CHAPTER 435: CHAPTER 145: PROJECT APPROVAL

As everyone knows, in Huaxia’s messaging apps, typing three question marks in a row often signifies more than just confusion; it represents a mix of indescribable emotions.

Anyone who’s done a Ph.D. and doesn’t intend to loaf around understands that applying for the Natural Science Foundation or the Young Scientists Fund projects when young does have its advantages.

Simply put, men under 35 and women under 40 compete with projects from their peers when applying.

At this stage, all competitors are still academic newcomers.

Once you exceed that age as an academic newcomer and try to apply for these research funds, sorry, that means competing in a large pool with all research teams.

In extreme cases, you might even be competing against teams led by your former mentor.

So generally, if you don’t get a national project during your youth, it’s tough to get one later in life.

Even though Chen Zhuoyang has given up on research, planning to shine in the field of mathematics education.

But who wouldn’t hope to do a project to commemorate their lost youth after earning a Ph.D.?

Of course, that doesn’t mean Chen Zhuoyang hasn’t accomplished anything. After all, following Director Tian has its perks.

During his Ph.D., Chen Zhuoyang did get an Education BU doctoral point fund, but that was the highlight of his life.

He planned to finish this project beautifully and then get another grant before graduation, so he could break into the research world.

Unfortunately, after the first project didn’t turn out perfectly, nothing followed.

A larger grant was impossible, but he did get another school-level project.

It was during this phase that Chen Zhuoyang realized he wasn’t quite suited for research, until graduation.

Honestly, on his graduation day, Chen Zhuoyang truly felt that it was the highlight of his life.

Having been tempered from all directions during his Ph.D., Chen Zhuoyang realized the most significant figures he could closely encounter in his life were probably his mentors.

Maybe also a junior brother. Moreover, Chen Zhuoyang thought if he ever encountered trouble in the future, help from his junior might be greater than from his mentor.

It wasn’t that Tian Yanzhen wasn’t good enough to him; it was just that Qiao Yu was young.

Being young comes with endless possibilities, which is an undeniable fact.

This is why Chen Zhuoyang always kept in touch with Qiao Yu. He was afraid Qiao Yu would forget him.

...

"Hey, Senior Brother, it’s already eleven o’clock, and you’re still awake? What are you busy with?"

Qiao Yu ignored the three question marks and curiously asked.

Currently, Chen Zhuoyang is a lecturer at a 985 university. If all goes well, he might become an associate professor in four or five years.

Then marry and have kids at a university, contributing his life to Huaxia’s mathematics education.

But none of these are reasons why Senior Brother Chen is still playing with his phone. Don’t teachers have classes to prepare for?

Oh, right, he’s still on break...

"I’m preparing lesson plans and getting ready for classes. Next semester, the school assigned me to teach third-year differential geometry in the mathematics department. Teaching isn’t that simple."

"Senior Brother, you’re amazing! You can teach third-year students right away; doesn’t that mean getting promoted to associate professor won’t be a problem?"

"...That’s not important. Let’s talk about the key project Director Tian helped you apply for. What’s the topic?"

Seeing this message, Qiao Yu felt that Senior Brother Chen was getting worse at chatting and needed to correct this wrong mindset.

"Director Tian didn’t help me apply for the key project; I came up with some ideas, and both my mentor and Grand-Mentor thought this idea is worth including in a national key project!"

"Ah, right, right, that’s what I meant; I expressed it wrong. What’s your idea? It’s so impressive!"

"A brand-new system of axioms. Professor Zhang Yuantang’s comment was that if I can complete this system, the symbolic system of future math papers could be unified. But actually, my idea is just to use geometric methods to solve problems in number theory in the future."

"As expected of you, you’re amazing! Little junior brother, leading a national key project at sixteen. When you become an academician in the future, you must give me a hand."

"So, do you want to join the team?"

"I can, too?"

"You definitely can’t do the main framework proof, but once I’ve proven the major lemmas and theorems, I think anyone who’s studied math can handle the detailed work."

"Really? Is there a place in the group?"

"The project group hasn’t even been formed yet, but it should start soon. I’m not in a hurry, but Director Tian and Grand-Mentor are anxious, it’s driving me crazy!

Especially Director Tian, who wants me to fill out all the parts of the form except for the team members by tomorrow. Why else do you think I’m still awake this late?"

"Little junior brother, make sure to save me a spot! You can rest assured of my work; as long as it’s not something completely incomprehensible, I assure you I’ll complete it diligently."

"Okay. But it will be tough, with frequent overtime, like today you need to quickly prepare a resume and make it as detailed as possible. Don’t just pass off an old template."

"No problem, but there’s not enough time today. Even if I start now, it’ll be past midnight. How about I send it directly to your email once it’s done?"

"Alright, go ahead and write it."

"Got it, thanks so much, little junior brother."

...

Seeing the smiley face sent by Senior Brother Chen at the end, Qiao Yu felt quite satisfied.