Take a Look Next Door
Ma Chaofan, male, 28 years old, received his Ph. D. in Mathematics from Brown University in the United States, where his advisor was Kyle Lavin.
Ma Chaofan's Doctoral Thesis was selected for Springer's Outstanding Dissertations series. His main research area is Algebraic Geometry. His most important research results to date are the interim proof of the Grewsky-Kotterwyn-Markfieldson purity conjecture, which is closely related to the Langlands -Sierstad fundamental lemma.
Ma Chaofan a returnee from overseas with one year of work experience. He is currently a researcher at the Qiu Chengtong Mathematical Research Center of Shuimu University.
"Professor Kyle Raven is a very famous Algebraic Geometry expert in the United States. Dr. Ma studied under Professor Raven, so it seems you are determined to make a name for yourself in the Langlands Program." Shen Qi had reviewed Ma Chaofan's resume, and in terms of the valuable information in it, Ma Chaofan met Shen Qi's recruitment requirements.
"So, can I work for Professor Shen?" Ma Chaofan once again expressed his sincerest sincerity.
"Your hardware is fine. I'd like to know, what is the real reason you gave up your research position at the Qiu Chengtong University Center for Mathematical Sciences, which has a very mature operating system, to come to my newly established department?" Shen Qi asked.
"I'm unhappy next door," Ma Chaofan said bluntly.
"That's a reasonable reason. The most important thing in life is to be happy," Shen Qi said with a smile, then asked, "So what makes you think that coming here will make you happy?"
"The Shen Qi Mathematical and Physical Research Center prioritizes academic excellence and innovation, which is the research philosophy that attracts me the most. Moreover, Professor Shen is different from them. We are all young people, so there is no generation gap, and communication should be smoother," Ma Chaofan said, expressing his thoughts.
"What are your salary and benefits like at Tsinghua University?" Shen Qi was very concerned about this question.
"All in all, my annual salary is 240,000." Ma Chaofan didn't hide anything and said whatever came to mind.
"Oh." Shen Qi noted down the number. A PhD graduate from Brown University in the United States earns an annual salary of over 200,000 yuan at Tsinghua University. This is not very high.
Shen Qi noticed that Ma Chaofan's fingers were yellow, and he asked, "How many packs of cigarettes do you smoke a day?"
"One pack a day, sometimes two packs." That's quite an addiction; either he's Old Yan, or Ma Chaofan is just really annoyed lately.
"It's best to smoke less; there are many other ways to find inspiration." Shen Qi, who didn't smoke but offered cigarettes, asked a more pressing question, "How much research funding do you get at Tsinghua University?"
"They only gave me 150,000 yuan in research start-up funding. I applied for new project funding, and it's been a year now, and they still haven't approved it." Ma Chaofan seemed unhappy, with a sense of sadness that his talents were going to waste.
"The positions here are all called researchers, and there are three levels of compensation: professor, Associate Professor, and assistant professor. Dr. Ma, you can start as an assistant professor, with the same annual salary as you at Tsinghua University. Is that acceptable?" Shen Qi brought up the rather sensitive topic of compensation.
"Sure, no problem. I don't do math for money, just for the passion in my heart. Even a ten million dollar annual salary wouldn't make a difference if I'm not happy." Ma Chaofan a cheerful person; he only seeks happiness in everything he does.
"In my department, regarding research funding, there is funding for every project. Every researcher is equal and has the right to initiate their own project. Once a researcher submits an application, I approve it, the university approves it, and the funding is basically in place. The process isn't too lengthy," Shen Qi, discussing the research funding situation in his department.
"In short, I'm determined to follow Professor Shen in my academic pursuits." Ma Chaofan wanted nothing more than to lay bare his heart for Shen Qi to see.
"Dr. Ma, you can go back to your office next door now. Our HR department will contact you to complete the procedures once we have news." Shen Qi saw Ma Chaofan to the office door and waved goodbye.
Through observation and conversation, Shen Qi gained a general impression of Dr. Ma, a returnee from Tsinghua University.
It's obvious that Dr. Ma isn't doing so well in the neighborhood, but he has an ambitious spirit; at least he hopes to make a name for himself in his area of expertise.
Recruiting people is not easy at the beginning of a business, but Shen Qi does not give up on any promising scientific researchers.
Some people say that Shen Qi's Mathematical Research Center is very low-level. Look at the National Institute of Physical Science (Princeton Institute for Advanced Study). When it was first established, it recruited researchers such as Einstein, Veblen, von Neumann, Weyl, who were already famous big names.
There's nothing we can do about it. Shen Qi's new department can't be compared to the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study; the historical context is different.
Another reason is that Shen Qi has no shortage of big shots, but he lacks people who can actually get things done.
Shen Qi left the Yenching University Mathematics Building, exited the East Gate of Yenching University, crossed the street, passed the new Yanjing University Physics Department, crossed the street again, and arrived at the side gate of Shuimuyuan.
The security guard at the side gate of Shui Mu Yuan glanced at Shen Qi, who smiled Shen Qi and entered Shui Mu Yuan with his head held high.
Inside was a faculty and staff dormitory area. Shen Qi scanned an Ofo Xiao Huang bike downstairs and rode it with practiced ease, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Shui Mu Yuan.
Shuimu University is larger than Yenching University; it's quite spacious, so it's more convenient to ride a bicycle.
At the age of twenty-five or twenty-six, most of Shen Qi's peers who were still studying were either graduate students or doctoral students.
Dressed casually and leisurely riding his Xiao Huang bike, Shen Qi could easily be mistaken for a student by passersby if they didn't look closely.
Shen Qi is quite familiar with Shui Mu Yuan; he lived there for a period of time back in high school when he participated in the International Mathematical Olympiad.
More than eight years have passed, and Shui Mu Yuan has not changed much. The buildings are still the same, but the students have come and gone.
Shen Qi arrived at the School of Science building at Shuimu University and locked his car.
The Tsinghua University School of Science building is quite impressive, much more imposing than the old Yenching University Mathematics Building.
The College of Science at Tsinghua University comprises four departments: Mathematical Sciences, Physics Department, Chemistry Department, and Earth System Science.
Today, Tsinghua University does not have a separate School of Mathematics. The Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Qiu Chengtong Mathematical Research Center undertake the Mathematical Research work at Shuimu University.
The Qiu Chengtong Mathematical Research Center is a parallel department to the Department of Mathematical Sciences. It is located in Jinchun Garden, the beautiful place described by Zhu Ziqing in "Lotus Pond by Moonlight".
Shen Qi entered the Tsinghua University School of Science building and went upstairs via the stairs.
A man came down from the road. He glanced at Shen Qi and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, oh, isn't this Professor Shen Qi!"
Shen Qi looked up and responded warmly, "Oh, oh, it's you! Long time no see! Where have you been?"
The man said, "I have an Advanced Algebra, so I'm going to teach those unruly freshmen a lesson."
"Oh, he's a math lecturer, or a professor, or Associate Professor," Shen Qi nodded. "The freshmen are still a little more naive, but the sophomores and juniors turn into seasoned veterans."
"Indeed. By the way, Professor Shen, did you come to our Tsinghua University School of Science to see someone or to get something done?" a mathematics colleague from Tsinghua asked.
"I'm here to teach my student a lesson; he's on the third floor," Shen Qi said, pointing upstairs.
"May I ask who your student is?" a fellow mathematics student asked curiously.
Shen Qi: "Yu Lei."
"Yu Lei? He's the youngest Associate Professor in our Tsinghua Mathematics Department! Alright, Professor Shen, you're busy, I'm off to class." The Tsinghua math colleague couldn't continue the conversation and quickly left.