Great Country Academician

Two days of exchange reports, two days of meeting regulations, plus some time spent on receiving awards and other matters, Xu Chuan has been in Stockholm for nearly a week.

For a week, he didn't have much time to rest in the first few days. He had to deal with greetings from friends in the academic circle, lectures, and international scientific symposiums.

The first two are okay to say, just deal with it and you'll be done.

But the latter cannot be dealt with.

The international scientific symposium following the Crawford Prize, both deliberative and qualitative, is the way forward for the field corresponding to the laureate's discipline.

This meeting is very intrusive.

The mathematics meeting was a bit simpler. Although Xu Chuan won the Craford Mathematics Award, there are too many top experts in the mathematics field, and he does not need to pay attention to this aspect right now.

The core of the meeting was the communication among top leaders such as Deligne, Faltings, Gowers, Tao Zhexuan, and Xu Chuan occasionally interjected a few words to express his own views.

Moreover, the path of mathematics does not need to be guided by the international scientific symposium after the Craford Award. This conference, after all, the subject of mathematics, has its own international mathematics conference.

Therefore, this meeting is not so much a discussion meeting for planning the development of mathematics, as it is an exchange between big cows.

Xu Chuan also barely entered the ranks of 'big cows'. Although it's just hanging at the end for now.

On the contrary, it is impossible to make soy sauce in the conference of astronomy.

Because of the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem, the method of actuarial calculation of celestial parameters is very important to the astronomy community.

It is possible to more accurately calculate some parameter information of distant celestial bodies, although not all, and even a small part of the various information needed by the astronomical community, it is still extremely important.

Because it can assist astronomers to more accurately judge the state of distant celestial bodies, it is undoubtedly very important for the future of mankind.

Betelgeuse, for example.

This red supergiant star, which is 640 light-years away, has been active as an observation target in the astronomy community since Xu Chuan revealed that there is an accompanying star in its hydrogen envelope.

Numerous telescopes, satellites and other astronomical equipment have all focused their eyes on this huge old star, hoping to find more secrets from it, or judge its current precise life state.

Betelgeuse is too close to Earth.

The distance of 640 light years sounds very far away, but on the scale of the universe, it is no different from that you live in 403 and it lives in 404. You open the door and it is its home, and it opens the door and it is your home.

And this neighbor also installed hundreds of catties of TNT at home.

Once it explodes, no one knows whether the wall between the two houses can stop it.

This is what astronomers are worried about now, although according to previous observations and calculations, the explosive power will leak through the window of 403 and will not affect 404.

But now someone suddenly told you that the wall between your two houses may be of inferior quality, or that the TNT explosives may be directional blasting, and may face your home.

Who can not worry about this?

At the astronomy discussion meeting of the Crawford Award, Xu Chuan, as the founder of the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem actuarial parameter calculation method, made remarks that are naturally related to it.

It can be said that it is the lifelong dream of every researcher or scholar to promote the method created by oneself.

Even Father Einstein and Grothendieck, who didn’t like their achievements being used in the military, burned their manuscripts in their old age, and lived in seclusion in middle age, still hope to see their research results one day Is widely used in the scientific community, proven day.

Xu Chuan naturally hopes that his research results will be widely used in the scientific community and all walks of life.

However, compared with the astronomical community, the mathematical tools used in the method of actuarial calculation of celestial parameters using the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem are somewhat too esoteric.

Although this is nothing to the mathematics community, for astronomers in the astronomy community who can only use mathematical methods such as Kepler's third law, it is tantamount to a book from the sky, and they can't understand it.

For this, Xu Chuan has no good solution for the time being.

This is not something that can be solved overnight, just waiting for these astronomers to learn to use this tool.

However, at the meeting, Xu Chuan still had another thought that popped up in his heart that he didn't say.

That is modeling.

A mathematical model is established for the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem actuarial calculation method of celestial parameters.

Although the calculation of different parameter information, different celestial bodies, and even different types of stars, such as red dwarfs, orange dwarfs, and brown dwarfs, require different methods and different torsion transformations for the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem.

Even Xu Chuan himself has not started to study and deal with it, but it can be unified after all, and the types of stars are limited.

Stars, planets, neutron stars, black holes, and all kinds of celestial bodies, even if they are classified according to small units, the number of types can be counted.

In addition, the root of all calculation methods lies in the twisting of the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem. If he doesn't mind the trouble, he might be able to write a complete set of mathematical models after spending a few years or more than ten years.

At that time, astronomers only need to input the corresponding observed parameters into the mathematical model, and then click a button to calculate the required parameter information.

This is not like the calculation of particle channels by mathematical methods at CERN before, which cannot be used universally and cannot be modeled.

The method of Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem actuarial calculation of celestial parameters can establish a mathematical model, although a lot of things need to be written, but it can be done.

Undoubtedly, this is very convenient.

But for Xu Chuan, this is a super troublesome and time-consuming thing.

If it was someone else, they might have expressed their thoughts at the meeting with a bang on their foreheads, and then they would be harassed by the astronomy community day and night.

After all, he is the only one who has the ability to make this model.

So for his own peace, Xu Chuan directly held this thought in his heart.

Wait a few years, when enough people in mathematics or astronomy understand the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem, this idea can be brought up.

Of course, the more important thing is that his ambition is not in the astronomical field, and he doesn't pay much attention to the achievements of the astronomical field.

After all, as far as the current technology is concerned, even if he has played around in the astronomy world and found hundreds of terrestrial planets or immigratable planets, or discovered some great achievements, or even found the legendary white hole or something Yes, not much use.

These discoveries may earn him a Nobel Prize and greater stature in the astronomical community. But to be honest, he is not very interested in the Nobel Prize, nor is he interested in the status of the astronomy community.

It can even be said that those awards that have not been won, such as the Crawford Award, the Abel Award, the Wolf Award and other awards are more attractive to him.

Or, using the knowledge in his mind to perfect a technology or theory is more satisfying than gaining a higher status in the astronomical world.

After staying in Stockholm for a week, Xu Chuan won the Craford Prize in Mathematics and Astronomy, two medals made of pure gold, two certificates and a bonus of one million meters of gold.

The prize money for the Crawford Award is 500,000 meters in gold for a single item, and he won the mathematics award and the astronomy award at the same time, which is 1 million meters in gold.

In terms of the amount of prize money alone, almost two Craford Prizes are worth one Nobel Prize.

But in fact, in terms of individual prize money, the prize money of the Crawford Prize often exceeds that of the Nobel Prize.

The reason is simple. Nobel Prizes are usually awarded to two or three people.

As for the Crawford Award, most of the time, there is basically only one winner.

If the Nobel Prize is awarded to three people, the three people will share the prize money of about 1 million meters equally, and each person will have about 330,000 meters of gold. This is not comparable to the Craford Award.

Of course, the significance of an award does not lie in the amount of the bonus.

The bonus is just an incidental gift to the winners, more or less, it is just a symbolic meaning.

After all, those who can win the Nobel Prize or the Craford Award have made contributions to academia or society that far exceed the bonuses they can get from these awards.

With the certificate and the bonus, Xu Chuan returned to Princeton and returned to the campus study life.

"Xu, are you ready to graduate?"

In Professor Pierre Deligne's office, both Witten and Deligne were there, and the two old men looked at Xu Chuan who was sitting on the other side and asked.

This was something the two old professors discussed when Xu Chuan was still giving a report in Stockholm.

After all, their student's achievements in mathematics and physics are enough to graduate from Princeton.

Although he has only been in Princeton for more than half a year, Princeton does not pay attention to this, whether it is half a year or three years, Princeton only cares about ability.

The ability is enough, not to mention graduating in half a year, it is no problem to study for half a year and then directly work as a professor in Princeton.

"It's too early, teacher, I still have a lot to learn."

Xu Chuan shook his head and replied that he was already able to graduate, but graduating now is not in line with his original intention of coming to Princeton.

He came here to study mathematics and physics, to acquire knowledge.

Especially after he has seen that when he has enough mathematical ability, he will have a subtle chemical reaction with physics or other subjects, so he doesn't want to graduate early.

Now there are two super masters, Witten and Deligne, as his mentors. Before the knowledge of these two mentors is squeezed out, it is better to postpone graduation for a while.

Both Deligne and Witten have enough knowledge to teach him.

"Are you really not thinking about graduating?"

Deligne took a sip of coffee and continued, "You can still choose to stay in Princeton after graduation."

"Whether it's postdoctoral studies or applying for a professorship at Princeton, it's all possible. After you have won the Crawford Prize in Mathematics, you are fully qualified to be a full professor at Princeton University."

Hearing this, Xu Chuan smiled and said, "Nineteen-year-old Princeton University professor, this really broke history. I remember that the youngest full professor in Princeton seems to be thirty-five-year-old Professor Shi Yigong?"

Deligne nodded and said, "Professor Shi is a very good person, but what about your choice?"

Xu Chuan declined with a smile, and said, "Nineteen-year-old full professor of Princeton, this is indeed very tempting, but in comparison, I would rather study here."

This answer is actually a pun.

It not only answered Professor Deligne's question, but also meant that he would not be a professor at Princeton, this is just a place for him to study.

Of course, Xu Chuan didn't mind the titles of honorary professor or tenured professor that he didn't have to hold.

"Since you insist, it's up to you."

Regarding Xu Chuan's choice, Deligne and Witten had no surprises, this student has always been like this.

What's more, the age of eighteen or nineteen is the time to study.

Although you can study after graduation, studying on campus and studying in society are two completely different states.

Different identities, different status, the state of learning is naturally different.

After rejecting the early graduation proposal put forward by the two tutors, Xu Chuan re-entered his daily study.

It's just that it's December now, and there's not much left for this year's study time. After all, it's certain to go back for the New Year.

The days passed day by day like this, and in the blink of an eye, it was the middle and late December of the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

In a few more days, the Chinese New Year will be approaching.

At the same time, Xu Chuan also put away his desire to study a little, and prepared to buy a plane ticket to go home for the New Year.

But to some surprise, before leaving, he often went to the Ivy Eating Club of Princeton University. He did not know where he found out about his birthday in the lunar calendar. He rented the auditorium of the school and held a birthday party for him.

There were quite a few people attending the party. Besides the members of the club, there were many other students, and even several top professors such as Deligne, Witten, and Fefferman came.

Although these professors just came to say happy birthday and left, it is really touching that some people remember his birthday in a foreign country.

After spending 12 days in his hometown, Xu Chuan bid farewell to his parents and returned to Princeton again.

Compared with last year's high-profile, he has made certain achievements in mathematics, physics, astronomy and other fields. After the start of school this year, he will undoubtedly be much more low-key.

Except for some awards that were awarded to him, other things, whether it was interviews or coming to him to give reports, were all rejected by him.

In this way, Xu Chuan followed the two tutors and devoted himself to learning mathematics and physics knowledge.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half a year has passed, and it is July.

In mid-July, a big event happened in the mathematics world.

So far, the only woman who has won the Fields Medal in mathematics, Professor Mariam Mirzakhani, died of breast cancer on July 15th.

Only forty years old.