Published on 2023-02-12 20:31 | VIP Chapter

In the end, Xu Chuan accepted Amelia as his student.

Although it feels a little awkward to accept a former acquaintance as a student, it is not a big deal.

In fact, academic circles don't pay much attention to this matter, not to mention that he and Amelia are not very close. The two only had some interactions during IPHO, and they didn't even leave their contact information.

If we want to talk about awkwardness, it is actually a bit awkward in traditional culture for students to be older than their tutors.

Among the students he had selected before, the oldest Roger Dean was already thirty-one years old, which was more than ten years older than him who was only twenty years old.

It's just that those who achieve first come first. This is not a big deal.

When Terence Tao first became a mathematics professor at the University of California, he was only twenty-four years old, and most of the students he taught were older than him.

Although Xu Chuan was a little surprised by the admission of an extra student, it was nothing serious.

To him, taking care of three students is a leader, and taking four students is also a leader.

It's just that Amelia's original tutor was probably in trouble, because an extremely outstanding student just flew away.

But there’s nothing you can do about it. After all, you can’t stop others from pursuing a better future. (Why does this sound so weird?)

Although the professors at Princeton are awesome, it depends on who they compare with. They are indeed very good compared with other schools, but compared with a top professor who has proved the seven millennium problems, they are far behind.

Moreover, Princeton has not officially admitted students yet, and there is no requirement that students must go after Princeton has issued a letter of admission to the students.

Only rubbish universities will use admission notices to bind students and recruit students.

The world's top prestigious schools like Princeton, Harvard, and Yale don't bother to do this kind of thing. Whether you love them or not, they don't lack a student for you.

The days in Princeton passed like this day by day, and the time came to mid-to-late January in the blink of an eye.

Because he promised his alma mater that he would rush back to receive the award and give a speech before the winter vacation, Xu Chuan bought a plane ticket in advance and flew back to his country.

After landing and getting off the plane, when Xu Chuan dragged his luggage out of the airport, he immediately saw the person who came to pick him up.

There was no way around it, the big red banner hanging in the waiting hall was too eye-catching, and no one who came and went in the reception hall didn't take a second look at it when passing by.

[Congratulations to Xu Chuan, a doctoral student from our school, for solving the seven millennium problems Hodge’s conjecture!]

Pulling his luggage, Xu Chuan walked quickly towards the direction where the banner was hung, and the sharp-eyed photographer among the airport pick-up staff who was waiting there immediately grabbed the camera and went up.

Xu Chuan was no stranger to this scene. After all, when he proved the Weyl-Berry conjecture before, Nanda and Jinling had picked up the plane like this with great fanfare.

And this time he proved Hodge's conjecture, there is no reason why it will be weaker than last time.

After skillfully dealing with the media reporters, Xu Chuan greeted the leader who walked over quickly.

"Welcome home, classmate Xu Chuan."

The first person to greet him was Liu Gaojun, the president of Nanjing University. He didn't say anything like congratulations, but just patted him on the shoulder cordially to welcome him back.

Xu Chuan smiled and said hello. He could only say that the principal was indeed an administrator, and he felt very comfortable talking to him.

"Professor Xu, congratulations. You have proved the Hodge conjecture and solved another world-class problem."

On the other side, a middle-aged and elderly man walked over with a smile and extended his hands enthusiastically.

"This is what a scholar should do." Xu Chuan smiled and shook hands with the big boss in front of him. This scene made him feel quite familiar.

Familiar airport pick-up, familiar words, familiar reporters filming and interviewing, but the person speaking and shaking hands has changed from Mr. Jiang to Mr. Xu.

Although it is a bit surprising that such a big boss came to pick him up in person, it is actually nothing when compared to a scholar who has proved the seven millennium problems.

After all, the number of scholars who have proven the level of the seven millennium problems does not exceed double digits in the entire world.

For a scholar of this level, not to mention meeting Mr. Xu, it is not unusual to meet people with greater influence.

Of course, for a big boss like this, who is a frontier official, to personally come to pick him up at the airport is enough to show that the country attaches great importance to him.

After exchanging a few words at the airport and the news media reporters taking some photos, the group got into a special car.

After having a meal together, Xu Chuan followed several leaders of the school and rushed back to Nanjing University.

In the car, Rong Zhizhuan, the dean of the School of Mathematics, looked at Xu Chuan with a smile and said: "The school has arranged a graduation ceremony for you, and the defense and other matters will be omitted. You can just go through the process then."

Xu Chuan nodded and said, "I'd like to trouble the dean and all the leaders."

Liu Gaojun smiled at the side and said: "What's the trouble? It's an honor for NTU to have students like you."

After a pause, Principal Liu continued: "But speaking of which, the school has something else to trouble you with."

"Huh? What's the matter? Principal, tell me, as long as I can help."

"It's like this, aren't you working as a professor at Princeton now? It will take some time before you can return to China."

"After research and discussion in the school, I would like to ask you to have the title of honorary professor in the school. Just name it. It doesn't require you to work."

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "That's no problem."

Honorary professor usually refers to an honorary title awarded by universities to scholars who have made outstanding contributions in the academic world.

Most famous scholars have a lot of such titles.

It is similar to what is called "honorary doctorate" abroad. It is a very high honor. The awarder and the recipient are not bound by contract, and they are not bound by work, teaching, lectures, etc.

Given NTU’s reputation and historical heritage, the title of honorary professor is worthy of Xu Chuan’s status.

On the other hand, the Mathematics Department of NTU will definitely benefit from it.

After all, next year’s Philippine Prize winner Xu Chuan is guaranteed, and NTU’s School of Mathematics currently does not have a big figure like a Philippine Prize winner as an honorary professor.

There is no way, who makes NTU’s math department weak?

Not to mention being ranked internationally, even domestically, NTU’s School of Mathematics is not even ranked.

There is not a single academician in the mathematics department of a top 985 school, which explains the problem.

But when he returns to China next year to take up a position at NTU, the situation will be different.

A Fields Medal winner and a top mathematician who has proved seven millennium problems are enough to elevate the status of NTU’s School of Mathematics to the top in the country.

As for being world-class, it is not something that one person can achieve. It will take an extremely long time to accumulate.

Of course, having your alma mater be proud of a student's name is something to be proud of.

NTU, in the auditorium, the School of Engineering prepared a grand graduation ceremony for Xu Chuan.

There were no seats under the stage. Countless NTU students, from undergraduates to graduate students, to doctoral students, and even professors, were excited to see the figure in the center of the stage.

Envy, adoration, sigh, emotion, worship, jealousy. All kinds of emotions are intertwined and mixed in the auditorium, blending into an exciting and trembling atmosphere.

Especially for those students in the same class who are still in their senior year and have not yet graduated, they have mixed feelings in their hearts.

They watched this big boss rise with their own eyes.

Starting from the perfect score in the entrance speech, to the proof of the Weyl-Berry conjecture, to the double prize of Crafford mathematics and astronomy, to the Hodge conjecture among the seven millennium problems.

This big shot rose up at an astonishing speed. Even when they, who were at the same level, were still lamenting that they were about to graduate, he had already graduated twice and became a professor at Princeton, standing at the top of the mathematics world.

At the top, he became a god-like super boss.

In the past, who could have imagined that there would be such an elusive and unattainable god beside him, whose back could not even be seen.

Let alone thinking about it, I don’t think anyone has ever done this even in Meng.

On the stage, Xu Chuan wore a black and red academic gown and a square academic cap, and accepted the tasseled crown from the principal with a smile on his face.

Xu Chuan also felt a little melancholy when the red tassel moved from the right front side of the hat brim to the middle left front side, and naturally drooped to the side of his eyes.

As of today, he officially graduates.

"Congratulations, classmate Xu Chuan, I wish you greater, more and more magnificent achievements in your future academic career." After plucking the tassels and crowning the crown, Liu Gaojun smiled and handed the bouquet and degree certificate to Xu.

Chuan, there was emotion in his eyes.

The student in front of him is the best among all the students he has taught and encountered in his decades of academic career.

He was very lucky that he was the one who went to greet this student in person.

This journey brought to NTU a student who was already at the top of the academic world at the age of twenty.

With such an experience, I will have enough capital to brag to professors and leaders of other universities when I retire.

And it's the kind that can make the other person shed tears of envy and jealousy from his mouth.

Xu Chuan smiled and took the graduation certificate and bouquet from the principal, held it in his arms and bowed deeply.

Liu Gaojun patted his shoulder, hugged him gently, then turned around and walked down, leaving the stage to him.

Xu Chuan held his graduation certificate, looked at the school leaders and students sitting in the audience, took a deep breath, and slowly said:

"Three years ago, I stood here and gave a speech as a freshman representative. In the blink of an eye, three years later, I returned to this stage."

"As a student of NTU, I am honored to be standing here, and I am also grateful to my alma mater for giving me this opportunity to chat with my fellow students."

After a pause, Xu Chuan added: "Of course, many of you here may have been my seniors."

Hearing this, the audience suddenly burst into laughter, and the school leaders in the front row also laughed.

For Xu Chuan, it is definitely not his honor to stand here and give a speech with his current achievements, nor is it the opportunity given to him by Nanda, but it is the honor of Nanda and the request of Nanda.

In fact, Nanjing University has received a lot of promotions because of this student.
To be continued...