Volume 1: Student Life Chapter 477: Already Solved
The Morningside Mathematics Award includes the Gold Medal for Pure Mathematics and the Gold Medal for Applied Mathematics.
However, the gold medal in pure mathematics is definitely more valuable than the gold medal in applied mathematics.
As you can tell from the name, the gold medal for pure mathematics is called the Morningside Mathematics Award Gold Prize.
But the gold medal in applied mathematics is the Morningside Mathematics Award in Applied Mathematics.
This is also the natural chain of contempt between basic mathematics and applied mathematics.
In addition to the gold medal, there is the silver medal.
A lot of silver medals were awarded, which exceeded the original expectations and even broke the number of winners in each session.
At this United Mathematicians Conference, a total of eight people won the Morningside Mathematics Award Silver Medal.
This also made the applause from the audience gradually become less enthusiastic.
As for the reason, it was because everyone thought that Academician Xi Nanhua had already reported the list of winners, but in the end he reported one after another...
In fact, not to mention the feelings of the people in the audience, even Academician Xi Nanhua himself felt a little helpless.
Originally, when the Chinese Mathematical Society awarded the prizes, whether it was the Chern Shiing-Shen Mathematics Prize, the Hua Luogeng Mathematics Prize, or the Zhong Jiaqing Mathematics Prize, there were always two people to present.
How could this be possible? He won more than ten gold and silver awards right away.
So, after reading out the name of the last winner, Academician Xi Nanhua also breathed a sigh of relief.
After exchanging glances with Qiu Chengtong, Xi Nanhua said in a clear voice: "Next, please invite our winner to come on stage and receive the award!"
After hearing Xi Nanhua's words, all the winners stood up together and prepared to walk towards the podium.
But except for Chen Zhou, everyone else tacitly did one thing, which was to wait.
What he was waiting for was not anyone else but Chen Zhou.
All the winners deliberately made way for Chen Zhou to walk in front.
Compared with Chen Zhou, who has solved many world-class mathematical problems, Dai Yuhong, who has been working in the field of applied mathematics, and other winners seem inferior.
Therefore, they all acted in unison with tacit understanding.
Chen Zhou naturally noticed this, and he certainly did not give in at all.
If you give in, you will appear too humble, which is hypocritical.
After all, he won the gold medal of the Morningside Mathematics Award and the Chern Prize in Mathematics.
He is the only one to get double jackpot!
Who else besides him could be at the forefront?
However, after going on stage, Chen Zhou originally intended to stand inside to make some space for the remaining ten people.
However, he did not expect that as soon as he stepped onto the stage, Qiu Chengtong and Xi Nanhua smiled and shook hands with him, and then sandwiched him in the middle, making it impossible for him to leave.
Chen Zhou looked at the two old men with a slightly strange expression. Are they planning to let himself stand in the center position?
However, Qiu Chengtong and Xi Nanhua did not explain, and the three of them just stood there.
Seeing this, the others naturally stood on both sides of Chen Zhou, Qiu Chengtong and Xi Nanhua.
Qiu Chengtong and Xi Nanhua looked around and then began the formal award ceremony.
It is worth mentioning that there is one more award presenter at this time.
That was the old leader who had delivered the opening speech earlier.
The old leader, who was the award presenter, naturally took the lead in presenting awards to the winners.
Thus, a scene different from other award ceremonies appeared at this United Mathematicians' Conference.
The old leader started presenting the awards from the middle, that is, starting with Chen Zhou.
Xi Nanhua handed the Chern Mathematics Award certificate and medal to his old leader.
The old leader then solemnly presented it to Chen Zhou.
However, neither of them was in a hurry to shake hands.
After Qiu Chengtong handed the Morningside Mathematics Award certificate and medal to the old leader, and the old leader presented it to Chen Zhou, the two shook hands cordially.
The old leader encouraged him: "Student Chen Zhou, you have done a great job! I believe that you, the banner of young talents, can bring some new changes to our Chinese mathematics community!"
Chen Zhou said modestly: "Thank you for the compliment, old leader. I just did my own research well, and I will continue to do my own research well in the future."
When the old leader heard what Chen Zhou said, he looked at him with a smile.
Then, the photo of the two men shaking hands will inevitably appear on the front page of tomorrow's newspaper.
The media reporters were almost pressing their shutter buttons like crazy.
This is definitely another historic and representative moment in China's mathematics community.
They have even thought of tomorrow's title.
Just say: "Eagerly awaiting the youth banner of China's mathematics community!"
Afterwards, the old leader presented awards to another winner of the Chern Mathematics Award and the winner of the Morningside Mathematics Award in Applied Mathematics.
Qiu Chengtong and Xi Nanhua also presented Chen Zhou with the prize checks of the Chern Mathematics Award and the Morningside Mathematics Award at the appropriate time after their old leader.
To be honest, this is the second time that Chen Zhou has received the mathematics award from Qiu Chengtong.
However, the first time, he was just an unknown student at Yan University.
Nowadays, he has become a mathematics giant in a sense.
Of course, compared with Qiu Chengtong, Chen Zhou's achievements are far inferior.
When shaking hands with Qiu Chengtong, Chen Zhou heard Qiu Chengtong whisper: "Well done! Keep up the good work! I hope you can accomplish what we failed to do!"
Chen Zhou was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "I will."
While the old leader was presenting awards to others, Qiu Chengtong and Xi Nanhua were presenting bonus checks to others.
Chen Zhou secretly glanced at the amount of the bonus check in his hand.
The prize check for the Chern Mathematics Prize was 20,000 yuan more than the original amount.
Chen Zhou was very satisfied with this.
I can buy a lot of delicious food for Yiyi again...
If you add the $25,000 from the Morningside Mathematics Prize, you can buy even more...
After all the awards have been presented, it will be time for the winners to take turns giving their acceptance speeches.
Naturally, Chen Zhou couldn't give in on this point.
He was the only double award winner, so naturally he needed to be the first to give his acceptance speech.
Fortunately, Chen Zhou had already prepared a draft for his speech after the old leader delivered his opening speech.
After slightly revising and polishing the draft, Chen Zhou began his speech.
"I am honored to receive the Chern Mathematics Award and the Morningside Mathematics Award on an occasion like today..."
"This is a great recognition of my own abilities and also an encouragement to me..."
"Everything starts with an initial spark. This spark may be interest, curiosity, or something else. The same is true for mathematics..."
"But the initial ignition only makes the charcoal of mathematics reach the ignition point. If you want to really keep the flame burning without extinguishing it, you need to constantly supply oxygen and add charcoal. Only in this way can the flame burn more and more vigorously!"
"And what are the 'oxygen' and 'charcoal' in our mathematical research? They are perseverance and passion! Perseverance is the heart of persistent pursuit, and passion is the determination to sit on the bench!"
"Indeed, nothing in this world is absolutely easy, and this is especially true for mathematical research! When you don't see any results for a long time, only the kind of heart that still loves you like the first love even if you are tortured a thousand times can keep you full of energy!"
"For me, mathematics has become an integral part of my life..."
Taking himself as an example, Chen Zhou described the rhythm of study and research life in a homely way.
Chen Zhou here doesn't mean he doesn't want to speak passionately.
However, this was his daily life, and no matter how passionate he tried, he just couldn't be.
But the tone of Chen Zhou's words was consistent with the tone of this Joint Mathematicians Conference that had been set by the old leader at the beginning.
So, when we hear Chen Zhou say that contemporary young people should sharpen their character, hone their moral conduct, and concentrate on their work, we feel very happy.
The old leader was still very satisfied.
But in fact, what Chen Zhou said was not specifically for anyone.
He truly realized the significance of dedicated research.
If it weren't for the achievements he made through his dedicated research, how could Chen Zhou be standing on the stage today?
But to some people, it sounds different.
I just felt that Chen Zhou’s flattery was just in time.
"...I think achievements based on perseverance and passion are the most meaningful, right?"
“Thank you everyone!”
As soon as Chen Zhou finished speaking, the old leader took the lead in applauding him.
Then, there was a tide of applause.
Regardless of whether you like Chen Zhou or not, now you can only give applause to Chen Zhou.
With Chen Zhou’s example, the subsequent winners also found the right direction.
After the acceptance speeches, it was already noon.
Although the time was slightly extended, it went smoothly overall.
According to the arrangements of this Joint Mathematicians' Conference, the remaining mathematics awards will continue to be presented in the afternoon.
In the evening, an opening dinner was held at the hotel where Chen Zhou and his friends were staying.
As Chen Zhou walked out of the venue, he was immediately surrounded by reporters who came to interview him.
However, this time when facing the interview from his journalist friends, Chen Zhou once again became the difficult interviewee who was very frugal with words.
Seeing that they could not dig up any big news, the journalist friends chose to let Chen Zhou go and instead surrounded the other winners.
Interestingly, among the questions these journalists asked the other winners, one of them was always “What kind of person do you think Mr. Chen Zhou is?”
The winners were also quite helpless about this.
Chen Zhou has already been set up as a role model by the old leaders, so what else can they think?
Of course, it can only be good...
After returning to the hotel , Chen Zhou began searching for flights to SLAC for tomorrow on his mobile phone.
The award-receiving matters here have basically been completed, and he also politely declined the 45-minute report at the Mathematicians' Congress.
There's really no point in staying any longer.
Therefore, getting to SLAC as soon as possible is what Chen Zhou is most concerned about now.
Although he had been in contact with Professor Friedman, Chen Zhou was still somewhat worried because the system task had never been completed.
At the award ceremony in the afternoon, Chen Zhou witnessed many outstanding mathematicians winning awards.
In particular, the winners of awards given by the World Congress of Chinese Mathematicians have achieved remarkable achievements.
Although most of the winners here are not mathematicians from China.
Of course, this is also due to the selection mechanism of the World Congress of Chinese Mathematicians awards.
The original intention of establishing this conference is to award prizes to world-renowned first-class scholars.
The criteria for winning the award is that in addition to academic achievements in mathematics, one must have made substantial contributions to the development of mathematics in China!
During the selection process, except for Qiu Chengtong, a Chinese, who served as the chairman, the other eight judges were all scholars from the Ivy League in the United States or scholars from European universities.
This is also an example to avoid Chinese scholars considering too many factors when evaluating awards, which will affect the evaluation results.
The afternoon ended with a busy award ceremony.
Compared to the ample time that Chen Zhou and others had when presenting awards in the morning, the awards ceremony in the afternoon was completely concentrated together.
In the evening, Chen Zhou and others checked into the hotel's banquet hall.
At this Mathematical Conference, all the top mathematicians gathered together.
After Mr. Qiu Chengtong’s brief speech, the dinner officially began.
After Chen Zhou took a glass of wine from the waiter, he began to look for delicious food everywhere.
Like Chen Zhou, he is probably the only one who really treats the dinner party as meal time.
The others began to communicate closely.
No matter whether they are famous seniors or unknown juniors, they will not give up the opportunity to meet such a solid math giant.
As a result, Terence Tao and others became busy.
Especially Terence Tao.
After all, he is the only Chinese mathematician who has won the Fields Medal besides Qiu Chengtong.
Of course, many people also came to chat with Chen Zhou.
Having won the Cole Prize in Number Theory, and now the Chern Prize in Mathematics and the Morningside Prize in Mathematics, he is already considered a big shot in the mathematics world.
"Chen Zhou, let me introduce you . This is Professor Peng Yiyou from Shuimu University."
At this time, Zhang Shouwu found Chen Zhou with a middle-aged man.
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhou said politely, "Hello, Professor Peng."
Peng Yiyou wore a pair of black-framed glasses and his hair looked a little greasy, but his hair was still plenty thick.
He also greeted Chen Zhou and said, "Dr. Chen, hello, I've heard of you for a long time! I've been following you since you published your paper proving the hailstone conjecture. I didn't expect that you would make great strides in number theory and solve the difficult problem of the interval between two prime numbers. You're really amazing!"
Chen Zhou smiled and said, "I was just lucky enough to catch the inspiration to solve the problem."
Peng Yiyou disagreed and said: "To be able to grasp inspiration, you need to have the corresponding strength. Just like you said, you have the perseverance and passion to grasp inspiration!"
Chen Zhou glanced at Peng Yiyu. Isn’t this guy really good at talking?
Zhang Shouwu said at the right time: "Professor Peng Yiyou is also a well-known scholar in the field of number theory, and has his own unique insights into the study of prime number interval problems."
After hearing what Zhang Shouwu said, Chen Zhou immediately said, "It turns out that Professor Peng is also a colleague in number theory. The prime number interval problem in number theory is a study that reveals the secrets of prime numbers. Professor Peng has his own unique experience. It seems that he is also good at grasping inspiration..."
In this way, Chen Zhou and Peng Yiyou started a business model of mutual praise.
Zhang Shouwu, who was watching from the side, was stunned by this scene.
He thought Chen Zhou would say something difficult to understand about the study of prime number spacing problems, but who knew that this guy would actually change his style...
Finally, Peng Yiyou asked, "Excuse me, has Dr. Chen made any progress in his research on the Goldbach conjecture?"
Chen Zhou thought for a moment and said, "I haven't made any substantial progress on my guess. I just studied algebraic geometry problems in order to perfect the distribution deconstruction method."
After hearing Chen Zhou's words, Peng Yiyou didn't react at first, but Zhang Shouwu next to him started coughing first.
He also knew that Chen Zhou had solved another difficult problem and that it would soon be published in the "Annals of Mathematics".
So when he heard Chen Zhou say this, he knew that this guy was going to show off again...
As expected, Peng Yiyou, who was unaware of the situation, asked again: "Questions about algebraic geometry?"
Chen Zhou replied: "It is the problem left by Professor Emil Artin, about the linear representation of Artin's L-function of the Galois group."
Peng Yiyou was slightly stunned, although he was not a scholar studying this field.
But he still knew about the two major problems left by Professor Atin.
This is especially a problem related to the Langlands Program.
So when he heard what Chen Zhou said, he immediately said: "I didn't expect that you would choose this difficult problem, Dr. Chen. This is also a problem that has troubled the mathematics community for decades. I don't know when it can be solved..."
Chen Zhou nodded: "It has indeed troubled the mathematics community for decades..."
After a pause, Peng Yiyou asked again: "I wonder what stage Dr. Chen has reached in his research on this issue and how is the progress?"
Hearing this, the expression on Chen Zhou's face became strange.
He coughed lightly, and then said: "This problem... has been solved..."
Peng Yiyou was stunned for a moment, and repeated in disbelief: "Solved...solved?"
Chen Zhou smiled and nodded: "Yes, it's solved."
Peng Yiyou looked at Chen Zhou as if he were a monster. This guy switched over to study an algebraic geometry problem halfway through and ended up solving it?
Zhang Shouwu remained silent, as he had expected this result...
