Great Country Academician

Tong Yang's graduation defense progressed naturally quite smoothly.

The defense scores came soon. Two of the five academicians gave full marks, and the remaining three also gave high scores of over ninety-five points.

For students who can publish an article in one of the four major journals during their doctoral studies, even if the defense judges are several academicians, there is nothing to criticize.

This achievement, let alone in China, even among the top universities abroad, is still among the top few.

After passing the graduation defense, the graduation ceremony was moved to the auditorium of NTU.

Tong Yang was the only student participating in this graduation ceremony. After all, this was not a regular graduation season.

However, the school will prepare the necessary procedures, even if there is only one person. It’s just that the people who will participate in the graduation ceremony are different.

Looking at the student in front of him, Xu Chuan put the graduation certificate and degree certificate into his hands with a smile on his face.

"Classmate Tong Yang, you have performed well in school and have completed all your credits."

“After review and evaluation by our school’s Degree Committee, you will be approved for graduation and awarded a Doctor of Science degree and a diploma in Applied Mathematics from Nanjing University.”

"May your erudition and wisdom, like the bright starlight, illuminate your path forward and lead you to a more glorious future! May you climb higher peaks on the academic road and create greater glory!"

Tong Yang solemnly received the graduation certificate and degree certificate, bowed respectfully to Xu Chuan and the school leaders in front of him, and said: "Thank you, my mentor, for your guidance over the years, and thank you NTU for cultivating me. I will definitely be a student." Don’t forget your original intention.”

Xu Chuan smiled happily, patted his shoulder and said, "Congratulations on your graduation. I won't say much else. The next journey is up to you."

Tong Yang nodded with a smile and said, "Instructor, I have decided to accept the invitation from the School of Mathematics at NTU."

Between working in a research institute or other institution, or working as a mathematics professor in a university, he still prefers the latter.

Although the latter may be much inferior to the former in terms of salary, as Xu Chuan said, he still has some talent in mathematics and is qualified and capable to continue on this road.

Of course, more importantly, he loves it himself.

For the subject of mathematics, if you don't love it, it will be difficult to continue on this road.

Now that you have decided to try it in depth, the position of professor in a university is more outstanding than that of other research institutions.

As for choosing NTU, do you need to explain why?

Hearing Tong Yang's decision, Xu Chuan was not too surprised. He smiled and said: "Come on! If you don't understand anything in research, you are welcome to come to me at any time."

Tong Yang replied respectfully: "Thank you, Professor."

After handling Tong Yang's graduation defense and graduation ceremony, Xu Chuan returned to his office with several academicians who came specially.

After the assistant made a pot of tea, they started chatting in the office.

After taking a sip of the tea in the cup, Qiu Chengtong looked at Xu Chuan with a smile and asked, "Speaking of which, have you studied mathematics recently?"

Xu Chuan nodded and said: "Of course, it's just that I was busy with other research during this period and didn't spend all my time on mathematics."

"Or the Riemann Hypothesis?" Qiu Chengtong quickly asked: "Is there any progress?"

Xu Chuan shook his head and said, "Not yet."

Qiu Chengtong smiled and said, "Then you have to hurry up."

Hearing this, Xu Chuan looked over with some doubts: "How do you say that?"

Qiu Chengtong smiled, took a sip of tea, and said, "I heard from my friends that Professor Faltings seems to have made considerable progress in advancing the Riemann Hypothesis, and it may be possible to solve this problem."

After a slight pause, he looked at Xu Chuan and said with a smile: "If you don't hurry up, maybe the Riemann Hypothesis will be solved by that Germanic old man."

In the world of mathematics, if we say who is most likely to solve the Riemann Hypothesis, then Xu Chuan is undoubtedly the recognized first person. He is also the scholar who is considered by almost all mathematicians to be closest to the Riemann Hypothesis.

And below this, if we want to take second place, I believe that more than 99% of mathematicians will vote for the arrogant and stubborn Germanic old man, Gerd Fahr of the Max Planck Institute of Mathematics. Professor Ertings.

Before Xu Chuan appeared, Professor G. Faltings was not only recognized as the number one person in mathematics, but he was at least among the top two.

In other words, no matter who comes in the contemporary mathematics world, this old man can PK and compete.

And his research on the Riemann Hypothesis is deeper than anyone else.

No one knows how far the Germanic old man's research on the Riemann Hypothesis has progressed, or it may even be possible that one day he suddenly announces that he has solved this difficult problem.

Xu Chuan was not surprised that Professor Faltings was studying the Riemann Hypothesis. He smiled and said, "If he can solve the Riemann Hypothesis, then I will send my most sincere blessings."

This is indeed what he thinks.

For him, it doesn't matter who solved the Riemann Hypothesis, as long as it can be verified to be correct.

After all, his eyes are not on the Riemann Hypothesis, or in other words, the Riemann Hypothesis may be a ladder to another problem he is trying to solve.

If someone can solve the Riemann hypothesis, he may be able to glimpse the secrets of prime numbers and the universe, and find the space-time bridge leading to a more distant universe, which is his goal.

To a certain extent, he even hopes that someone else can solve the Riemann hypothesis.

Because this can save him a lot of time.

After all, even if he has solved three millennium problems, he dare not say that he can definitely solve this century problem.

However, based on his understanding of the Riemann hypothesis, I am afraid that this burden will eventually fall on him.

If he fails to solve this problem, perhaps he can only count on the next generation or even the next generation.

Qiu Chengtong looked at him in surprise and said, "You really don't care?"

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "It's a lie to say I don't care. I'm afraid there is no mathematician who doesn't care. After all, it's the Riemann hypothesis, the most difficult of the seven millennium problems."

"But."

After a pause, he smiled and said, "Even if you care, so what? For problems of this level, whether you care or not has nothing to do with whether you can solve it."

"On the contrary, the more you care, the more you will find the path to the answer."

Beside the sofa, Academician Zhang Gongqing smiled and said, "You are open-minded. If I had the opportunity to solve the problem closest to the truth, the Riemann hypothesis, I would probably devote myself to it when I was young."

On the side, Rong Zhizhuan, dean of the School of Mathematics of Nanjing University, smiled and said, "He has been like this since college. He never fixes himself in one field."

"Perhaps this is the key to his ability to create so many glories, but normal people don't have this. I'm afraid that just one subject is enough to exhaust the energy of most people."

Xu Chuan smiled and said nothing.

He was able to create so many achievements in just ten years in this life, and the most important thing was the foundation laid in the previous life.

Without the knowledge, experience and training of the previous life, even if he was extremely talented, he could not bloom in multiple fields at the same time.

After talking about the important achievements and latest progress in the field of mathematics for a while, the meeting gathered together for Tong Yang's doctoral graduation defense was almost over.

Dean Rong Zhizhuan of the School of Mathematics took away Academician Zhang Gongqing of Peking University and Academician Chen Zhiming of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, leaving the other three.

Seeing that the others had almost left, Academician Li Jun, who was sitting next to him, smiled and said: "Academician Xu, to be honest, I came here this time to ask for something."

Several academicians came to participate in Tong Yang's graduation defense and served as judges, naturally not because his paper was so excellent.

After all, at the level of academicians, a paper in the four majors is not something worth going to in person for them.

Apart from Academician Zhang Weiping, Qiu Chengtong and Academician Zhang Gongqing who was brought here by him, the other two came here to have some work exchanges with Xu Chuan.

Xu Chuan looked at the dean of the Magic City Institute of Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Studies with curiosity and said, "Please speak, Academician Li."

Academician Li Jun organized his words and said with a smile, "Mathematics is the cornerstone of modern science. Basic mathematics is very important. It is undoubtedly the foundation of modern science. But the impact of cross-applications is becoming more and more far-reaching. In the 1990s, financial mathematics emerged, and Wall Street was full of mathematical talents."

"Including the hot artificial intelligence in this decade, Alpha Go, ChatGPT, big models and other breakthrough technologies and products are all supported by mathematics. "

"The original intention and mission of the Shanghai Institute of Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Studies is to promote the research and application of mathematics and its interdisciplinary subjects."

"On this basis, I would like to invite you to join this platform with Xinghai Research Institute, Chuanhai Materials Research Institute, and Chuanhai Network Technology Co., Ltd. to achieve resource complementarity and talent cultivation."

After listening to Academician Li Jun's words, Xu Chuan asked with interest: "It sounds interesting. Do you want to build a mathematics center that intersects basic mathematics and applied mathematics?"

Academician Li Jun nodded and said: "Yes, we have invited top universities such as Shanghai Jiaotong University and Fudan University, as well as companies such as ByteDance, Kuanyu Digital Technology, and YTO Express to jointly build an internationally leading basic science platform that integrates basic research, talent introduction, and talent training. "

"It would be great if you could join. "

Although the man in front of him is much younger than him, his status in the domestic academic community can be said to be unique.

If the Magic City Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Research Institute wants to develop smoothly, getting his support is the easiest and most convenient way.

Xu Chuan thought for a while and said, "Can I see the relevant information?"

"Of course."

Academician Li Jun quickly took out a stack of documents from his briefcase and handed it over, saying with a smile, "This is the plan of the Magic City Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Research Institute, you can take a look."

On the side, Qiu Chengtong smiled and said, "I am actually the one who pushed this project behind the scenes, including Lao Yang, who also mentioned it. The main purpose is to cultivate talents in the field of basic science."

"To put it simply, it starts from college and even high school, and specifically cultivates talents in basic science fields such as mathematics and physics. I believe you know better than me the importance of basic science to applied science. Improving basic research and original innovation capabilities will naturally produce subversive results."

"In China, to be honest, there is no similar platform organization at present."

"Your Xinghai Research Institute follows a path similar to the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study + Max Planck Society, but it is still lacking at a more basic level."

"And the establishment of the Magic City Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Research Institute can complement the Xinghai Research Institute to a certain extent."

On the sofa, Xu Chuan flipped through the documents in his hand while listening to Qiu Chengtong's story.

From the starting point, the establishment of the Magic City Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Research Institute is indeed good, and it also makes up for some deficiencies in the field of basic mathematics in China.

However, whether it can develop is indeed an unknown.

After all, there are at least 800 similar institutions in China, if not 1,000.

Basically, each province and even each university will set up a similar research institute, but in the end, they are basically considered to be cold, without much noise.

For example, the Yanqi Lake Institute of Applied Mathematics, which Qiu Chengtong led to build in Shuimu, is not it.

Flipping through the report documents in his hand, Xu Chuan thought for a while and said: "I definitely support it. There is no problem with the title of honorary director."

"But I still need to consider the cooperation with the Xinghai Institute and other units."

Do your job.

As the leader of many research institutions such as the Xinghai Institute, he has a lot to consider.

Compared with Qiu's Yanqi Lake Institute of Applied Mathematics, this Shanghai Institute of Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Studies has bigger goals and more ideas. It wants to cover the entire field of mathematics and learn from the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study to absorb talents from all over the world.

There is no doubt that this is a huge goal.

But behind the huge goal naturally means huge problems.

To be honest, in his opinion, the Shanghai Institute of Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Studies really does not have such ability.

Even if there are two academicians Qiu Chengtong and Li Jun behind it, and there are universities such as Fudan and Shanghai Jiaotong to support it, it cannot support such a research platform.

The cooperation this time is nominally inviting him to cooperate with Xinghai Research Institute, but the deeper meaning is actually to use chickens to lay eggs.

Using the strength of Xinghai Research Institute to promote the development of Magic City Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Research Institute.

For example, they can provide basic talents to other research institutions and help other research institutes develop through "secondment"; for example, provide in-depth training opportunities for researchers of other researchers, etc.

Simply put, they want to poach people while digging out resources, digging out talents from other research institutes and universities to cultivate their own institutions.

The idea of ​​Magic City is quite ruthless.