Chapter 1691 - 1597: When the Human Stars Shine

Chapter 1691: Chapter 1597: When the Human Stars Shine

Girard was not someone who believed in speaking quietly.

The hall fell silent for a brief instant; even Archbishop Beaumont on the stage had to cover his embarrassment with a dry cough.

Kampa, the dean of the University of Paris Academy of Sciences, hurried over and sat down beside Girard, signaling him not to shout: "Philippe, if you have something to discuss, you can certainly come to me after the ceremony."

Yes, Girard was himself the aristocrat he so often attacked, and at the same time an alternate member of the French Academy of Sciences, very familiar with Kampa.

Girard gestured toward Tener: "You should know Mr. Tener’s written exam scores—mathematics, mechanics, logic and so on are all ’excellent’; only literature is ’good’. Yet he didn’t even get an interview!

"How am I supposed to believe the fairness of this admissions process?"

Since at present graduating from the French University was enough to qualify for doctoral entrance, the doctoral admissions model Joseph had designed resembled later-era graduate school entrance exams: first a test on basic coursework, then interviews with prospective advisors, followed by students’ reverse selection of advisors.

But the timing for this first doctoral admissions reform was too tight, and the University of Paris had not yet separated the Academy for different tracks; candidates in all fields had to go through the same preliminary examination, and only those with qualifying scores could choose their specialization.

Kampa made a patient gesture: "You know, after this reform, the number of applicants has been tremendous, while the Academy’s doctoral slots have increased by only six. The competition is truly fierce. I can assure you, those who received interviews are all genuinely outstanding."

Tener looked around the hall in disbelief: "The Academy has eighteen doctoral slots this year. Are you saying there are eighteen people stronger than me?"

As one of the most gifted of France’s young generation, he had already made some contributions in chemistry. He was in that stage brimming with confidence, even a bit of arrogance.

Kampa kept his tone as even as possible: "I’m afraid so, Mr. Tener."

The young technician felt his pride wounded. He pointed at a young man in the front row wearing a gray-black formal suit, his blond hair shining: "Please tell me, apart from that gentleman from Brunswick, who else scored better than I did on the written exam?"

The man he pointed at was Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss, who had published a work that truly systematized number theory, Arithmetic Research, and had used a mysterious formula to calculate the orbit of Ceres, solving the problem that had vexed countless astronomers. He was the only person Tener truly admired.

In fact, Gauss had already earned a doctorate from Helms University, but after careful consideration he still set off for Paris, whose academic atmosphere was the best in Europe, intending to continue studying mathematics under Lagrange.

Yes, the "Generalized Lagrange Mean Value Theorem" proposed more than ten years earlier had shocked him profoundly; that was also a major reason he came to Paris.

As for the academic funding originally granted to him by the Duke of Brunswick, that mattered much less now that France was going to provide substantial scholarships and research funding for outstanding doctoral students.

Kampa sighed helplessly, his gaze sliding to the left, to a slightly curly-haired British man sitting very straight: "Mr. Thomas Young there—his answers on the written exam were almost all correct; he even surpassed Mr. Gauss."

Tener frowned, straining to search his memory for information on this man.

Girard whispered: "I remember he’s a physician, and he’s written some papers on the wave theory of light."

"A physician..." Tener was about to challenge this, but considering that the University of Paris was unlikely to break the rules for a British man, he swallowed the second half of his sentence.

Kampa then looked toward the chubby young man sitting behind Thomas Young: "You may know Mr. Jean-Baptiste Biot, he..."

Tener nodded at once: "His learning is beyond doubt."

Biot, like him, was an alternate member of the French Academy of Sciences, and had done substantial work in thermodynamics.

Kampa’s gaze moved on: "Mr. Andre-Marie Ampere. He hasn’t had a regular university education, but his scholarly foundation is very solid; he has published papers on probability theory. He is currently teaching at the University of Lyon.

"As I recall, his scores in mathematics and literature were slightly higher than yours."

Tener’s eyes were already starting to drift.

Kampa, as if not noticing his expression, continued: "Mr. Etienne Louis Malus is currently an assistant professor at the Polytechnic Institute. He has achieved quite a bit in optics—for example, his research on the phenomenon of polarization of light...

"Mr. Thomas John Seebeck is from Prussia; he earned his doctorate from the University of Göttingen just last year and works in electricity and chemistry..."

Tener suddenly leaned toward him and said, "I must apologize for my earlier remarks. There is nothing wrong with this admissions process."

"I’m very glad to have your understanding." Kampa finally relaxed. "I’m sure you’ll win a spot next year."

Tener nodded perfunctorily, then once again looked at those young men in the hall, murmuring dejectedly under his breath, "Jesus, why have all these fellows come running to Paris..."

Before long, Tener left the Plessy College hall with his head lowered. Girard grabbed his arm and said loudly, "Who could have known it would turn out like this? Forget the whole thing. Let’s go have a couple of drinks at the Drummer Cafe—my treat."

The main business of that cafe was all kinds of alcoholic drinks.

In the Baroque-style cafe, Tener downed a full glass of Malaga wine from Spain and went on complaining to his old friend about his ill luck.

Just then, guided by a waiter, Kampa came in and waved to Tener: "I knew you’d be here. Fortunately Maregal saw you heading this way just now."

Tener pulled out the chair beside him and said, breath smelling of alcohol, "Please, sit. Care to have a drink with us?"

Kampa declined the wine and smiled: "I’ve brought you some good news."

"What good news could there possibly be now?"

"The Regent King has instructed the French Academy of Sciences and the Engineering Design Institute to admit doctoral students as well—twelve slots in total."

The moment before, Tener had been slumped lazily over the table; now he shot upright: "Really?"

"Of course. The announcement will be published in a couple of days. But the examinations will be held at the end of the year."

Tener immediately wilted a little again: "All the sharp fellows in Europe are converging on Paris to compete. Who knows whether there’ll be enough slots..."

He had truly been shaken by what happened that day.

Kampa leaned in closer and lowered his voice: "You can choose some special directions."

"You mean?"

"Things like explosives synthesis, ammonia synthesis, industrial dyes, and the like."

Tener’s eyes lit up at once.

The first of these was for military use; the other two concerned France’s competitiveness in chemical industry. They would surely give priority to French people.