The Plea to Go Easy on Them
Yenching University received nearly 3 billion yuan in research funding last year, making it a major contributor to scientific research.
The Shen Qi Mathematical and Physical Research Center has currently received approval for two mathematics research projects, with funding totaling 2.05 million yuan.
The 2.05 million yuan was not directly given to Shen Qi. Instead, it was deposited into the account of the Yanda Research Office, which manages the university's research funds. Each project-undertaking department receives its own research funds on a rolling basis according to the procedures of advance payment and reimbursement.
Shen Qi instructed Wen Yan to advance 300,000 yuan of the 2.05 million yuan from the research department. The remaining research funding would then be applied for based on the project's progress, actual expenses incurred, and receipts issued. This was a professional operational procedure between finance departments.
Talking about money can hurt feelings. In recent years, the country has been very strict in managing scientific research funding, and the application process for funding is so complicated that even financial staff are going crazy.
But Shen Qi's 300,000 yuan advance payment arrived quickly, firstly because of his high profile, and secondly because the amount of money was not large.
Yenching University has nearly 3 billion yuan in annual research funding. Giving Shen Qi 300,000 yuan to do practical work is not a big deal.
With the funding secured, we need to purchase the necessary hardware and software for the project.
For mathematicians, the most expensive equipment is probably data processing equipment, namely Computer Science.
The total approved budget for Shen Qi's mathematical research is 2.05 million yuan, but the actual advance payment is only 300,000 yuan. This is not enough to buy a high-end Supercomputer; they can only buy a few decent ordinary Computer Science and some genuine software.
Shen Qi used the remaining money to subscribe to the Top Four Journals and several mainstream international physics journals.
The 300,000 yuan was almost gone in no time, and some money still needed to be saved for business trips, attending international and domestic academic conferences, and other miscellaneous daily affairs.
The second part of Shen Qi's trilogy on Condensed Matter Physics, "Application and Extension of Defect Topology Research in Condensed Matter," has been approved for 973 Program. The relevant national departments believe that this project is definitely going to be done and support Shen Qi in carrying it out.
Regarding funding, the relevant departments are still reviewing it. Shen Qi applied for 5 million yuan and listed detailed budget items. He doesn't know how much will be approved in the end, so he'll just have to wait and see.
While waiting for the 973 Program funding budget to be approved, the Shen Qi Mathematical and Physical Research Center hired two new employees: a 40-year-old female employee who was Wen Yan's senior colleague and was in charge of finances, and a male PhD who was assigned to work in the Mathematics Room.
The newly arrived mathematics PhD, surnamed Han, had previously worked in the Mathematics Department at Tsinghua University and was Yu Lei's senior.
Dr. Han is exceptionally talented, specializing in applied mathematics. Shen Qi needs several individuals in the field of applied mathematics, and Dr. Han's arrival is timely.
Everyone works in Haidian; you can easily find out who changed jobs and where they went by asking around.
Shen Qi poached two mathematics PhDs from Shuimu University.
Professor Shi, the head of the Mathematics Department at Tsinghua University, called Shen Qi: "Professor Shen, can you please go easy on us? You've practically drained the mathematical foundation of our Tsinghua students."
"They only took two, and it wasn't me who took them; it was their own choice." Shen Qi was telling the truth. Ma Chaofan felt stifled at Tsinghua University, but after volunteering to come to the Shen Qi Mathematical and Physical Research Center at Peking University, he was happier than before.
Dr. Han was introduced to the university by Yu Lei. Dr. Han was very willing to study under a Fields Medal Scholar, and if someone wanted to come to Yenching University, you couldn't stop them.
Director Shi lowered his stance. "Then I have a request. If any more people from Shuimu come to you, please don't accept them. Please do me a favor, Director Shen. The brain drain is too fast, and it has a very bad influence."
"They came to me so actively, I couldn't bear to refuse." Shen Qi thought to himself, "Your Mathematics Department nearly a hundred people, losing a few occasionally won't be a big deal. Out with the old, in with the new."
Director Shi suggested, "Fudan University and Zhejiang University have a deep reserve of mathematical talent, and I also have some influence in the field. How about this, I'll recommend a few mathematics PhDs from Fudan and Zhejiang University to you; I guarantee they'll all be outstanding."
"If there are suitable candidates in physics, we can recommend them." Shen Qi is a straightforward person and communicates frankly with others.
Director Shi's voice trembled. "Yantai University has the best physics program in the whole country. Director Shen, why don't you just produce and sell your own physics programs within Yantai University?"
Shen Qi had his reasons. "They're all taught by the same master, so there won't be anything new in the later stages. Only when there's a diverse range of ideas can we usher in a golden age of scholarship."
"Alright, I can't do anything with you. I'm not very familiar with the Physics Community either. I only have some connections at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Wuhan University. How about I help you find out about the trends of physics talents at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Wuhan University?" Director Shi was a good guy who went all the way. He had extensive connections in China and resources all over the country.
Shen Qi likes to make friends with straightforward people. "We've become friends through a misunderstanding, Director Shi. It's better to meet by chance than by invitation. Let's meet in ten minutes. This lunch is on me, please do me the honor."
The lunch was very pleasant. The Mathematics Department at Shuimu University made a confident promise that he would definitely recruit some outstanding mathematical and physical talents for Shen Qi from Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Wuhan University.
New resumes were being sent to the general affairs office of the Shen Qi Mathematical and Physical Research Center one after another. Almost all the job seekers were mathematicians, and there were very few physics majors.
Shen Qi knew the reason: he could do almost anything in the domestic Mathematics Community, but not in the Physics Community.
Shen Qi's two Mathematical Research, using Shen Qi's name, quickly obtained substantial grants for mathematics projects.
The physics project personally overseen by Shen Qi has applied for funding from the 973 Program, but the approval process is still not complete.
A person's academic standing, reputation, and influence are very important. A Fields Medal winner can easily secure ample funding by simply writing a research proposal based on his fame.
Fields Medal winner, God of Mathematics, and the one who solved three major mathematical conjectures—these titles and achievements are intangible assets, representing reputation, authority, and a continuous stream of research funding.
Shen Qi is not well-known in the Physics Community. He has written a few physics papers that most people cannot understand, and he has made a half-finished earthquake prediction model. He has never won an international physics award.
The quantum key distribution project is an interdisciplinary project. Shen Qi's work is mainly based on mathematics, combined with some characteristics of Quantum Physics. The specific research results and technical details of this project cannot be disclosed at the moment. If you don't disclose them, they can't award you a prize. Academician Pan and others can only recommend Shen Qi for academician selection as compensation.
"Let's build up our reputation in the Physics Community, the kind that can be made public." Shen Qi began to push forward with the specific work on "Expanding the Application of Defect Topology Research in Condensed Matter." It didn't matter that the funding hadn't been approved; the theoretical work could start first.
Once theoretical research results are achieved in defect topology, they can be applied to condensed matter materials such as nanomaterials, superconductors and superfluids, complex oxides, and organic materials.
First, we need to establish a theoretical foundation, and then find some materials to experiment with. This is Shen Qi's idea.
Therefore, Shen Qi applied for 5 million yuan in funding. This project is not a purely imaginative project; it requires the purchase of some basic Condensed Matter Physics experimental equipment and raw materials.
Before the equipment and raw materials were purchased, Shen Qi conducted Computer Science simulations of Condensed Matter Physics experiments, focusing on LaAlO3/SrTiO3.
The LAO/STO heterojunction, with its high concentration and high mobility of quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (q2DEG), is an oxide heterojunction with novel properties that not only has physical implications but will also have a profound impact on the development of future electronic devices.
The origin mechanism of q2DEG remains controversial in the Physics Community. Some physicists believe that external factors such as the generation of oxygen vacancies on the LAO surface, surface adsorbates, or cation mixing at the interface are the causes of q2DEG. Others tend to favor the polarization catastrophe theory.
The latest edition of Condensed Matter Physics textbooks in China is not very new; they cover the latest theories from more than a decade ago, and recent cutting-edge research results have not been included in the textbooks.
This is also the main reason why Shen Qi only recruits PhDs for his front-line research positions. People who have not done a PhD have difficulty accessing the latest cutting-edge scientific information, and even if they do, they cannot understand it because their theoretical knowledge is not deep enough.
Shen Qi currently has no subordinates who hold PhDs in physics, and he has to conduct research in cutting-edge fields of physics all by himself.
The origin mechanism of q2DEG is considered an unsolved problem in Condensed Matter Physics. Neither the "external action school" nor the "polarization catastrophe school" can come up with a rigorous and mature theoretical system to explain the experimental phenomenon.
The second part of Shen Qi's trilogy on Condensed Matter Physics does exactly that, specifically addressing topics that can be experimented on but lack mature theoretical support.