Lecturer Course

In September, Shen Qi took up his post as a lecturer in the Princeton Mathematics Department. He moved into the faculty housing and became a full-time faculty member of Princeton.

Lecturer Shen Qi's annual salary is $85,000 before tax. If he is promoted to professor, his annual salary will exceed $200,000.

In the United States, an annual personal income of $50,000 is considered the standard for the middle class.

Shen Qi's personal annual income is US$85,000, which is close to the standard of the upper middle class (US$100,000 per year).

Even native-born, well-educated white Americans would need to work for many years to reach Shen Qi's salary level.

Princeton has plenty of money and few people; if you can get a job at Princeton, you can live a decent and high-quality life in the United States.

The lecturer position was transitional; Shen Qi knew very well that he was destined to become a professor.

Although it was a transitional position, Shen Qi took the lecturer role very seriously and responsibly, preparing his lecture notes and lessons thoroughly.

According to organizational arrangements and his own wishes, the first formal course Shen Qi taught in his professional career was number theory.

Lecturers must have the ability to teach independently. Without a doubt, Shen Qi, who proved the Riemann Hypothesis, the Millennium Prize Problem in number theory, has the academic level to teach number theory independently.

At Princeton, a professional course is often taught by several professors.

This semester's undergraduate number theory course is jointly taught by full professor Lyndon Strauss and lecturer Shen Qi.

Elon Lyndon Strauss is the 2010 Fields Medal winner and one of the top number theorists.

Shen Qi has won six Math Prize, four of which are international awards. His most important achievements in number theory are the proofs of the Riemann Hypothesis and the Wash Conjecture.

Professor Lyndon Strauss and Lecturer Shen Qi formed the most powerful undergraduate number theory teaching team in Princeton's history.

Shen Qi and Lyndon Strauss discussed it and decided to split the course 50/50; they would each teach half of the undergraduate number theory course this semester.

If this were an ordinary lecturer, Professor Lyndon Strauss would have kicked him away.

Princeton University's practice is that if a professor and a lecturer are paired to teach a professional course, the professor is responsible for 30%-40% of the class hours, and the remaining class hours are given to the lecturer.

Moreover, Professor Lyndon Strauss is Fields Medal winner, and it is already more than enough that he can complete 20% of the undergraduate teaching hours per semester.

Shen Qi was no ordinary lecturer, so Professor Lyndon Strauss accepted Shen Qi's suggestion. "Alright, Qi, half for each of us."

"Elon, I'd like to discuss something with you. In September and October, you can teach a few more classes. In November and December, I can take over the rest of the number theory courses, no problem," Shen Qi said.

"As you wish, let's do it that way." Lyndon Strauss knew that Shen Qi was very busy preparing materials for his report at the International Congress of Mathematicians.

The first number theory class of the semester was taught by Lyndon Strauss.

In the second number theory class, it was Shen Qi's turn to teach.

This was a large lecture, and the classroom was filled with undergraduate students from the Mathematics Department.

Number theory is a required course for undergraduate students in the Mathematics Department at Princeton University, and according to the curriculum, it is scheduled to be studied in the second year.

Number theory can be simple in some ways, and difficult in others.

Elementary number theory and general Diophantine equation not difficult to master, even for engineering students with a little effort, and getting an A is not difficult.

The most difficult part of number theory is Analytic Number Theory.

Analytic Number Theory is a notoriously difficult branch of analysis; not everyone can learn it or master it.

The Riemann Hypothesis is a conjecture related to Analytic Number Theory.

"Of course, the Riemann Hypothesis and Analytic Number Theory are too difficult for you in your second year. You can conduct more in-depth research in your graduate studies." Shen Qi's debut as a lecturer was decent; his task was to solidify the foundation for undergraduate students in the Mathematics Department of the Princeton University.

"Hey, Dr. Shen, it should be called the Riemann Theorem now, that's what the textbook says," a boy exclaimed, his eyes filled with admiration. "It was you, Dr. Shen, who proved the Riemann Hypothesis, so we can directly cite the conclusion of the Riemann Theorem."

"Yes, Dr. Shen, tell us, tell us how you proved the Riemann Hypothesis!"

The sophomores are full of passion; they are curious, excited, and energetic.

Shen Qi shook his head. "I won't say."

"Speak!"

Shen Qi said, "According to the teaching plan, Professor Lyndon Strauss Riemann Theorem. Next, we will move on to the Diophantine equation."

Sigh... The students sighed, looking quite disappointed.

"Ordinary Diophantine equation are very simple, but complex Diophantine equation are extremely difficult; the most famous example is Fermat's Last Theorem."

Before we learn about Fermat's Last Theorem, let's first learn about Wash's Theorem.

Shen Qi wrote an equation on the blackboard and tapped it, "Wash's theorem states that if a and b are positive integers, then the equation aX^4 - bY^2 = 1 has at most two sets of positive integer solutions (X, Y). This is a fundamental theorem in Diophantine equation. Forget about Riemann Theorem, kids. This is only your second number theory lesson. Building a solid foundation is more important than anything else."

The students were flipping through their books and taking notes when suddenly someone said, "Wash's theorem used to be called the Wash Conjecture. It became a fundamental theorem for Diophantine equation because Dr. Shen proved it. A remarkable work."

Shen Qi looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the speaker was an unremarkable-looking white boy wearing glasses.

"What's your name?" Shen Qi asked.

"Bell, Andy Bell," the bespectacled man said.

Shen Qi expressed his satisfaction. "Andy, you are very eager to learn, I hope you continue to do so."

The bespectacled man was greatly encouraged. "I will."

Everyone knows that Shen Qi proved the Riemann Hypothesis, but no one expected that another theorem in textbooks, the fundamental theorem in Diophantine equation, the Wash theorem, was also proved by Shen Qi.

In the new edition of Princeton's undergraduate number theory textbook, both Riemann Theorem and Wash's theorem can be used directly. Shen Qi has made certain contributions to Analytic Number Theory, Diophantine equation, and other fields.

"Tell me, Dr. Shen, how did you prove the Wash Conjecture?"

The crowd was once again agitated; two mathematical theorems in a textbook had been proven by the same person.

And this person is still alive and very young, yet he is standing on the podium.

He proved this fundamental theorem, and he is explaining this fundamental theorem in the textbook.

The children had an exceptionally strong thirst for knowledge. Shen Qi refused to explain the detailed proof process and thought process behind the Riemann Hypothesis, but he could not continue to refuse the request for the Wash Conjecture.

All the students listened with rapt attention as Shen Qi recounted how he proved the Wash Conjecture.

"... The most crucial step was the effective algebraic approximation. It was a cloudy day with a moderate temperature and pleasant weather. I completed the proof of the Wash Conjecture. Yes, in the latest number theory textbooks, it has become the Wash theorem. I hope you won't lose points on this fundamental theorem."

Shen Qi finished his first lecture, and the results were quite good.