Axel Maas

Terrified not only for kids, but also for my students, and, yes, myself and basically everyone.

Gauge Symmetries, Symmetry Breaking, and Gauge-Invariant Approaches Gauge symmetries play a central role, both in the mathematical foundations as well as the conceptual construction of modern (particle) physics theories. However, it is yet unclear whether they form a ...

We wrote together (with others) a book about what we do, which is, as a preprint, freely available at arxiv.org/abs/2110.00616 - but I am afraid that it is too technical.

Philosophy of Astrophysics This is an open access book. This book, the first edited collection of its kind, explores the recent emergence of philosophical research in astrophysics.

The course material is, unfortunately, not freely available, for copyright reasons.

A resource, which will we (I do it together with a philosopher) use heavily in the course is this book, which is actually open access: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Teaching in a classroom: 0.6%
Teaching preparations: 0.2%

Working directly with PhD/Master/Bachelor student: 6.9%
Activisim: 6.4%
Examinations: 5.7%
Administration: 5.3%

Catching up with the arXiv: 4.1%
Writing papers: 4.1%
Proposal writing: 3.7%
Writing my textbook: 3.2%
Writing talks: 2.7%
Outreach: 2.2%

Refereeing: 1.3%

February was no teaching, but a lot of workshops and visits, and thus talks and politics played a big role in my time as #ProfAtWork. But also a bit of time for research.

Listening to talks: 20%

Email (mostly administration): 12.9%
Science politics: 12.0%

Research by myself: 8.5%

Wow, something clearly happens, as the #GCP now rapidly grows! The aim is that the outer shell is done by the end of the year, and we are clearly on a good path.

A little belated, but welcome everyone back for the summer semester! I am looking very much forward to meeting you, especially in my courses on gauge theories and philosophy of physics!

Me, in front of the Jufa Hotel Bruck, where the event tales place. It's sunny.

As every year, at the Austrian Particle Physics Retreat in Bruck/Mur, to discuss news and plan ahead for the Austrian community.

Of you want to know what we talk about, visit the webpage of the event at indico.global/event/16000/...

Comprehensive Multiboson Experiment-Theory Action The first decade of operations of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has consolidated the success of the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. In particular, the discovery of the Higgs boson confirmed...

This is a workshop in the context - and made possible - by our #COST action #COMETA www.cost.eu/actions/CA22... of which Austria is a member.

COMETA workshop on electroweak evolution and electroweak showers This workshop, organized under the umbrella of the COMETA COST Action, will bring together people in the developing field of electroweak parton shower algorithms, electroweak evolution, and the defini...

Ongoing right now @uni-graz.at ! The workshop of @simonplaetzer.bsky.social and myself on how to deal with the production of many #Higgs and W/Z at future colliders: indico.cern.ch/event/159983...

a man is pointing at a bulletin board that says pete silvie Alt: A man (not me) frantically explaining a pinboard full of papers and connections. Famous meme.

Me, writing my textbook. Live footage.

Seriously, how to explain all of those amazing mathematical connections without forcing people to cyclic reading is...challenging.

Wenn ich das richtig sehe, aufgrund der Formulierung im Brief, sollten aber nur explizit in den Klimawissenschaften tätige Personen unterzeichnen, aber nicht allgemein Wissenschaftler*innen?

#TalkCollapse

Note the associated blog post in the original: Difficulty is different for different people and their circumstances. Doing all at once, and especially starting all at once, is usually beyond an individual's capability. Just start with one thing, and when you get going, pick up more along the way.

Here a bit of things we can do to #LeaveNoOneBehind in the ongoing polycrisis.

CERN upgrade to LHCb experiment threatened by UK funding cuts – Physics World Upgrade to the UK-led project is unlikely to go ahead if UK funding cuts are not reversed

Seriously bleak news, especially for hadron physics (also the EIC is affected).

Unfortunately, I expect this only to be among the first of many sizable cuts to fundamental physics in the next years, due to desperate attempts to keep late-stage capitalism alive.

physicsworld.com/a/cern-upgra...

Feeling this hard, re:climate.

Also, it is true even for quantum physics and relativity. Honestly, if we want to do a big science conspiracy, we would not have chosen something as annoying and cumbersome. Really.

No matter how regularily many want to disprove modern physics.

Me, in front of Graz main train station. It is dark.

And back home, well on time. Another travel by train successfully completed to do fundamental research.

Me, in a regional train. It is somewhat dusky. I wear a FFP2 mask.

Managed to switch to a train in Linz, which will bring me to Graz basically at the same time as originally 🙂

Despite a traffic jam before Nürnberg - multiple fast trains slowed down by a slow train on the track.

Sorry the odd angle of the picture, too full to have no one else otherwise in it.

Me, in front of Würzburg main train station. It is overcast.

And back again. Already had switch to a different train. Let's see how it works out.

Me, in front of (one of the) Physics buildings at the University of Würzburg. It is overcast work some patches of snow on the ground. The building los like an ordinary apartment building, only a sign giving away its purpose.

And here we I am in Würzburg.

Me, inside Frankfurt Main train station. One can see the main schedule display and the high glas ceiling. It is overcast outside.

And switching trains in Frankfurt. Fortunately, enough time to compensate for the delay of the previous train.

Me, in front of Mainz main train station. It is dark and overcast.

And onwards to Würzburg.

Me, in front of the physics institute (70ies standard German university 5-level building) at the University of Mainz. It is overcast.

And at Mainz!

Me, in front of Mainz main train statio . It is dark and patches of snow are visible.

And arrived, only one hour delayed. But, the German trains did well today. A serious snow incident is always challenging.

Me at Darmstadt main train station. It is dark.

Up to Darmstadt, everything worked nicely. However, die to snow, the train will not run until Mainz, but only to Wiesbaden. This is about 4 km on foot, though mostly due to a bridge over the Rhine. Let's see, whether I can catch a bus instead.

Me inside a train. I am masked with a black FFP2 mask.

Although waste water levels went down steeply in Germany, the ones in Graz increased. So, the masks stays on as #CovidIsNotOver, and the possibilities for long Covid are all just too high, and the consequences too hard.

Me, besides an ICE train at Graz main station. It is overcast and my hair is a bit tussled by wind.

On my way to Mainz (tomorrow) and Würzburg (Thursday) to discuss and give a talk on our work on #Higgs physics (in Würzburg). Meet me!

This time by German trains, heading into some snow apparently. Let's see how this works out.

Teaching preparation: 6.8%
Administration: 5.9%
Activism: 5.0%

Writing papers: 3.8%
Writing my textbook: 3.1%
Making talks: 2.6%
Outreach: 2.5%
Proposal writing: 2.0%
Catching up with the arXiv: 1.4%

Research on my own: 0.2%