Chapter 305 Reasons for winning the award
"It's a pity that you can't go with me this time." Zhang Xingjiu said goodbye to Ma Zongwen reluctantly at the dock.
"I also want to go with you to witness this important moment, but the child is still young and can't leave me alone." Ma Zongwen said while holding the child. With the current level of transportation, it is too unsafe to take such a young child on an overseas trip.
"Then let's wait for next time. There will definitely be a chance to go to Sweden to receive the award again in the future. We will go together then!" Zhang Xingjiu comforted him. Although the Nobel Prize in Physics Selection Committee took all his previous achievements into account, he still had confidence in winning the award again.
Apart from anything else, the photoelectric effect will definitely win the prize. This year is 1901, and it is not long since the birth of the photoelectric effect. He plans to present it in two or three years, and he will still be able to win the prize then.
"I also believe that you can do it. Take care of yourself on the way. When you arrive in Paris, remember to say hello to Mary and the others for me." Ma Zongwen held the child in one hand and used the other hand to pick the fluff off Zhang Xingjiu's collar.
"Please go back, everyone. I will be back in three months at most. I still have to make up for the classes I missed!" Hearing the whistle urging passengers to board the ship, Zhang Xingjiu waved goodbye to everyone and stepped onto the gangway.
Now at Aurora College, he not only has to serve as the head teacher of the physics class and teach them physics courses, but also has to teach mathematics and English to students of other majors. He is really busy, and it must be that the award is too important, otherwise he would not be willing to leave for so long.
Ma Zongwen is in a similar situation. He not only has to teach professional courses to students in the education class, but also has to teach French to students from other departments. Fortunately, they and their family are well-off and can afford someone to help take care of the children, otherwise they would be too busy.
Walking onto the deck, the captain personally led people to greet Zhang Xingjiu and said respectfully, "Professor, it is an honor for you to be on this ship. The best first-class cabin has been prepared for you."
This award is also a great improvement in Zhang Xingjiu's status. With the progress of the Industrial Revolution, the status of scholars, especially top scholars, has continued to rise. Now that he has won the Nobel Prize, these foreigners must give him the respect he deserves.
"Thank you very much. I'm also very happy to take this ship to Europe." Zhang Xingjiu responded politely. After chatting with the captain for a few words, he returned to his cabin. Two sailors followed him with his luggage and took it to the cabin. They arranged it according to Zhang Xingjiu's requirements before leaving with satisfaction taking the tip.
After the journey began, Zhang Xingjiu once again became the focus of attention on the ship. Whenever he appeared in restaurants, cafes, bars, etc., a large group of people would gather around him and talk to him curiously about physics. However, the level of most of these people was very average, so they just listened for fun.
A month later, the passenger ship arrived at the port of Marseille. Zhang Xingjiu abandoned the ship and took the train back to Paris after two years. The Sorbonne University welcomed his return with a grand ceremony.
After all, Zhang Xingjiu obtained his bachelor's and doctoral degrees from the Sorbonne University. He has now won the Nobel Prize, which is also an honor for the Sorbonne University. Now that Zhang Xingjiu is back, they must give him a warm welcome.
"Professor, thank you very much for your nomination. I finally won the prize! Next year, I will also nominate you, Pierre and Marie. Your achievements will also win the Nobel Prize!" Zhang Xingjiu first thanked Professor Lippmann. Of course, the efforts Professor Lippmann made for his winning this time were not just the nomination. It's just that there are so many people around now that it's not convenient to say it.
After attending the cocktail party held by the school, Zhang Xingjiu was invited to Professor Lippmann's home. Lang Zhiwan and the Curies also came. Since there were no outsiders at this time, Zhang Xingjiu asked the question that he had not asked directly before, "Professor, I am very curious, why did the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences break the prejudice and give me the award?"
"I also thought that I had a good chance of winning the award, but I didn't expect it to be the first time, and I didn't expect to be the only one to win the award. Professor Roentgen, Professor Michelson and other candidates are also eligible to win this award, and of course, you, Pierre and Marie."
Lippman took out a bottle of Bordeaux red wine from his collection and poured it for them slowly. After whetting Zhang Xingjiu's appetite, he slowly said, "I got some information from a few old friends. It's actually not as complicated as you think."
"There are several reasons why you won the award. First of all, your achievements are indeed impressive. Cathode rays, blackbody radiation, and wireless telegraphy are all three of them that are indisputably worthy of the Nobel Prize! Even if we break it down further, some of the important steps can be singled out to win awards."
"Secondly, the Nobel Prize also needs to demonstrate fairness, and winning you the prize will undoubtedly show that they are not affected by politics, race and other issues, at least on the surface."
"Also, the political situation in your country has had a certain impact. During that unfortunate war, some local officials chose to compromise, so some judges privately believed that by awarding you the prize, they could cultivate a spokesperson who is close to European countries."
Zhang Xingjiu didn't expect that the Southeast Mutual Protection Initiative by Zhang Zhidong, Liu Kunyi, Li Hongzhang, Sheng Xuanhuai, and Yuan Shikai would actually affect his winning of the award, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that it made sense.
The Boxer Rebellion can be said to be backward, but it also demonstrated China's firm determination not to be enslaved by foreigners like India. At this time, the attitudes of European countries towards China also changed. They realized that it was unrealistic to completely divide and colonize China, and they could only cultivate spokespersons to safeguard their own interests.
Zhang Xingjiu was trained in a European university and has a high reputation. He does have the potential to be a spokesperson, but Zhang Xingjiu is destined to disappoint them. He will never sell out China's interests.
"The last one is also the most crucial one! Your wireless telegraph technology is already commercially available. Several influential Swedish companies have obtained patents for this technology in the Nordic region. They all think that if you win the award, they can save a lot of publicity costs and make it easy for people to accept this new technology!"
"They even planned a promotional event to be launched after the awards ceremony, and they will invite you to appear at that time."
"Some of these companies' senior technical personnel are members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, who have the power to vote for Nobel Prize winners. Add to that the number of people who have received funding from them or have had cooperative relationships with them, and there are even more!"
"Because your winning the award is more in their interest, that's why you were able to defeat Roentgen, Strat, Michelson and others to win the award!"
Ha, Zhang Xingjiu finally understood, it turned out to be a matter of money!
(End of this chapter)
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