Full-Scale Rollout
Shen Qi and Xu Yang hit it off immediately, and Xu Yang joined Shen Qi's Mathematical Grand Unification Project team, taking charge of the Algebraic Geometry section of the project.
Xu Yang already had a team doing this, and when he led his team to join Shen Qi's project group, the entire project received a powerful boost.
The number theory section will continue to be managed by Ou Ye, Shen Qi will not add any new members to this section.
One characteristic of number theory is the dominance of Zeta function and L-function. For L-function associated with Algebraic variety over number fields, determining their analytic properties is extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Seven years ago, Shen Qi solved this number theory problem. The work that followed was still arduous, but at least he had a direction.
Ou Ye needed to study the role of Representation Theory in number theory, to find a pattern that runs through the Zeta function, the L-function, the Galois group, and Elliptic Curve, so as to express and reveal the less general patterns that exist as another kind of entity, and these patterns are precisely the modes of their existence.
"In my plan for the number theory section, I did not deliberately emphasize Functoriality. The main strength of the Functoriality criterion lies in its firm belief that all Automorphic function representation on different groups are closely related," Shen Qi said to Ou Ye.
"Understood." Even when explained in the simplest terms, the work that Ou Ye was responsible for still seemed difficult for ordinary people to understand.
Fortunately, Ou Ye deeply understood her job responsibilities and the direction of her research. She shared a bed with one of the most outstanding mathematicians of our time for so many years, and her academic progress accumulated little by little, eventually leading to a qualitative leap.
"What about the other sections? Are you still in charge of them?" Ou Ye asked. She knew her husband was very busy and might not have the time or energy to devote himself fully to the specific and tedious details of the work.
Shen Qi said, "Among the other sections, the most important is analysis, Harmonic Analysis. In the contemporary Mathematics Community, the best person in this field is Terence Tao."
Ou Ye asked with great interest, "He did it better than you?"
Shen Qi smiled and said, "If it's just about analysis, I'm about on par with Zhe Xuan."
"Zhe Xuan, Zhe Xuan, you talk as if you're very close to Zhe Xuan." In Ou Ye's memory, Shen Qi and Terence Tao didn't seem to have interacted much and weren't considered very good friends.
Shen Qi said, "From an academic and character standpoint, Zhe Xuan is a good person. He has a good reputation in the Mathematics Community and is willing to cooperate with other scholars rather than blaming each other or fighting for power. In fact, Zhe Xuan is also very well-rounded; his research covers more than ten areas. If we compare overall strength, I might be slightly better than him."
"As expected, Professor Shen is the strongest." Ou Ye was relieved, then asked, "You're not going to bring Terence Tao into the team, are you?"
"If I, Terence Tao, and Ngô Bảo Châu can form a team for the Mathematical Grand Unification Project, we can fully utilize our respective academic strengths and become the most perfect team in history." Shen Qi seemed quite eager to build this most luxurious mathematical lineup in history. He said earnestly, "Under Professor Ou's leadership, this team will surely accomplish the greatest mission in the History of Mathematics and establish a completely new unified system."
"Professor Ou was trembling." Ou Ye knew her place; in front of the three Fields Medal winners, she was just a working girl.
The Mathematical Grand Unification is a project for all humankind.
Shen Qi doesn't mind whether this project is completed by a department or a university. Whether it's Chinese, American, or someone else, whoever has contributed to the great progress in the History of Mathematics will share their achievements with all mankind and pass them on to our future generations.
Shen Qi was the first person to publicly propose Mathematical Grand Unification. His proposal was based on the Hilbert and Langlands Program, but it was also superior to the classic programs in the History of Mathematics.
Bringing Terence Tao and Ngô Bảo Châu into the team was one of Shen Qi's ideas. If these two Fields Medal winners could become Shen Qi's assistants, it would undoubtedly accelerate the process of Mathematical Grand Unification.
Shen Qi came from the Yenching University system, but his academic thought took shape at Princeton University, Princeton academic system had a great influence on Shen Qi.
After returning to China, Shen Qi integrated the strengths and weaknesses of the Yenching University system and the Princeton system, establishing his own academic style and school of thought, which he called the "New Yanjing System".
Terence Tao also comes from the Princeton education system. He currently works at Stanford University, where the Farm (Stanford University's nickname) system combines features of the Princeton system with some unique innovations.
Ngô Bảo Châu rose to fame in France and is a staunch supporter of the Parisian system. She currently works at the University of Chicago.
The Yenching University system, the Princeton system, the Parisian system, and the newly emerging Farm system —each school of thought studies its own, each researches its own, each fighting its own battle, which is very inefficient and not conducive to peaceful unification.
However, whether Zhe Xuan and Bao Zhu are willing to become Shen Qi's assistants or academic partners remains to be seen. Shen Qi has not established contact with Zhe Xuan and Bao Zhu through formal channels.
"Regardless of Zhe Xuan and Bao Zhu's attitudes, or whether they are willing to cooperate with us, our project can start first." Shen Qi taught Ou Ye a few unique skills, and after learning them, Ou Ye immediately began to tackle the problems in number theory.
The initial team consisting of Shen Qi, Ou Ye, and Xu Yang has already begun operations. Xu Yang has led a team of eight people, all of whom are elites from the School of Mathematical Sciences.
Including student Li Zhenqiang, Xu Yang's Algebraic Geometry team has nine members. Professor Xu's academic level is very high. The difference between him and his peer Ngô Bảo Châu in the sub-specialty may only be a 15-minute report time at the World Congress of Mathematicians and a Fields Medal.
With the deployment of forces on the mathematical front temporarily set, Shen Qi then proceeded to supplement and strengthen the physics front.
The physics front is divided into two parts: theory and application.
In terms of applied fields, the FASTER Project Team Condensed Matter Physics has been operating for many years and is already very mature. What needs to be strengthened is the capability in Theoretical Physics.
Edward Witten, the center's Theoretical Physics technical advisor, was undoubtedly exceptionally capable, but the actual work was done by only two people: Sha Dongdong and Dr. Qu.
The specific research project on the Theoretical Physics front is the M-theory refinement, Witten has already participated in it.
Therefore, the problem that needs to be solved in this field is very simple: increase manpower and recruit a group of young, strong, and hardworking Theoretical Physics Research.
"I need talent, outstanding talent in Theoretical Physics." Shen Qi contacted the ministry leaders directly.
"Professor Shen, name your terms, and we'll help you get the people." The ministry didn't have much to say; if Shen Qi wanted money, they'd give him money; if he wanted people, they'd give them people.
"Under forty years old, a PhD in physics or about to graduate with a PhD, and have published at least one article as the first author in an SCI journal. Good character, politically qualified, and with a correct ideology and attitude. That's all," Shen Qi stated his requirements.