Physics | Silvia Behar Harpaz： 教学是我的挚爱

Silvia Behar Harpaz博士是GTIIT线性代数和物理老师，本科以优异成绩毕业于以色列班古里昂大学，后赴以色列理工学院攻读物理学硕士和博士学位。自2011年起，Silvia Behar Harpaz博士任教于以色列理工学院，教授数学和物理，曾多次荣获以色列理工学院卓越教学奖。

您能简要介绍一下您的学术经历吗？

六年前，我从以色列理工学院博士毕业，但在博士期间，我不在以色列，主要在瑞士的大型强子对撞机（LHC）做实验。作为超环面仪器合作项目成员之一，我的任务是寻找著名的希格斯玻色子。可是后来，我发现教学是我的挚爱。从那时起，我开始执教于以色列理工学院，直到来GTIIT。

您为什么会选择物理作为您的专业？

自然规律令我着迷。物理的本质是认识世界最基本的规律，我还喜欢数学——数学是物理的语言，两者密不可分。选择物理作为专业也就很自然了。

我主要研究基本粒子，属于高能物理学的分支——高能物理学旨在研究物质组成。世界万物都有质量，你摸到的一切都是由原子组成，而原子则是由电子、中子等微粒构成，中子和质子甚至还可以继续分解成夸克。高能物理研究者主要研究微粒间的相互作用。目前，描述这种基本相互作用的主流理论是“标准模型”。根据“标准模型”，物体之所以有质量与希格斯玻色子有关。从实验中寻找希格斯玻色子就是为了证明这个理论。我十分感激能参与“猎寻”希格斯玻色子的国际项目。

这些实验是如何完成的呢？

大型强子对撞机是全球最大的粒子加速器，位于瑞法边境，是各国共同努力的结果。在大型强子对撞机里面，被加速至接近光速的质子（光速c=299792458 m/s）互相碰撞，产生各种千奇百怪的粒子。这些粒子极不稳定，瞬时发生衰变。通过检测粒子衰变的产物，我们可以“重组”原来的粒子，研究它们的特性。

很多人认为，物理界由男性主导，您对此怎么看？

这是上一辈对于女性的歧视，但现在，男性女性享有同样的机会。虽然大多数物理科学家是男性，但是女性也可以一样学习、研究物理。没有理由可以阻止女性学习物理。我从不觉得因为性别而在物理方面有不同，我总能得到平等的机会。

您为什么会来GTIIT？

对于我和我的家人来说，来GTIIT是对世界的探索，开拓我们的眼界，了解不一样精彩的文化。这个机会千载难逢。我们离开了以色列，变卖了我们的财产，飞越半个地球来到了美丽的GTIIT校园。

就我个人来说，GTIIT建设是一个非常重要的项目，我参与其中，接受挑战。

您平时在GTIIT做些什么呢？

我来这里是为了教书，大部分时间都在上课——这就是我的工作。我计划在这里待两年，教线性代数和物理。授课需要投入大量时间，除了精心备课，还要给学生上辅导班，出课后作业和考卷等。

周末和我的丈夫、两个孩子一起度过，有时我们会去公园或者沿途观光。希望假期能有更多时间游览这个美丽宽阔的地方。

GTIIT的中国学生和Technion的以色列学生有哪些不同？

这里的学生学习积极性高，勤奋用功——很棒的学生。但他们在课堂上很安静，有时候我只能通过观察他们的表情猜测他们是否听懂了。还好，他们会课后来问问题。而在以色列理工学院，如果学生没有听懂我讲课，他们会让我停下来重新解释。

另一个不同之处在于师生关系。中国学生对我表现出更多的敬意，也更加正式。中国学生善良温柔，但如果他们能够放轻松，我会很开心，因为这样有利于增加我们的课堂互动。

科普时间（来源：维基百科）

*大型强子对撞机（英语：Large Hadron Collider，缩写：LHC）是一座位于瑞士日内瓦近郊的对撞型粒子加速器，作为国际高能物理学研究之用。该仪器由欧洲核子研究组织(CERN)牵头，超过85所大学和研究所共同建设，建设期长达10年。目前LHC已经建造完成，是世界上最大的粒子加速器设施。

*超环面仪器（英语：A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS, ATLAS），是欧洲核子研究组织（CERN）的大型强子对撞器（LHC）所配备的七大实验探测器之一。此实验专门为观测涉及高质量粒子的现象而精心设计建造；使用先前较低能量的粒子加速器无法观测到这些现象。物理学者希望此实验能为在标准模型之后关于粒子物理学的新理论找到一些线索。

*希格斯玻色子（英语：Higgs boson）是标准模型里的一种基本粒子，是一种玻色子，自旋为零，宇称为正值，不带电荷、色荷，极不稳定，生成后会立刻衰变。物理学者用了四十多年时间寻找希格斯玻色子的踪迹。大型强子对撞机（LHC）是全世界至今为止最昂贵、最复杂的实验设施之一，其建成的一个主要任务就是寻找与观察希格斯玻色子与其它种粒子。

Dr. Silvia Behar Harpaz is an employee at GTIIT for teaching. She received her B.Sc (summa cum laude) in Physics from the Ben-Gurion University, and her M.Sc. and PhD at the Dept. of Physics at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Since 2011, Silvia has been a lecturer at the departments of physics and mathematics at the Technion –Israel Institute of Technology and has been awarded for excellence in teaching many times.

Could you briefly introduce your academic experience?

I received my Ph.D. in physics from the Technion about six years ago, during which I spent time at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project in Switzerland, which is the world's largest particle accelerator. As part of the ATLAS collaboration, I took part in the common effort for finding the famous Higgs boson. However, at some point I realized that what I enjoy the most is teaching, so I decided to dedicate myself to educating students. Since then, I have been teaching physics and mathematics at the Technion, Israel.

Why did you choose physics as your major?

I have always been intrigued about the nature's mechanisms and the way the world works. Physics is about understanding the most basic laws of nature, so it seemed like the natural field for me to study. In addition, I have always liked math and since mathematics is the language of physics, both fields go hand in hand.

My research was about elementary particles. The field of high energy physics deals with our understanding of what matter is made of. Everything has mass; everything you touch is comprised of atoms. Atoms are made of smaller elementary particles, like electrons, neutrons, etc. Neutrons and protons are made of even smaller particles called quarks. High Energy researchers try to understand the basic interaction among the smallest particles. The predominant current theory describing the basic interactions is called the "Standard Model". According to this model, the reason things have mass is related to the existence of the Higgs boson. To validate this theory, the Higgs boson needed to be found experimentally. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to take part in the worldwide effort of the Higgs search.

How are these experiments performed?

On the border between Switzerland and France, the largest particle accelerator was built in a multinational effort. Protons particles are accelerated to very high speeds (close to the speed of light). When the protons collide with each other, many new exotic particles are created. Most of these particles are highly unstable and decay after a very short time. By looking at the decay products, we can "reconstruct" the original exotic particles and learn about their properties.

The field of physics is considered to be dominated by men. What do you think about it?

There was a bias towards men a generation ago, but at the present both genders have equal opportunities. Though most physics scientists are still men, women can study and research physics just as well on equal terms. There is no reason for women to forfeit studying physics. I have never felt different because of my gender and I have always had the same opportunities.

What motivated you to come to GTIIT?

Coming to GTIIT is an opportunity for me and my family to adventure in a different part of the world, expand our horizons and learn about an exciting and different culture. We consider it a once in a lifetime experience. We left our home in Israel, sold all our belongings and flew halfway across the world to live in the beautiful campus of GTIIT.

On a personal level, being part of this important project is a challenge I am happy to take on.

How do you spend your time in GTIIT?

I am here to teach. This is my job. I teach most of the time and I plan to stay here for two years. I teach two courses: linear algebra and physics. The work is very time consuming; in addition to the lectures (which I prepare very carefully) I also teach tutorial classes, prepare homework assignments for the students, write tests, etc.

I have a husband and two daughters, and I spend my weekends with them. Sometimes we go to a park, sometimes we go sightseeing. I Hope to have more time to travel this beautiful and vast land during vacations.

What are the differences between Chinese students at GTIIT and Israeli students at the Technion?

Students here are very highly motivated, hard-working and invested in learning. I think they are great students, but they are very quiet in class. Because of that, sometimes I can only estimate if they understand me by reading their facial expressions, but at other times I have no idea. They don't ask questions during class, but fortunately, they do ask questions after classes.

At the Technion, when I teach something, if the students don't understand, they stop me immediately and ask me to clarify on the matter.

Another cultural difference is the teacher-student relationship. Chinese students treat me with much more respect and formality than Israeli students. I think Chinese students are very nice and gentle. I would be happy if they could feel more comfortable around me because I think this can improve our interaction during classes.

Scientific Periodicals

* Built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)，the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's largest and most powerful particle collider, the most complex experimental facility ever built, and the largest single machine in the world. It was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) between 1998 and 2008 in collaboration with over 85 universities and laboratories.

* ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) is one of the seven particle detector experiments constructed at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a particle accelerator at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Switzerland. The experiment is designed to take advantage of the unprecedented energy available at the LHC and observe phenomena that involve highly massive particles which were not observable using earlier lower-energy accelerators. It is hoped that it will shed light on new theories of particle physics beyond the Standard Model.

*The Higgs boson is an elementary particle in the Standard Model of particle physics. Unlike other known fields such as the electromagnetic field, it has a non-zero constant value in vacuum. The question of the existence of the Higgs field became the last unverified part of the Standard Model of particle physics, and for several decades, was considered "the central problem in particle physics"