New Advanced Lecture Series on Fundamentals of Thermodynamics

What You Will Learn in the Series

In this 18-part lecture series, Prof. Ågren takes a deep dive into the fundamentals of thermodynamics, discussing the ideas behind thermodynamics, such as equilibrium states and phase diagrams, driving forces and thermodynamic models, how to apply thermodynamics to practical problems using CALPHAD technology, and how to formulate thermodynamic models. The lectures begin by discussing the concepts behind thermodynamics, then move on to the mathematical equations that represent the phenomenon, the methods to treat the mathematics, and finally how to implement the ideas into computational modeling. It is a full university level course based on the syllabus Professor Ågren taught for over 30 years.

Intended Audience for the Lecture Series

The lecture series is intended for anyone who uses or is interested in CALPHAD tools and would like a deeper understanding of their basis, but it will be most useful to those who have a graduate or postgraduate understanding of thermodynamics and who want a refresher in the subject, for instance someone who is revisiting the topic after time away or who is preparing to defend their thesis. Additionally, the series would be useful for those who have a background in engineering math, physics, or chemistry at an undergraduate level, and want to learn about thermodynamics.

~The series would probably be too advanced for someone at an undergraduate level who is just starting to learn about thermodynamics, says Ågren, or someone who is looking for an introduction to the subject. I designed it for those who are more advanced and want to revisit the topic or learn about it in an easily accessible way. But, he continues, I would never discourage someone from watching, if they’re interested in learning.

Not Needed to Use Thermo-Calc

Although the topics covered in the series discuss the science behind CALPHAD-based tools like Thermo-Calc, this level of knowledge is far beyond what is needed to use them. Professor Ågren explains,

~The series was never intended to help people use Thermo-Calc. This level of understanding simply isn’t needed. In the same way that you don’t need to know coding to play a video game, you also don’t need to know the foundational models to use Thermo-Calc. The series was produced for educational purposes for those who are interested in learning about the science behind the tools.

Access the Lecture Series

The lecture series is freely available and does not require registration. You can view the videos at the link below: