Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Princeton.
An office in the Institute for Advanced Study.
Wei Wen sat at his desk while staring at the draft paper on his table.
Around 2019, after Lu Zhou left Princeton, he recommended Wei Wen to study mathematical physics under Professor Edward Witten.
Wei Wen was at first quite excited to study a PhD under Professor Witten.
Anyone who was in the mathematical physics field or who knew anything about mathematical physics had heard of Witten’s name before.
However, studying a PhD under a big name was obviously not an easy task. His excitement didn’t last very long, and soon, he began to feel the pressure.
Because Witten had to frequently visit CERN, he would be at Princeton only a third of the time. Most of the time, Wei Wen had to face his academic difficulties alone.
After Wei Wen was accepted as Professor Witten’s student, he finally understood why Luo Wenxuan took so long to graduate. He also realized how much Professor Lu really cared about him.
Even though he graduated more than a year ago, Lu Zhou would still help him solve problems.
Or he would help him find someone that could solve the problems…
Professor Fefferman walked next to him holding two cups of coffee. He placed one cup on Wei Wen’s side and one cup on his side. He then asked in a warm tone, “Do you have an idea?”
“Not right now.”
“Do you need help?”
Wei Wen shook his head and stared at the line of equations on the paper.
“No, thanks, you’ve already given me enough help… Give me another ten minutes, I feel like I know the answer, I’m so close.”
“Ten minutes is not enough, try two hours.” Fefferman looked at his watch and said, “I still have a differential equations class to each. Anytime before 6 o’clock, you can find me at the dean’s office.”
Wei Wen said, “I’m sorry for taking so much of your time.”
“It’s fine, I’m not that busy anyway.” Professor Fefferman took a sip of the coffee and smiled. He said, “Not to mention, Professor Lu has helped me a lot, now that he’s not here, you can ask me any problem you want.”
Wei Wen smiled in his heart but didn’t say anything.
Even though he knew that Professor Fefferman didn’t mind helping him, he still felt extremely guilty.
Maybe this is a culture difference.
Knocking sounds came from the door, and soon, a glasses-wearing young man walked in.
Fefferman seemed to have recognized this man. After Fefferman saw the stack of A4 papers in his hand, he suddenly looked nervous.
Just like Wei Wen had guessed, the guy shook the thesis and said, “Professor Fefferman, Professor Sarnak from the editorial department of Annual Mathematics asked me to bring you this paper. He told me to politely tell you that he hopes you can review this paper.”
“Then tell him, that this way of sending the message is not polite at all. I hope next time, he can send me the review invitation to my email instead of coming to me in person.” Professor Fefferman looked at the overwhelmed assistant and shrugged. He said, “Also, I’m going on a holiday in two days, so tell him to find someone else.”
“Professor Sarnak knew you would say this,” the assistant said. “He told me to tell you that you are the most suitable candidate and that you are the only one who can review this thesis.”
Professor Fefferman stared at the assistant for a while before putting down his cup of coffee. With a sigh, he said, “Okay then, bring it over here.”
He had never been good at declining other people’s requests, especially when it was in his field of expertise.
The assistant smiled and handed over the thesis. “Okay, Professor.”
The assistant didn’t stay in the office. He turned around and left.
Fefferman had to conduct a lecture soon, so he didn’t have time to read it. He merely briefly flipped through the pages.
There were no author names on the thesis.Read latest chapters at NovelFull
This type of double-blind review process was uncommon.
Fefferman guessed that the author was either one of his acquaintances or a colleague at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study.
However, this wasn’t important.
Even if he knew the author from the style of the thesis, he wouldn’t hinder the review process due to friendship.
“The existence of a solution to the Yang-Mills equation? Shouldn’t Witten read this thesis? I bet he’s more interested in this than me.”
Fefferman looked at this eye-catching title. He raised his eyebrows and began to read.
He soon snorted, and his eyebrows furrowed.
Wei Wen noticed this and asked, “What’s wrong, Professor?”
Professor Fefferman stared at the thesis for a while and suddenly smiled, shaking his head.
“Nothing.”
He finally knew why Sarnak insisted on letting him review this thesis.
“L Manifold… Also, a partial differential geometry method for a partial differential equation.” Professor Fefferman’s finger swept over the printed A4 paper as he spoke emotionally, “I only know one person in this world who can apply these theories to such an extent.”
Wei Wen’s expression changed.
“Professor Lu’s thesis?”
“Yes.” Professor Fefferman nodded and said, “The proof of the existence of a solution to the Yang-Mills equations. It seems like he hasn’t stopped his mathematics venture.”
When Wei Wen heard the thesis content, he took in a deep breath. He was overwhelmed.
Challenging two Millennium Prize Problems…
Is he even a human?
Professor Fefferman sat down at his desk and took out his phone from his pocket. He scrolled through his contact list and called his assistant.
“Yo, Lewis, are you free right now? I have a partial differential equation class in half an hour. Regardless of whether you can or not, I hope you can find someone to do the class for me.”
“Um, I’m a bit busy.”
“It’s important.”
They only exchanged three sentences.
After that, Fefferman hung up the call and placed his phone on his desk.
He looked at the thesis on his table. His eyes flashed with excitement.
Let me look at this.
You’ve left Princeton for a year.
Did your mathematics ability improve or worsen…
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