I Just Want to Be a Quiet Top Student

"Mathematical physics, a magical and wonderful world." Mueller nodded in praise, expressing his satisfaction with Shen Qi's choice of Depth.

"And what about auxiliary directions?" Muller asked again.

According to the practice of the Mathematics Department of Pudong University, after students choose the main research direction, they also need to determine an auxiliary research direction, that is, Breath.

For Shen Qi's Breath, of course, he should choose the research field that Professor Muller is good at. In addition to mathematical physics, Professor Muller also has certain strengths in algebraic geometry, number theory, and group theory.

Shen Qi immediately made a decision: "I choose algebraic geometry as the auxiliary direction."

"Algebraic geometry, a magical and wonderful world." Mueller nodded in praise, and was also satisfied with Shen Qi's choice of Breath.

The German old man's English vocabulary is limited, and the two English words "magical" and "wonderful" appear frequently in his discourse.

"Mathematical physics and algebraic geometry are both very profound fields. I admire your courage, young man." The first meeting between Muller and Shen Qi took place in a friendly and harmonious atmosphere.

"I also admire Mr. Muller's profound knowledge and academic accomplishments. After all, you are a well-known professor who teaches mathematics, physics and algebraic geometry." Shen Qi said.

"Originally I thought you would choose number theory," Muller said.

Shen Qi replied: "My girlfriend is studying number theory, I can't steal her job."

"The reason is very good! What a miraculous and wonderful couple." Professor Muller gave Shen Qi a thumbs up. His character is not like a German, but more like a French or an Italian.

"Let's have a cup of coffee, do you want to add sugar?" Mu Le picked up the coffee pot, invited Shen Qi to drink coffee, and had a pleasant conversation.

"Ordinary drinking water is fine, thank you." Shen Qi said politely, "I just arrived in the United States, so I'm not used to drinking coffee."

"Alright then, boiled water is healthier." Mu Le poured Shen Qi a glass of boiled water.

Shen Qi had never seen such amiable and casual Germans.

Of course, Shen Qi has not met many Germans. When he was studying at Yanda University, he met a German student with a rigid poker face, rigorous and self-disciplined.

"Professor Muller, what should I do next?" Shen Qi asked.

Muller operated the computer to enter Shen Qi’s information, and after a while he said: “You need to obtain 45 credits each semester, and when you get 225 credits, you can have a master’s degree in mathematics from Princeton. Then you can It’s okay to choose to study my Ph.D., or another supervisor’s Ph.D.”

"So I need five semesters to earn enough credits."

"Usually it doesn't take that long. Three to four semesters is the average time to get a master's degree. The fastest record here is held by Tao and Yun. They both got their master's degree in two semesters and then studied for a doctorate. Shen, you should Have you heard of Tao and Yun?"

"Of course." Shen Qi nodded, Tao is Tao Zhexuan, and Yun is his senior brother Yunwei.

I met my supervisor and chose Depth and Breath. I need to complete 225 graduate credits as soon as possible, and then I will study for a doctorate and get a PhD.

Shen Qi knew very well what he should do next.

The Department of Mathematics recruited a total of 12 graduate students this fall, of which 3 are from the United States and 9 are from 9 different countries around the world.

The Princeton Department of Mathematics is very strict in recruiting students. It only recruits such a few graduate students a season, and Shen Qi is the only one in China to study here.

The 12 mathematics graduate students enrolled this fall are all boys, and none of them are girls.

Princeton recruits students strictly, and recruits girls even more strictly.

Unexpectedly, patriarchal phenomenon will appear in the United States, which has always boasted of democracy and equality, and Princeton, which ranks No. 1 in the United States.

No matter if she is an undergraduate student, a graduate student, or a doctoral student, if she is a girl, then she must be particularly outstanding, world-class outstanding.

Shen Qi and the graduate students of the Department of Mathematics who were enrolled at the same time, they all have tutors, and they also need to attend classes.

Just taking classes, taking exams, or just doing projects and writing papers, neither of which can complete the required 225 graduate credits.

The combination of attending classes + writing papers is a task that graduate students in the Department of Mathematics will complete, with a maximum of five semesters and a minimum of one semester (in theory).

The current fastest record is two semesters, jointly held by Tao Zhexuan and Yunwei.

Spelman Hall was designed by the famous Chinese architect Mr. I.M. Pei. It is a teaching building where most of the postgraduate courses of the Department of Mathematics are conducted.

A classroom in Spelman Hall is teaching Algebraic Geometry, and there are 10 students sitting in the classroom, all of whom are graduate students in the mathematics department.

Shen Qi is also here, this is his first lesson after arriving in Princeton.

Algebraic geometry is Shen Qi's breath, and he has a direction to take this course.

The ten mathematics graduate students in the classroom have different enrollment years and seasons.

There is no strict distinction between first-year research and second-year research. It is a tutorial system. Graduate students can listen to what courses they want to listen to according to their actual needs.

"It is well known that for an algebraic surface of degree m with isolated multi-points and ordinary multi-point lines, a surface of degree m-4 should act as an adjoint curve of degree m-3 for a curve of degree m." The professor of algebraic geometry said here He paused, tapped the blackboard, and said: "If we want to keep this double integral finite on the two-dimensional domain of the four-dimensional surface, what should we do?"

The professor asks questions and the students discuss. This is Princeton's teaching mode.

"Obviously, Q is a polynomial of degree m-4, and Q=0 is an adjoint surface." A Canadian graduate student said.

"Let me add that through the polyline of f=0, there is a polyline of at least k-1 order at every k-order polyline of f=0." An Israeli graduate student added.

"Oh, a beautiful exposition." The professor applauded. He was Romanian.

There is one professor + 10 students in the classroom, and only one of them is an American. This is a characteristic of the Mathematics Department of Pudong University, and there are more foreigners than Americans.

Experts are all experts, Shen Qi smiled slightly, the Canadians and Israelis turned their heads very quickly, their thinking was quick, their logic was rigorous, and they said everything I wanted to say.

"Then let me add something." Shen Qi was unwilling to be lonely, "The double integral of the first kind is similar to the Abelian integral of the first kind. We only need to substitute N=m-4 into it."

"Very good!" The Romanian professor praised Shen Qi, and then asked, "Son, what's your name?"

"Shen Qi."

After Shen Qi listened to this algebraic geometry class, he went to listen to the analysis of N-S equations without stopping. This is a course in the field of mathematical physics.

"Your answer is perfect, what's your name?" the N-S equation professor asked.

"Shen Qi."

Then, Shen Qi went to attend a class on number theory, because there were no other lectures on mathematical physics and algebraic geometry today.

"May I have your name?"

"Shen Qi."

"May I have your name?"

"Shen Qi."

...

More than a week after the start of the semester, Shen Qi listened to all the courses that graduate students of the Department of Mathematics can take. He listened carefully, actively participated in class discussions, rarely made mistakes, and his views were clear and logical, which left a deep impression on the professors of many courses. .