Chapter 1577: The entire country watches!
The nominees were revealed!
It blew up online!
"What?"
"Why is Zhang Ye's name on the list of the 102 shortlisted candidates?"
"Is it him?"
"Yes, the birthday is the same!"
"Damn, what this guy sticking his foot in for!"
"That's true, this fellow has been locked up in jail for four years, so how did he manage to get shortlisted for the State Science and Technology Prizes? What field of study in science and technology was he involved in?"
"Could it be that global mathematical conjecture from before?"
"Possibly."
"But that conjecture has already been solved for four years."
"That's right, why would he get shortlisted only after four years?"
"Teacher Zhang must have taken a back door to gain entry!"
"This fellow probably resorted to some trick again. Hai, I really have to take my hat off to him!"
"Pfft, can you not put it that way?"
"This fellow is probably here to round off the numbers."
"It must be. No one thinks that he can get an award."
"The Highest Science and Technology Award hasn't been given out for two years in a row. Will anyone win the award this year?"
There were over a hundred names on the shortlist, but most of them were unknown to the public. Unless it was a really famous celebrity scientist who often appeared on television or in the textbooks, the rest of the names were unfamiliar. But how could they not know who Zhang Ye was? A lot of people immediately realized it was him at the moment they saw the name. Such lists always included the candidates' birthdays so as to avoid repeated names being mistaken for one single person, and to inform everyone about the ages of the scientists. Meanwhile, the birthday listed behind Zhang Ye's name clearly indicated that it was the shit stirrer they were familiar with!
Everyone was stunned.
Zhang Ye's nomination was indeed a little odd.
What kind of an award ceremony was this?
It was the State Science and Technology Prizes!
The was the most prestigious award that one could receive in China's scientific field with no other awards coming close!
This was the highest honor in the discipline of science in China and winning it would be an honor that would follow the recipient for a lifetime!
To be shortlisted for the awards, a strict set of guidelines had to be followed. The recipient must have:
1. Made major breakthroughs in contemporary scientific or technological frontiers, or have outstanding achievements in the development of science and technology.
2. Created huge economic or social benefits through scientific and technological innovations, achievements, or high-tech industries.
3. No personnel who only works in organization management or assistant services in any project of scientific research or technological advancement may be a candidate of any national award for science and technology.
4. Any candidate considered for the Highest Science and Technology Award shall love their homeland, shall have good scientific ethics, and is still active in the modern scientific and technological frontiers and is engaged in scientific research or technological advancement.
There were a total of four criteria to follow, but which of them did Zhang Ye adhere to?
Scientific research?
Outstanding achievements?
Good scientific ethics?
Active in the modern scientific and technological frontiers?
Looking through the criteria, this fellow probably only qualified for the nomination based on the word "active." In terms of being active, the remaining 101 candidates wouldn't be a match for Zhang Ye even if they were to unite against him. Who could be better than him when it came to stirring up things? But your activities aren't in line with the criteria at all. What does the science and technology world have anything to do with you?
Medical doctors.
Botanists.
Biologists.
Geneticists.
Guided missile experts.
Mathematicians.
Of the shortlisted 102 scientists, they all hailed from many different fields of studies. No matter how everyone thought about it, they could assume that Zhang Ye had been nominated through his work in the mathematics field. After all, even the mathematics world would have to admit that Zhang Ye was the best mathematician in the country, with his name even included in the global mathematics hall of fame.
On Weibo.
"Why are there traces of Teacher Zhang everywhere?"
"I wanna laugh whenever I see him."
"This fellow is too active. He just finished producing a drama, and now he's messing around in science and technology!"
"Yeah, he's even meddling in the State Science and Technology Prizes now!"
"He still hasn't reopened his popularity rankings. Do you guys think that he can get on the S-list rankings if he reopens it?"
"It's too difficult to predict at this moment."
"No one knows what kind of popularity he has now."
"I'm also waiting for him to reopen his spot on the rankings index."
"The State Science and Technology Prizes is a really awesome award. It's also authoritative too. That Highest Science and Technology Award will even be personally presented by the President of the Academy. Just getting shortlisted and attending the event alone should be able to bring quite a bit of popularity to Zhang Ye."
"Zhang Ye is the pinnacle, and there's only one of him in all of China. Be it a celebrity, an academic, a novelist, or a professor, Zhang Ye should be the only person to have been awarded so many prizes in history, right? In music, crosstalk, the literary field, variety shows, mathematics, calligraphy, he's dabbled in all of them before! And now, this fellow has even been fucking shortlisted for the State Science and Technology Prizes? Does he intend to win an award in every industry once?"
"These awards really don't seem like it has anything to do with him."
"I know. But it's still quite impressive. Just look at who the scientists who have been nominated along with him are. They're all research fellows from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering!"
...
Spring Garden's studio.
"Teacher Zhang has been shortlisted for the awards ceremony?"
"Pfft, he really can't stay still, can he?"
"This is hilarious!"
...
At Guan Zhaohua's studio.
"Him?"
"Why would he be a part of it?"
"Why does it seem like he's everywhere!"
...
At a Heavenly Queen's studio.
"I really have to take my hat off to him."
"I've never come across a celebrity like this before!"
"That's also a skill."
...
Back at home.
"What? Our son was shortlisted?"
"There's even such a thing?"
"Like our son knows anything about the sciences! He's always been the superstitious type since childhood! He even threw his shoe to help him decide which university to apply for!"
...
At the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"Zhang Ye is on the list of shortlisted candidates?"
"Ah?"
"Who approved of it?"
"I think it was our Chinese Academy of Sciences who nominated him."
"Impossible. I'd believe it if you said he can fight, but what could he possibly know about science? Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Mathematics is also considered a scientific discipline though."
...
"Zhang Ye shortlisted for the State Science and Technology Prizes!"
"The names of 102 shortlisted candidates are revealed!"
"Zhang Ye's nomination gets the attention of many!"
"Who will be the most watched celebrity scientist this year?"
"Zhang Ye's nomination questioned by the industry!"
"The State Science and Technology Prizes shortlist is a sham?"
There was a constant stream of news.
The scientific community was in fervent discussions.
The public held heated debates.
...
At the studio.
Everyone was very excited.
Ha Qiqi said excitedly, "I'll go and pick out your attire immediately!"
Zhang Zuo said, "This is such a big deal!"
But Zhang Ye said, "Leave it. Why is there a need to pick out an attire? It's not like this is an awards ceremony in showbiz. There won't be a red carpet, so don't get all fancy or I'll end up becoming a joke."
Ha Qiqi smiled and said, "You think I don't know that? Don't you worry, I'll get in touch with the designer to tailor make a tunic suit that will be fitting for the occasion."
Zhang Ye approved, "Great idea!"
Xin Ya looked at him from nearby. She was still very confused by all of this. "How did you get shortlisted for the awards? I've had a look at the nominees, and there are only five mathematicians who were nominated this time. All of those five people are research fellows at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. You're just a civilian, so why did the State Science and Technology Awards Commission select you?"
Zhang Ye rolled his eyes. "Who's just a civilian?"
"You!" Xin Ya said without hesitation.
Zhang Ye said, "Goodbye."
Xin Ya said, "In any case, we'll go there together on the day of."
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "You wanna bask in my glory?"
Xin Ya sneered. "What glory do you have to bask in? You were only nominated, alright? You won't be receiving an award. Do you really think that the country is crazy enough to hand you the Highest Science and Technology Award?"
Zhang Ye chuckled and said, "Maybe?"