Reborn since 1993

Chapter 1161 Eastern Version of Bell

Little Zhiyuan has just learned to roll over and isn't very good at crawling yet, but this little guy is quite active. In a few more years, when he reaches the age where things get chaotic, he probably won't be well-behaved either.

"Professor Xiong, welcome!"

Li Dongling pinched Xiao Zhiyuan's chubby cheeks full of collagen, handed him to Yao Luoying who was standing next to him, and reached out his hand to Xiong Tianming.

"Don't dare take it!"

Xiong Tianming is thin and short, with a somewhat serious face, giving people the impression that he has a stern personality.

In fact, Xiong Tianming was known for his strict academic and teaching standards at Harbin Institute of Technology, and he did not tolerate the slightest mistake in academic matters.

Every year, some students fail Xiong Tianming's courses, and there are quite a few students who complain about him.

On the other hand, those who enroll in Xiong Tianming's communications engineering program have a much higher chance of going abroad to study or entering large companies or foreign enterprises than those from other schools. This also proves Xiong Tianming's teaching level; he teaches real knowledge, and his success rate is quite high.

"Professor Xiong, thank you for coming all the way to Hanxi!"

Upon hearing Li Dongling's words, Xiong Tianming shook his head. "President Li has already shown enough sincerity by sending me to Hanxi in a private jet. If I didn't come, I would be quite ungrateful!"

Li Dongling showed Xiong Tianming sufficient respect by sending his private Gulfstream plane, painted with the Dongke logo, to pick him up and bring him to Hanxi.

Using a private jet to pick up an academic, even though Xiong Tianming has some reputation in academia, is still the first time such treatment has happened in the domestic academic industry, giving Xiong Tianming sufficient treatment and respect.

"It's worth any price to bring Professor Xiong here!"

"Dongling High-Tech is purchasing a new business jet. In the future, Professor Xiong and the other professors can travel by business jet if they need to go on long-distance trips."

Li Dongling poured Xiong Tianming a cup of tea, repeating the old saying, "A thousand pieces of gold to buy a horse's bones."

These benefits are not only for Xiong Tianming, but also for future academic leaders who may come to Dongling High-Tech. If Xiong Tianming is not given sufficient benefits, how can we attract other technical leaders to work hard for Dongling High-Tech in the future?

"Professor Liu, I've already spoken with him. I just need to confirm whether the Hanxi Joint Laboratory is sure they want me to be the dean?"

Xiong Tianming stared straight at Li Dongling, the previous head of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, who was persuaded by Li Dongling's professor Liu Youguo at Hanxi Jiaotong University.

The new head of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory needs to be someone outside of Hanxi Jiaotong University. This has nothing to do with the relationship between Li Dashan and Hanxi Jiaotong University, but rather it is about balancing things out.

If the Hanxi Jiaotong University personnel continue to manage the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, then the Hanxi Joint Laboratory will bear too strong a Hanxi Jiaotong University label.

It's likely that the Hanxi Jiaotong University faction will become dominant within the lab. When a faction becomes too powerful, it's easy for it to exclude others. This is a matter of human nature. Once this happens, it won't be so easy for the Hanxi Joint Lab to recruit top academic talents from other universities.

Therefore, the new head of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, which has already gained some fame in the domestic academic circle and is even jokingly referred to by many academics as the mainland version of Bell Labs, must be someone from outside Hanxi Jiaotong University.

"Of course!"

Li Dongling gave Xiong Tianming a clear answer: "We invited Professor Xiong here in the hope that he will take over as the head of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory!"

"I don't know how Lao Liu introduced me to General Manager Li, but I, Xiong Tianming, have my own principles for doing things."

One is one, and two is two. If I take over as the head of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, everything must be done according to the rules.

Anyone who violates the rules, whether they are an academic luminary or anyone else, I will deal with them according to the rules, including... even you, Mr. Li, cannot interfere!

Xiong Tianming said in a firm tone that this was his personality. Many people said he was rigid and inflexible, but Xiong Tianming had been doing things according to this set of principles for decades, even if it meant wasting many years.

Following the rules and acting fairly are his principles. As for the overt and covert practices of academia, he doesn't associate with them at all.

He certainly understood that as long as he aligned himself with certain academic giants, or humbled himself by attending a few social events and endorsing the development direction of certain industries, he could obtain a lot of funding and win more awards and prizes.

However, Xiong Tianming never violated his principles. No matter how high the other party's status was in the academic circle, Xiong Tianming was unwilling to associate with them, which made his treatment in the academic circle predictable.

Looking at the old man in front of him, Li Dongling understood why Xiong Tianming had been unpopular at many universities in previous years, only gradually making a name for himself after arriving at Harbin Institute of Technology, publishing numerous high-profile papers and gaining recognition. It was probably only at Harbin Institute of Technology that Xiong Tianming's temperament could be tolerated.

There are very few people in academia these days who can say "no" to a big spender like Li Dashan.

After finishing his tea, Li Dongling said to Xiong Tianming, "The purpose of Dongling High-Tech's support for the establishment of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory is to encourage universities such as Xi'an Jiaotong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, and Yenching University to join the Hanxi Joint Laboratory. Through the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, we hope to help Dongling High-Tech overcome some technical challenges and cultivate some talents!"

"As long as the Hanxi Joint Laboratory can complete the R&D projects in cooperation with Dongling High-Tech on time every year, Professor Xiong will decide on the rest of the management, recruitment, and fund allocation. Neither I nor Dongling High-Tech will interfere!"

Li Dongling's agreement can be considered a three-point agreement: Dongling High-Tech will not interfere with Xiong Tianming's management of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, provided that the Hanxi Joint Laboratory can complete the collaborative R&D projects submitted by Dongling High-Tech. This is the only condition.

Otherwise, Dongling Hi-Tech is already investing nearly 100 million US dollars annually in the Hanxi Joint Laboratory. What is Dongling Hi-Tech's motive?!

Xiong Tianming was clearly somewhat moved by Li Dongling's reply; the philanthropist's support for him was somewhat unexpected.

"Dongling High-Tech can invest in and build the communication technology laboratory that Professor Xiong needs. The specifications and equipment will be decided by Professor Xiong!" Li Dongling added another bargaining chip.

Just as Xiong Tianming was still considering, he heard about a new offer, which made his eyes light up.

We now need to build a professional, top-tier communications technology laboratory to develop mainstream research areas in the international communications industry, such as 2G, 3G, broadband, high-speed communications, and core network evolution.

We need to purchase a whole host of equipment, including communication R&D equipment, vector signal transmitters, high-end protocol analyzers, high-performance traffic generators, signaling testers, and so on. As for computers, workstations, and servers, those are the most basic equipment.

More than half of the equipment cannot be produced domestically and needs to be imported.

Equipment is only one aspect. Building such a laboratory requires purchasing land, recruiting a large number of R&D personnel, and may even require hiring overseas engineers. The total cost is estimated to be over ten million US dollars.

Before coming, Liu Youguo told Xiong Tianming that Li Dongling would help him build a top-notch communications laboratory that he had always longed for.

But when Li Dongling actually brought it up, Xiong Tianming couldn't help but say to Li Dongling, "Building a communications technology laboratory would probably be quite expensive, and in the future, it would require nearly 10% of the equipment purchase cost each year for calibration and maintenance..."

Building a top-notch laboratory is like buying a car. It's not just about paying for the purchase price; you also have to pay for insurance, maintenance, parking fees, fines, and so on every year. All of these things cost money.

"Professor Xiong need not worry about funding; Dongling High-Tech will take care of it!"

Li Dongling sat up and looked at Xiong Tianming. "Dongling High-Tech is developing a new product that involves baseband chips and 2G communication. I hope that after Professor Xiong takes office, he can help Dongling High-Tech complete the research and development of the communication technology part of this product!"

Although Old Xiong was strong-willed, he was not ignorant of human relationships. The conditions he proposed had already been agreed to by the philanthropist Li, and they were all things that Old Xiong wanted but dared not even dream of.

Although I didn't mention Xiong Tianming's compensation as the head of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory just now, based on Liu Youguo's previous compensation, Xiong Tianming's annual salary is over 300,000 yuan, plus bonuses, project dividends, etc.

Even after Xiong Tianming retires, he will receive tens of thousands of yuan in pension every month, and he and his wife will receive free medical subsidies every year. It can be said that Xiong Tianming's children will not need to worry about his funeral arrangements.

Most importantly, Xiong Tianming also has the opportunity, like Liu Youguo, to publish a book and make himself a monument in the academic world. This is something that academics can never refuse.

"a man of his words."

"If I cannot help Dongling High-Tech complete the research and development of the new project, I will step down and hand over the reins!"

Xiong Tianming said firmly, "Old Xiong is not the kind of person who is smooth. If he cannot prove his ability, then he will step down as the head of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, regardless of what others say."

"Professor Xiong, you flatter me!"

Li Dongling smiled and said to Xiong Tianming, "I also look forward to seeing that, under Professor Xiong's leadership, that nickname for the Hanxi Joint Laboratory will become a reality."

Let the Hanxi Joint Laboratory become a true Bell Labs of the East!

This is, of course, a joke. Bell Labs produced 15 Nobel laureates and invented 30,000 patents.

Hoping that the Hanxi Joint Laboratory can become Bell Labs is of course impossible, or rather, the hope is extremely slim. But even if it only achieves one percent of Bell Labs' level, it would be equivalent to Dongling High-Tech obtaining a gold mine in the technology industry!

(End of this chapter)