A Visit to Princeton

An academic delegation of more than ten people, including Shen Qi, arrived in the United States for a friendly visit.

The delegation members were all from Yenching University. Led by Shen Qi, they arrived at Princeton University, which was their first stop on their visit to the United States.

Princeton University warmly welcomed Shen Qi and his entourage. Students dressed in black and orange uniforms held up signs in the Nassau Hall that read, "Welcome back, Qi!"

Returning to Princeton University after five years, Shen Qi was deeply moved. He smiled and waved frequently, warmly interacting with the faculty and students.

Princeton remained as peaceful and academically focused as ever, with students busy in the library and bars, and scholars showcasing their talents in their respective fields.

Shen Qi, Zhou Yu'an, and Li Zhenqiang arrived at the lawn in front of the mathematics building. Shen and Zhou were graduates of the Mathematics Department at Princeton University, while Li Zhenqiang's first trip abroad was to Princeton, the mecca of mathematics. Unable to contain his excitement, he took out his phone to take a selfie.

"Calm down, Lao Li. It's just taking pictures, can you not make such exaggerated expressions?" Zhou Yu'an said.

"The Fine Hall, a temple of mathematics!" Li Zhenqiang took one picture after another, then asked, "Can we go inside for a visit?"

"Commander Shen said that we are here for academic exchange, not as tourists." Zhou Yu'an remained relatively calm, after all, he graduated from Princeton University and was familiar with the area.

"Since you two renowned mathematicians are here for academic exchange, I'll just follow along and learn," Li Zhenqiang chuckled, looking towards the entrance of the mathematics building with a strong desire to explore.

At this moment, a man emerged from the building. He was dressed in a suit, looked energetic, and was about the same age as Shen, Zhou, and Li. He was blond and blue-eyed, and was a white man.

"Hey, Professor Shen!" The white man walked enthusiastically towards Shen Qi shook hands with him.

"Long time no see, Ralph." Shen Qi smiled and introduced Ralph to everyone, "This is Ralph, a professor in the Mathematics Department."

Ralph has already become a professor in the Mathematics Department at Princeton University, which is quite fast.

Zhou Yu'an knew Ralph; he knew Ralph was Shen Qi's student. "Ralph, I've read your Function Theory, it's fantastic!"

"Professor Zhou, you are the mathematician who solved the Navier-Stokes equations, which I greatly respect." Ralph and Zhou Yu'an exchanged pleasantries in accordance with international practice, and the atmosphere of the meeting between the Chinese and American mathematicians was very harmonious.

Finally, Ralph shook hands with Li Zhenqiang: "Professor Li, welcome to Princeton."

Li Zhenqiang wasn't as relaxed as Shen Qi and Zhou Yu'an. He was a bit reserved and said in heavily accented English, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ralph."

"Please." Ralph accompanied the three Chinese scholars into the mathematics building.

Shen Qi, Zhou Yu'an, and Ralph are all full professors, while Li Zhenqiang is Associate Professor. Based on international reputation, the ranking is: Shen, Zhou, Ralph, and Li Zhenqiang.

Shen Qi is Ralph's Doctoral Supervisor, while Zhou Yu'an, Li Zhenqiang, and Shen Qi are of the same generation; the three of them were classmates. In terms of seniority, Ralph should call Zhou Yu'an and Li Zhenqiang "senior uncle."

The mathematics community is both simple and complex. If seniority is based on age, it can sometimes be confusing. A doctoral student supervised by a mathematics Doctoral Supervisor might be older than the Doctoral Supervisor.

Although Shen Qi had not been to the United States for five years, he had been keeping a close eye on Princeton.

The math building is still the same math building, but everything else has changed.

Within five years, Princeton University's Mathematics Department had three different chairs. After Feierman stepped down, it was Director Knox.

Shen Qi was an old friend of Director Feierman, but he wasn't very familiar with Director Beckman and Director Knox.

The remaining old friends were: Faltings, the former editor-in-chief of the Annals of Mathematics, returned to Germany; Zhou Yu'an's Doctoral Supervisor Faltings, returned to his homeland Italy; Ou Ye's Doctoral Supervisor Lyndon Strauss, returned to Israel.

With the departure of prominent figures like Andrew Wiles, the former head of the Mathematics Department has long since returned to the UK, Terence Tao, who is thriving on the West Coast, and Milnor, who is spending his later years on an overseas island, almost all of Princeton University's Fields Medal winners have left the university. Among these Fields Medal winners who have left Princeton University is Shen Qi.

Excluding the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University's Mathematics Department now has only one remaining recipient of the Fields Medal: the Russian-born mathematician Okonkov.

Neither the previous Mathematics Department, Beckman, nor the current head, Knox, has ever won the Fields Medal.

"By the way, where is Professor Muller?" Shen Qi asked. He had been in contact with his Doctoral Supervisor Professor Muller, via email, but Professor Muller had not replied to Shen Qi's emails for the past six months, as if he had vanished into thin air.

"It's a real shame that Professor Muller has fallen ill and returned to Germany. May God bless him," Ralph said regretfully.

"I hope he's healthy." Shen Qi felt a pang of worry, after all, old Muller was his mentor.

During the five years that Shen Qi was away from Princeton, the personnel changes in the Princeton University Mathematics Department were truly significant.

Old friends have either left, fallen ill, or even passed away.

The period from World War II to the early 21st century was the peak of the Princeton Mathematics Department, which consistently produced more than a dozen Fields Medal, all of whom were in their academic prime and dominated the Mathematics Community for more than half a century.

As the golden generation of the Mathematics Department at Princeton University aged, became ill, or left for other jobs, the former kings of mathematics encountered a period of weakness.

Princeton, or rather, other top American universities, typically recruit whoever becomes famous, offering them money, power, and status—the American Dream beckons.

However, times have changed. Nowadays, some well-known scholars have left the United States, and emerging experts have more options. They don't necessarily have to go to the United States to realize their dreams.

"Actually, in the process of building a community with a shared future for mankind, where scholars work is not important. What is important is..." Shen Qi's eyes suddenly lit up as he spoke. He recognized an old friend. "Mary!"

A mature, voluptuous woman stood before him, carrying a cardboard box. She was surprised and delighted to see Shen Qi: "Qi, you're here!"

The woman was Mary. She and Shen Qi were both students of Professor Muller, so they were considered to be fellow students.

Mary is Shen Qi's senior, so Ralph would have to call Mary his aunt. The seniority system in the Princeton Mathematics Department is too complicated. Ralph a Mathematics Department professor who studies the most profound automorphic functions, but he can't figure out such a complicated seniority system.

"Professor Schultz, it's a pity to see you leaving Princeton. I wish you National First Prize," Ralph said to Mary as a colleague.

"I will, thank you." Mary nodded with a smile, her face beaming with happiness.

"Professor Schultz?" Shen Qi asked, somewhat puzzled. Seeing Mary carrying the box, he began to speculate.

Is Mary resigning and returning to her native Germany?

When I first met Mary, her name was Mary - Schultz -Schmidt. At that time, Mary was already married, and her husband's name was Schultz, so her name included her husband's surname.

Mary later divorced and changed her name back to Mary Schmidt, the name she had when she was single.

Now, Mary has changed her name again; she is now called Mary Schultz.

What does this illustrate? What does it mean?

"Mary, you remarried Professor Schultz? Is it that Schultz?" Shen Qi made a rough guess and came to a conclusion.