8:15 to 10:00 a.m., in AVZ, rm. 2.036; tutor: Yashasvee Goel, e-mail ygoel "at" uni-bonn.de
Group 3 : Friday 10:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon, in AVZ, rm. 0.023 (Ü17); tutor: Chenhuan Wang, e-mail: s6cnwang "at" uni-bonn.de
Group 4 : Friday 10:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon, in AVZ, rm. 2.036; tutor: Aditya Khalatkar, e-mail s6adkhal "at" uni-bonn.de
Overall coordination : Wenbin Zhao, e-mail zwbphy "at" gmail.com First session : The second week of classes.

The homework problems can be downloaded here.
I have now also created four tutorial groups in eCampus, led by the four tutors whose names and contact data are listed above. Please register for (exactly) one of these groups!

The lecture is aimed at students interested in experimental and/or theoretical particle physics. I will assume that you are already familiar with relativistic quantum mechanics, and with some concepts of quantum field theory; specifically, that you know how to go from the Lagrange density ("Lagrangian") to Feynman diagrams, which in turn allow you to compute scattering amplitudes, and from there to cross sections and decay rates. (This is true for many Bonn students, in particular for those who already took the first QFT class.)
For those of you who are not familiar with these concepts, I offer a week-long "crash course"; see the top of this web page for more details.

Only students who have done at least 50% of the homework of this class will be permitted to take the final exam! The solution need not be perfect in order to count towards your 50%, but you need to have made an honest effort at solving the problem.
At the beginning of each tutorial, the tutor will pass around a list where you can mark the problems you have solved. Based on this list the tutor will call somebody to the board, who is expected to show the solution. This is the preferred method.
Alternatively you can mail your solution to the tutor. Please use a PDF file obtained via a proper scanning app (they are available for free in your favorite app store), and not a simple photo! The solution has to be sent in before the first tutorial of the week.

First exam: Monday, February 5, from 10:00 to 12:00, in PI, lecture hall 1 (where the lectures take place)
Second exam:: Monday, March 25, 10:00 to 12:00, in PI, lecture hall 1 (PI, HS1).

This lecture covers essentially the Standard Model of particle physics. More specifically, the following topics will be covered:
0) Preliminaries
1) The gauge principle: QED
2) QCD
3) Electroweak interactions

Literature:
Aitchison and Hey, Gauge theories in Particle Physics , vols. 1 and 2, is a modern, comprehensive treatment that starts from scratch.
Halzen and Martin, Quarks and Leptons , remains a classic.
Peskin and Schroeder, An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, treats the underlying formalism, but also contains many particle physics applications.

************* End: Particle Theory 1 ************************ -->

Weekly Theoretical High Energy Physics seminar


Master and Doctoral Theses

Please contact me directly regarding possible topics.
I expect a Master thesis to contain new, previously unknown, scientific results. So far nearly all Bonn Diploma and Master theses in my group have led to journal publications. While I am (nearly) always available for questions and discussions, I generally encourage students to work as independently as possible. This means that I do not require regular progress reports; I expect students who have some questions to come to me on their own initiative.
Also, students who have their own idea about a topic for a Master thesis are very welcome, if it falls in my area of expertise.

If you are interested, please contact me directly for further information. I also encourage you to talk to some of the other members of my group before committing yourself.
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