Course description: Physics 320g covers the fundamentals of neural networks and advanced topics in medical physics to be decided on. Prerequisites include two semesters of freshman physics (Haverford 106 or 102; Bryn Mawr 102); cell biology (e.g. Haverford Bio 200), and general chemistry. Prior exposure to thermodynamics either in biochemistry, physical chemistry, or statistical physics is helpful for the neural networks section of the course, and organic chemistry will be used throughout. I will assume familiarity with calculus, but will teach any advanced mathematical methods when we encounter them.
Class Meetings
There will be two one-and-a-half hour meetings per week, TuTh from 10 to 11:30 in Stokes 319. We will schedule the required recitation the first week of classes.
Course Requirements
Homework and computer assignments will be handed out roughly every week and due one week later. There will be a comprehensive final.
Grading:
20% attendance and classroom participation
35% problem sets
45% final exam
Late Policy: Homework assignments will be given 75% credit if they are handed in within one week of the due date. Thereafter, they will be given 50% credit. Late assignments will be graded for one month after the due date.
Reading list
Texts (available in the Haverford Bookstore):
An Introduction to Neural Networks, James A. Anderson, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1994.
Medical physics reserve readings to be announced.
Many additional reserve readings for the course are available in Stokes Library. Where possible, the main texts for the course are also on reserve in Collier.
Additional Readings:
An Introduction to Neural Networks, James A. Anderson, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1994.
Neural Networks: An Introduction, B. Muller, J. Reinhardt, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1991. (Comes with a computer diskette with IBM PC compatible neural networks software.)
Introduction to the Theory of Neural Computation, John Hertz, Anders Krogh, and Richard G. Palmer, Addison-Wesley, Redwood City, 1991.
Molecular and Cell Biophysics, Ralph Nossal and Harold Lecar, Addison-Wesley, Redwood City, California, 1991, Chapter 9 on visual perception.
Neurocomputing: Foundations of Research, ed. James A. Anderson and Edward Rosenfeld, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1988. (Core readings from the recent history of neurocomputing collected into one volume.)
Internet Resources
I will be updating a list of neural networks resources available over the World Wide Web as the semester goes on. Please send me any sites you would like listed by email.