Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 69 Personal Destiny in the Context of the Times
".If the hearing is passed, this will be the first time in history that a Chinese American will hold a senior bureaucratic position in the White House."

The news in the newspaper made Chen Jingrun feel mixed emotions.

The $3 million interest-free loan that China received from the Soviet Union was crucial for Chen Jingrun to successfully study in America.

It’s not that his study abroad expenses had to come from that money. After all, the scholarship given to him by the City University of New York and Harvey Cohen was enough for him to survive in New York, not to mention that with Chen Jingrun’s mathematical attainments, it was more than enough to apply for the Fulbright program.

Rather, it means that the $3 million interest-free loan fully demonstrates Lin Ran’s value and that Lin Ran has the ability to turn stones into gold.

Originally, China only hoped to train its team and produce S2 missiles of similar level to those of the Soviet Union before they were castrated.

The Soviet-Russian agreement stated that the S-2 would be transferred, but in fact what was transferred was the castrated P-2. The DF-2 was originally developed based on the P-1, and there was no obvious difference in range, rate of fire, etc. from the S-2.

However, due to the insufficient accuracy of DF-1 and other reasons, it was not put into service until the subsequent DF-2.

As a result, with the help of Lin Ran, the DF-1 has acquired strong combat capabilities, and its accuracy can even directly threaten the Shilin official residence across the sea, where the bald man lives.

It can not only effectively reduce coastal pressure, but also bring economic benefits.

With all these factors combined, China naturally increased its manpower investment in the entire project. Not only did it introduce Western academic journals under the guise of a confidential project and land in Guangzhou, but even the arrangements for Chen Jingrun himself became more detailed.

His identity in Hong Kong was flawless, and he successfully applied for the opportunity to come to America.

Because Chen Jingrun had Lin Ran's letter of recommendation, Harvey Cohen helped him arrange round-trip airfare and visa. After the interview, the other party was very satisfied with the Chinese student that Lin Ran found for him.

He took care of all the subsequent visa, enrollment and settlement issues in New York.

Chen Jingrun was very grateful to Lin Ran for allowing him to come to New York, be exposed to the latest number theory, and do mathematics with a large number of mathematicians.

However, he still did not forget his mission. Doing research was one thing, but getting more valuable things for China from Professor Lin was the most important task.

He couldn't accept that he was living a good life alone in New York while being unable to help his compatriots at home.

Therefore, after reading the newspaper, he could not understand why Professor Lin wanted to work for America.

Although the position written in the newspaper is Assistant, there is also the adjective "Special" in front of it. In addition, the American media also defines Lin Ran's position as Senior, which means he is a senior bureaucrat.

As a simple Chinese, he was confused about whether Lin Ran should accept a senior position in America or a senior position related to aerospace.

In this era, aerospace is highly related to missile technology, which means it is also highly related to the military.

"This is not just a sideline observation." Chen Jingrun thought.

Fortunately, the mathematicians present were very curious about this topic. When Lin Ran walked into the conference room, the first thing they talked about was not number theory, not Lin Ran's ABC conjecture, not Fermat's Diophantine conjecture, not the linear form logarithm theory he proposed, but Lin Ran's new position.

Mathematicians are quite gossipy.

"Randolph, why did you go to the White House without any announcement? Do you want to teach math in the White House?" Harvey Cohen jokingly said, "The people in the White House won't understand what you are saying."

Lin Ran smiled and replied, "First of all, my appointment has not yet come. Even if my appointment comes, I should work at Redstone Base longer than in the White House." Courant said, "Randolph, I still don't quite understand why you want to work in the White House. The White House is not a good place to stay.

Compared to mathematicians, the political animals in Washington are still too complicated."

Courant was very optimistic about Lin Ran and had always wanted to recruit him from Columbia University to his Courant Institute at New York University. He even told Lin Ran privately that if he was willing to come, he could change the name of the Courant Institute to the Randolph Institute.

(The Courant Institute was actually renamed in 1964; in 1961 it was called the Graduate School of Applied Mathematics)
Courant is 72 years old and is only a few years away from retirement. As a top expert who once co-authored "What is Mathematics" with Hilbert, he obviously hopes to find a suitable successor before he retires.

Among his students, no one is more suitable than Lin Ran.

By the way, Courant was also a German-American, but in addition to his German ancestry, he was also Jewish. He left Germany earlier than most Jews, so his mathematician's sense of smell was quite sensitive.

It is also for this reason that Courant does not want his promising young mathematicians to be involved in political turmoil.

Lin Ran explained, "I understand, Professor, I am here to do things, not to be a human being.

Sir Isaac Newton worked at the Royal Mint in England, and I am no exception. The universe has always been my fascination, and I hope to make a small contribution to mankind's progress towards the universe.

Is there anything more interesting than space? Maybe mathematics is the same, but I'm only in my twenties and I need a change of heart. This won't affect my mathematical research.

The mathematicians present here then realized that the other party was too young, and youth was an asset.

"Randolph, you can definitely give it a try."

"Unlike you, I'm very optimistic about Randolph. Aerospace is like mathematics. If you're good at it, you're good. If you're not, you're not. I'm sure the guys at Redstone Base will be just like us, succumbing to Randolph's abilities."

"Who surrendered? I just admire him, not surrender." The mathematicians joked with each other.

Harvey Cohen concluded, “Me too, Randolph, if you could come to our number theory seminars more often, I’d be convinced.

So Randolph, what are you going to tell us today?"

Lin Ran walked to the prepared blackboard and wrote with a pen:
“Λ=b1logα1+b2logα2++bnlogαn”

"My idea started with the theory of linear logarithms. I mentioned this theory in the paper where I proved Fermat's Diophantine conjecture, and I also proved my own theory.

I believe that after you knew I was coming, you also did some research on it and found out that it can be used in Diophantine equations and transcendental number theory.

For example, the Catalan conjecture, which states that axby=1a^x - b^y = 1axby=1, has very limited integer solutions, can be solved using it.

Whether it is the basic concepts or the scope of application, I believe everyone has done their homework and has a certain understanding.

So I want to talk to you about motivation here.”

(End of this chapter)