Chapter 251 Invitation From the Clay Mathematics Institute

After arranging relevant research and development, the work of the Nuclear Energy Research Institute has officially entered the second stage.

With this group of researchers, Xu Chuan devoted his energy to the research and development of new semiconductor materials.

If you simply copy the material in your mind, it won't actually take too long.

Give him enough materials and equipment, and two or three assistants, and he can produce the corresponding finished product in about twenty days at most.

This is because the manufacturing process of semiconductor materials is relatively complicated. If it were the previous protective materials, he could finish it in ten days.

After all, the mechanism technology of nuclear energy beta radiation energy concentration and conversion into electrical energy was the result of his first Nobel Prize in his previous life. He is very clear about every detail and has an indelible memory in his mind.

Simple reproduction does not actually use much time, money and materials for him.

You can directly take out the results of your previous life, and it's like cheating the whole process, knowing all the best routes to synthesize the materials, without any other research and development processes, without any other experimental data, this is too strange.

Materials research and development is not like solving mathematical problems. Mathematics only requires you to publish the proof process. As for how much work you did before writing the proof process, most people don't care. You only need to be able to explain the doubts of your peers. enough.

But every step and every piece of data in materials research and development is recorded in equipment and data, and these things are of high value.

Of course, the process of solving mathematical problems also has high value, but this value is more personal.

On the other hand, I took this opportunity to collect some material data for computational chemistry modeling.

Computational chemistry models require huge amounts of experimental data on chemical materials, which is why Xuchuan teamed up with two top universities, Shuimu and Nanjing University.

If possible, after the model is initially completed, go to other top universities to borrow their chemical experiment databases.

Including Princeton, it would be great if you can borrow it.

In addition, the one billion project scientific research funds are still the first batch, so there is no way it will be used, right?

Although he did not do much research in China in his previous life, he still knew the allocation methods and usage process of domestic scientific research funds.

After all, he followed Academician Chen Zhengping during his university and doctoral studies. He was often exposed to various experiments and was responsible for many projects.

In a sense, there is something strange or interesting about domestic scientific research funding.

Limited by the expenditure system of domestic scientific research funds, if there is still scientific research diameter left by the time the project is completed, not only will no one praise you, but you may be criticized.

Although usually the project can be completed before all the funds are spent, it does not necessarily mean that all the funds are spent before the project can be completed.

After all, it is difficult to spend all the project funds just right, and there will usually be a surplus or shortage.

But if you still have a lot of scientific research funds left after your project is completed, for example, if you apply for 1 million in funding, and there is more than 20% left after the project is completed, there is an 80-90% chance that you will be charged for refunding it. batch.

On the one hand, the reason lies in some deep-rooted ideas in China.

For example, you can only do things if you can spend money, but you won't be able to do anything without spending money. As long as you can produce results, you can spend a lot of money, and no one will say that you are wasting scientific research funds.

On the other hand, having so much leftover shows that your budget control is unreasonable.

If you still have a large balance that has not been used up after the project is completed, the person in charge of the review may blame you for why you applied for so many in the first place, and why you didn't do any planning and calculations yourself?

Then they will make a note for you in the notebook. Next time you apply for scientific research funds, they may give you a discount or something. For example, if you apply for 1 million, you will be approved for 800,000 or something. This is nothing unusual.

Of course, these are all for ordinary professors or scientific researchers.

For academician-level giants, if there is a balance of scientific research funds, no one will say anything. Instead, they will think that you are saving money for the country.

As for Xu Chuan himself, he will not take the scientific research funds approved by the state into his own pocket, and he has no intention of saving money as long as the corresponding money is used where it should be used.

Whether it is cultivating talents for the country or building a computational chemistry mathematical model, these are necessary expenses.

The busy days in the laboratory passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the beginning of December of the lunar calendar. If we count the solar calendar, it was already January of the new year 2019.

On this day, Xu Chuan had just finished breakfast and was about to change his lab coat and enter the laboratory when a call came to his mobile phone.

I took out the phone and looked at it. It was President Liu Gaojun of Nanjing University calling.

"Hey, Professor Xu, I didn't disturb your research." The phone was connected and a smiling voice came from the other end.

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "I was just about to enter the laboratory. Principal, your call was really accurate."

"Fortunately, if you go in now, I guess I have to wait until noon." Liu Gaojun laughed on the other end of the phone.

This person is now famous throughout the academic world for not even answering the Nobel Prize call when he enters the laboratory.

Xu Chuan smiled and asked: "Principal, do you have anything to do with me?"

"Well, it's like this. This year has passed, and many outstanding students have been born here. Isn't it almost winter vacation? The annual outstanding person selection activity held by the school will start in two days. I wonder if it is convenient for you to come and give awards to the students of our school, give a speech to encourage them, etc."

"So that's it. I thought the school was going to give me an award." Xu Chuan suddenly understood and said with a smile.

"If you want, we can also arrange a best professor award for you." Liu Gaojun laughed and teased on the other end of the phone.

Xu Chuan blushed and couldn't help coughing twice, saying: "Ahem, forget it, this is not a joke."

He is a Nobel Prize and Fields Medal winner. He went to compete with a group of college students and university professors for awards. Isn't it embarrassing?

And after he returned to China in August this year, although he was given the title of professor at Nanjing University, he had never taught a class. The school awarded him the best professor, which was a sure thing. Tsk tsk, it's hard to say.

After a pause, he continued, "When is the specific time? Let me check my arrangements."

Liu Gaojun: "It's two days later, January 10th. After this meeting, the school will almost have winter vacation."

Xu Chuan thought about it and said, "That shouldn't be a problem. I'll go back on the 10th."

Liu Gaojun smiled and said, "Then thank you."

After hanging up the phone, Xu Chuan put his phone in his pocket and put on his white coat.

Speaking of which, after he won the Nobel Prize, he didn't seem to have given a lecture or speech at Nanjing University, although Nanjing University didn't mention it. It was just right for him to go back this time.

Shaking his head, Xu Chuan withdrew his thoughts. Just as he was about to enter the laboratory, the phone in his pocket vibrated again.

This made him a little curious. How could someone call him so punctually when he was at work?

He took out his phone and saw an unfamiliar number on the caller ID. From the beginning, it seemed to be from the country opposite his feet.

After thinking about it, he still answered the call.

With his thumb brushing lightly across the screen, Xu Chuan asked, "Hello, who is this?"

"Hello, Professor Xu, I am James Carlson, the director of the Clay Mathematics Institute. I hope I am not disturbing you." A middle-aged man's voice came from the other side of the phone.

Hearing the other party's self-introduction, Xu Chuan immediately understood and smiled, "Hello, Professor Carlson."

"It's a pleasure to call you. I wonder if you are available to talk now." James Carlson asked with a smile.

"Of course." Xu Chuan nodded in response. He probably understood what the other party wanted to talk to him about.

On the other side, Carlson cleared his throat and then said solemnly: "Dear Professor Xu Chuan, I am James Carlson, director of the Clay Mathematics Institute and chairman of the scientific advisory committee."

"Based on the review opinions of the six reviewers who reviewed the Hodge conjecture proof paper, as well as the opinions of the International Mathematical Union and the submission object "Mathematical Annals", and after a year of precipitation, we believe that you have completed the proof of the 'Hodge standard conjecture', one of the seven millennium problems."

"The solution to this problem will have a huge driving force on the development and application of mathematics. We sincerely thank you for your contribution to the development of mathematics and even the world's science."

"Therefore, after a vote by all members of the Clay Institute's board of directors and the board of directors, you will receive the one million yuan prepared by the Clay Mathematics Institute in advance."

"The award ceremony will be held on January 20, 2019, at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. We look forward to your arrival. The relevant invitation letter and detailed emails have been sent to your mailbox. Please check it in time."

On the phone, James Carlson said what Xu Chuan expected in a clear and loud voice, but it was a bit unexpected.

"Wait, I remember the award ceremony for the seven millennium problems of the Clay Mathematics Institute was held at the Collège de France in Paris. Why did it move to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton this time?"

Listening to Carlson's words, Xu Chuan interrupted him curiously and asked.

On the other side, James Carlson smiled and replied: "On the one hand, of course, it is to make this grand event bigger. Believe us, holding it at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton will make this century ceremony more glorious!"

"On the other hand, don't you think that the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton is now the real holy land of mathematics?"

"Although the French Academy in Paris was once glorious, it is a thing of the past, and now the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton is the top honor."

"Each solution to the seven millennium problems is worthy of the top mathematics academy to award it."

Xu Chuan nodded and said, "So that's the case."

Carlson smiled and said, "Yes, plus Princeton is also your alma mater, so after comprehensive consideration, we will move the award ceremony to the United States. We look forward to your arrival."

Xu Chuan: "I will consider it."

After hanging up the phone, Xu Chuan shook his head.

For him, moving the award ceremony for the seven millennium problems from the French Academy in Paris to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton is a clear intention for everyone.

Perhaps the Clay Mathematics Institute did want to make the award ceremony more grand and glorious, and the Institute for Advanced Study was also happy to accept the award ceremony, after all, it was the honor of the seven Millennium Problems.

But the idea of ​​moving the award ceremony was definitely not the Clay Institute's own.

They can't break the rules they set. Anyone with this power can guess it with their toes.

If he goes, he will definitely not come back.

Let alone moving the award ceremony from the French Academy in Paris to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, even if the award ceremony is still in the original place, he can't go out.

A Nobel Prize medal may allow him and China to take risks, but the Clay Mathematics Award is not eligible. One million dollars sounds like a lot, even close to the Nobel Prize, but without the honor bonus, it's just that.

Shaking his head, Xu Chuan hung up the phone and put the phone back into his pocket.

A voice sounded in his ear: "Professor, I just seemed to hear about the Clay Mathematics Institute and the seven millennium problems, and one million dollars. Is it the one about the Hodge conjecture? Are you going to receive the award?"

He turned his head and saw a young researcher next to him looking at him with curiosity and expectation.

Nodding, Xu Chuan replied: "Indeed, the Clay Mathematics Institute just called me and invited me to receive the award."

"Wow! Great professor! When will the award be received? Will it be broadcast live like the Nobel Prize ceremony?" The young researcher exclaimed, and then asked excitedly.

Xu Chuan shook his head and said, "But I'm not going."

Hearing this, the young researcher was stunned for a moment and asked in surprise: "Why? This is a prize of one million gold?"

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "Because I don't have time."

"This is one of the seven millennium problems, professor, you really don't plan to go?" The young researcher asked in disbelief.

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "Yes, but it has been solved, right? Its honor comes from itself, not an award."

"Just like Perelman, even if he didn't go to receive the award, no one can deny that he solved the Poincare conjecture."

"Okay, get ready for work. Work hard these days and strive to get the second-stage semiconductor materials out as soon as possible, so that we can take a year-end holiday and rest more."

Hearing this, the young researcher opened his mouth, wanting to say something but stopped, but after mumbling for a while, he didn't say anything else and turned into the laboratory.

Xu Chuan smiled and didn't tell the other party the truth that he didn't go to receive the award. After all, there are still many scholars who want to study abroad, and it is not appropriate to make the relationship too stiff.

Comparatively, he now hopes to finish the work at hand earlier.

If everything goes well, the second-stage semiconductor materials can be completed around the New Year's Eve. As for testing, it depends on whether there is anyone willing to stay on duty at the institute during the New Year.

If there is, some tests can be done during the New Year; if not, it is also okay to wait until after the New Year to test.

He can still distinguish between work and life.

Although he often stays up late to work overtime, he still needs to take a good rest during the Chinese New Year, at least, he needs to spend time with his family.

As for the award from the Clay Mathematics Institute, he will email them again in the evening.

If they are willing to move the award ceremony to China, he is still willing to receive the award. After all, it is better to give him a million US dollars.

But in the United States, forget it.