Chapter 179 The only Woman to Win the Fields Medal

Two days of exchange reports, two days of conference rules, and some time spent on receiving awards and other matters, Xu Chuan has been in Stockholm for nearly a week.

In a week, he did not have much rest time in the first few days. He had to deal with greetings from friends in the academic community, lectures, and international scientific discussions.

The first two are easy to deal with.

But the latter cannot be dealt with.

The international scientific discussion after the Crafoord Prize discusses and qualifies the future path of the winner's discipline.

This conference has a major impact.

The mathematics conference is a little simpler. Although Xu Chuan won the Crafoord Mathematics Prize, there are too many top mathematicians in the mathematics world, and he does not need to pay attention to this aspect now.

The exchanges between top mathematicians such as Deligne, Faltings, Gowers, and Terence Tao are the core of the conference. Xu Chuan occasionally interjects a few words to express his own views.

Moreover, the path of mathematics does not need to be guided by the international scientific discussion after the Crafoord Prize. After all, this conference has its own international mathematics conference.

So this conference is more of an exchange between experts than a discussion meeting on planning the development of mathematics.

Xu Chuan also barely made it into the ranks of "experts". Although he is still at the end for now.

As for the conference on astronomy, he can't just sit there.

Because the method of calculating celestial body parameters by the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem is very important to the astronomical community.

It can more accurately calculate some parameter information of distant celestial bodies, although it is not all, and even only a small part of the various information needed by the astronomical community, but it is still extremely important.

Because it can assist astronomers in more accurately judging the state of distant celestial bodies, it is undoubtedly very important for the future of mankind.

For example, Betelgeuse.

This red supergiant star 640 light years away has been an active observation target in the astronomical community since Xu Chuan revealed that there is a companion star in its hydrogen envelope last time.

Countless telescopes, satellites and other astronomical equipment have all focused their attention on this huge late-life star, hoping to find more secrets from it, or to judge its current precise life state.

Betelgeuse is too close to the Earth.

The distance of 640 light years sounds far, but on the scale of the universe, it is like you live in 403 and it lives in 404. When you open the door, it is its home, and when it opens the door, it is your home.

And this neighbor has installed hundreds of kilograms of TNT in his home.

Once it explodes, no one knows whether the wall between the two houses can block it.

This is what astronomers are worried about now, although according to previous observations and calculations, the power of the explosion will leak out from the window of 403 and will not affect 404.

But now someone suddenly tells you that the wall between your two houses may be a low-quality product, or the TNT explosives may be directional blasting, and may also be facing your home.

Who can not worry about this?

At the astronomy discussion meeting of the Crafford Award, Xu Chuan, as the founder of the method of calculating celestial parameters based on the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem, made remarks that were naturally related to it.

It can be said that promoting the method created by oneself is the lifelong dream of every researcher or scholar.

Even if Einstein and Grothendieck, who burned their manuscripts in their late years and lived in seclusion in their middle age because they did not like their results being used in the military, still hoped to see their research results widely used in the scientific community and verified one day.

Xu Chuan naturally also hoped that his research results would be widely used in the scientific community and all walks of life.

But compared with the astronomical community, the mathematical tools used in the method of calculating celestial parameters using the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem are a bit too profound.

Although this is nothing to the mathematical community, for most astronomers in the astronomical community who can only use mathematical methods such as Kepler's three laws, it is like a heavenly book that they cannot understand.

For this, Xu Chuan has no better solution for the time being.

This is not something that can be solved overnight, and we can only wait for these astronomers to learn to use this tool.

However, at the meeting, Xu Chuan had another idea that popped up in his mind but did not say it.

That is modeling.

Establish a mathematical model for the method of calculating celestial parameters using the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem.

Although different parameter information, different celestial bodies, and even different types of stars, such as red dwarfs, orange dwarfs, and brown dwarfs, all require different methods to perform different twists on the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem.

Even many of them Xu Chuan himself has not yet begun to study and deal with, but it can be unified after all, and the types of stars are also limited.

Stars, planets, neutron stars, black holes, and various celestial bodies, even if they are classified according to small units, the number of types can be counted.

In addition, the root of all calculation methods lies in the twist of the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem. If he doesn't mind the trouble, he may be able to write a complete mathematical model after spending a few years or more than ten years.

At that time, astronomers only need to input the corresponding observed parameters into the mathematical model, and then click a button to calculate the required parameter information.

This is unlike the previous use of mathematical methods to calculate particle channels at CERN, which cannot be universal and cannot be modeled.

The Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem method for calculating actuarial celestial parameters can establish a mathematical model. Although it requires a lot of writing, it can indeed be done.

Undoubtedly, this is very convenient.

But for Xu Chuan, this is a super troublesome and time-consuming matter.

If it were someone else, maybe they would express their thoughts at the meeting and be harassed day and night by the astronomy community.

After all, he is the only one who has the ability to make this model now.

So for the sake of his own peace, Xu Chuan kept this idea in his heart.

After a few years, when enough people in the mathematics or astronomy circles understand the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem, this idea can be proposed.

Of course, the more important thing is that his ambition is not in the astronomical world, and he does not pay much attention to or care about the results of the astronomical world.

After all, with today's technology, even if he does well in the astronomical world and finds hundreds of Earth-like planets or immigrant-friendly planets, or discovers some great achievements, or even finds the legendary white hole or something , it's not of much use.

These discoveries may earn him a Nobel Prize and a greater status in the astronomical community. But to be honest, he is not very interested in the Nobel Prize, nor is he interested in status in the astronomical community.

It can even be said that the awards that he has not won, such as the Crafford Prize, the Abel Prize, the Wolf Prize and other awards, are more attractive to him.

Or, using the knowledge in his mind to perfect a technology or theory is more satisfying than gaining a higher status in the astronomical world.

After staying in Stockholm for a week, Xu Chuan won the Crafford Prize in Mathematics and Astronomy, two medals made of pure gold, two certificates and a bonus of one million meters of gold.

The prize money of the Crafford Prize is 500,000 meters in gold alone. He won the Mathematics Prize and the Astronomy Prize at the same time, which is 1 million meters in gold.

If we look at the amount of prize money alone, almost two Crafford Prizes are worth one Nobel Prize.

But in fact, in terms of individual prize money, the prize money of the Crawford Prize often exceeds that of the Nobel Prize.

The reason is very simple. Nobel prizes are usually awarded to two or three people.

As for the Crafford Award, most of the time, there is basically only one winner.

If the Nobel Prize is awarded to three people, then the three people will equally share the prize of about 1 million gold, which is about 330,000 gold for each person. This is not as good as the Crafford Prize.

Of course, the significance of an award does not lie in the amount of the prize.

The prize money is just a gift given to the winner, more or less, it has only a symbolic meaning.

After all, those who can win the Nobel Prize or the Craford Prize have made contributions to academia or society that far exceed the bonuses they can receive from these awards.

With the certificate and bonus, Xu Chuan returned to Princeton and returned to campus study life.

"Xu, are you ready to graduate?"

In Professor Pierre Deligne's office, both Witten and Deligne were present. The two old men looked at Xu Chuan sitting on the other side and asked.

This was something the two old professors discussed when Xu Chuan was still giving a lecture in Stockholm.

After all, their student's achievements in mathematics and physics were enough to graduate from Princeton.

Although he has only been in Princeton for more than half a year, Princeton does not pay attention to this, whether it is half a year or three years, Princeton only looks at ability.

If you are capable enough, let alone graduate in half a year, there is no problem even if you study for half a year and then directly work as a professor at Princeton.

"It's too early, teacher, I still have a lot to learn."

Xu Chuan shook his head and replied that he had actually been able to graduate a long time ago, but graduating now was not in line with his original intention of coming to Princeton.

He came here to study mathematics and physics, and to learn knowledge.

Especially after he has seen that having sufficient mathematical ability can produce exquisite chemical reactions with physics or other subjects, he does not want to graduate early.

Now there are two super masters, Witten and Deligne, as his mentors. Before draining the knowledge of these two mentors, graduation should be postponed for a while.

Both Deligne and Witten have enough knowledge to guide and teach him.

"Are you really not considering graduating?"

Deligne took a sip of coffee and continued: "You can still choose to stay at Princeton after graduation."

"Whether you are continuing your studies as a postdoctoral fellow or applying for a professorship at Princeton University, you can do it. If you win the Crafford Mathematics Award, you are fully qualified to be a full professor at Princeton University."

Hearing this, Xu Chuan smiled and said, "A nineteen-year-old professor at Princeton University really breaks history. I remember that the youngest full professor at Princeton seemed to be Professor Shi Yigong, who was thirty-five years old, right?"

Deligne nodded and said, "Professor Shi is a very good person, but what about your choice?"

Xu Chuan smiled and declined, saying: "Being a nineteen-year-old full professor at Princeton is indeed very tempting, but in comparison, I would rather study here."

This answer is actually a double entendre.

It not only answers Professor Deligne's question, but also means that he will not be a professor at Princeton. This is just a place for him to study.

Of course, Xu Chuan does not mind the title of honorary professor or tenured professor without taking office.

"Since you insist, it's up to you."

Deligne and Witten were not surprised at Xu Chuan's choice. This student has always been like this.

What's more, eighteen or nineteen years old is the right time to study.

Although you can study after graduation, studying on campus and studying in society are two completely different states.

Different identities and statuses naturally lead to different learning states.

After rejecting the suggestions of the two mentors to graduate early, Xu Chuan returned to his daily study.

It's just that it's December now, and there won't be much time left for study this year. After all, he will definitely go back to celebrate the New Year.

The days passed one by one, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the middle and late twelfth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

In a few days, it will be the Spring Festival in China.

At the same time, Xu Chuan also put aside his study and prepared to buy a plane ticket to go home for the New Year.

But what was a little surprising was that before leaving, the Ivy League Diet Club at Princeton University, where he often went, found out his lunar birthday from somewhere and rented the school's auditorium to hold a birthday party for him.

There were many people attending the party, in addition to the club members, there were many other students, and even several top professors such as Deligne, Witten, and Feferman came.

Although these professors just came to say happy birthday and left, it was really touching that someone remembered his birthday in a foreign country.

After spending the 12th day of the New Year in his hometown, Xu Chuan said goodbye to his parents and returned to Princeton again.

Compared with last year's high profile, he has made certain achievements in mathematics, physics, astronomy and other fields. After the start of school this year, he will undoubtedly be much more low-key.

Except for some awards awarded to him, he declined all other things, whether it was interviews or requests for him to give reports.

In this way, Xu Chuan followed his two mentors and devoted himself to learning mathematics and physics knowledge.

Time flies, and nearly half a year has passed. It is July.

In mid-July, a big event happened in the mathematics world.

Professor Mariam Mirzakhani, the only woman to win the Fields Medal in mathematics, died of breast cancer on July 15.

She was only 40 years old.