Professor
Terry Tomboulis
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Most Helpful Review
It's a shame that you can't read a review by the floor, blackboard, etc. That's essentially who he gives the lecture to. No, really. He is extremely boring. You'll discover nothing from lecture that you can't get from the course reader (a statistical mechanics text by Wein which is very dry but all there) or textbook (Modern Physics by Serway, well written, interesting, and all there). What all other reviewers said is true: he is unengaging, his writing is some cryptic squiggle-language (no known cipher exists), and even if you go to his office and stand one foot away from him he still won't look you in the eyes. Poor guy. Just be lucky that you have him for some easy class like 17 (easy if you read the book) and not some more nuanced class like in the 115 series. Unfortunately, you'll have to digest the foundations of modern physics without any enthusiasm from the teacher.
It's a shame that you can't read a review by the floor, blackboard, etc. That's essentially who he gives the lecture to. No, really. He is extremely boring. You'll discover nothing from lecture that you can't get from the course reader (a statistical mechanics text by Wein which is very dry but all there) or textbook (Modern Physics by Serway, well written, interesting, and all there). What all other reviewers said is true: he is unengaging, his writing is some cryptic squiggle-language (no known cipher exists), and even if you go to his office and stand one foot away from him he still won't look you in the eyes. Poor guy. Just be lucky that you have him for some easy class like 17 (easy if you read the book) and not some more nuanced class like in the 115 series. Unfortunately, you'll have to digest the foundations of modern physics without any enthusiasm from the teacher.
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Most Helpful Review
Had Tomboulis for 115A,B, & C, and I'm grateful. Yes, his lectures are dry, but they are damn good, with plenty of examples to enforce understanding. You might get lost on a derivation or two, but no worries he will never EVER test you on them, and anything you could possibly need to know if provided in the equation sheets on the front of every exam. Also, go to his office hour. I didn't until halfway through B, and I was shocked when I did go. He may be uncomfortable lecturing in front of a large audience, but 1 on 1 he is very personable and perfectly willing to help.
Had Tomboulis for 115A,B, & C, and I'm grateful. Yes, his lectures are dry, but they are damn good, with plenty of examples to enforce understanding. You might get lost on a derivation or two, but no worries he will never EVER test you on them, and anything you could possibly need to know if provided in the equation sheets on the front of every exam. Also, go to his office hour. I didn't until halfway through B, and I was shocked when I did go. He may be uncomfortable lecturing in front of a large audience, but 1 on 1 he is very personable and perfectly willing to help.
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