"Rajesh, don't eat in this cafeteria anymore. You are a superstar now, and you should come to the private restaurant for dinner." President Siebert warmly invited again.
"Thank you, President Siebert, but I hope to bring my good buddy Howard with me." Raj smiled slightly.
"Of course, no problem at all. As you wish." President Siebert agreed graciously.
Howard saw that Raj was being considerate and hadn't forgotten him, and he felt even happier about the whole situation.
When they arrived at the private restaurant, the difference from the cafeteria was immediately apparent. The decoration was luxurious, with elegant lighting and tasteful artwork on the walls. The food selection was remarkably rich, featuring dishes that would be at home in any five-star establishment, and the tableware was exquisite—fine china and crystal glassware that belonged in a top restaurant.
And the most remarkable thing was that this was actually a buffet, and the price was surprisingly affordable compared to other buffets of similar quality in LA. Lobster, matsutake mushrooms, caviar, foie gras—all you could eat for just $15 per person.
"Damn, this is the first time I've learned that the University even has a private restaurant. Their life up here is really luxurious." Howard observed all this and couldn't help complaining quietly to Raj.
"Shh, don't say that," Raj reminded him, somewhat exasperated.
The Head of the physics department and the President of the University were both right there with them. If Howard complained about them now, wouldn't that be like a sheep walking straight into the lion's mouth?
After the four of them selected their meals from the buffet, they found a comfortable table and sat down together.
"Rajesh, your discovery is truly remarkable. It could easily be included in the top ten breakthroughs in physics of the year," President Siebert praised enthusiastically.
"Thank you, President." Raj nodded modestly.
"The University is planning to use this discovery to generate significant publicity and strive for more financial support from donors and funding agencies," President Siebert continued, his tone becoming more business-like. "I hope we can count on your cooperation in this effort."
Scientific research was extraordinarily expensive, after all. Take Sheldon's string theory work, for example—if anyone wanted to properly verify it experimentally, it would cost at least half a billion dollars, possibly more.
Relying solely on student tuition fees would never be sustainable for maintaining cutting-edge research programs. Therefore, seeking outside donations and endowments had become the primary way for universities to raise the necessary funds. In 2017, Harvard University had received a record-breaking endowment totaling 38 billion U.S. dollars.
American universities were scattered all across the country, and there were many top-tier, world-famous institutions—Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, and others.
Although Caltech was undeniably a top-tier institution with exceptional scientific research strength and Nobel laureates on its faculty, its public reputation and name recognition weren't quite at the same level as the Ivy League schools. Therefore, the annual fundraising amounts couldn't compare to those of star universities like Harvard and Yale, which had centuries of history and vast alumni networks.
How to improve the University's reputation, how to raise its profile in the public eye, and how to attract more substantial investment from foundations, corporations, and wealthy donors had become the issues that weighed most heavily on President Siebert's mind.
While sleepiness comes, there are pillows—a perfect metaphor for Raj's current situation. His discovery of a habitable planet has received widespread media attention, and President Siebert sees this as a golden opportunity. If they seize the moment and publicize it well, the university could bring in millions of dollars in donations from alumni and benefactors eager to associate themselves with such groundbreaking research.
That's why President Siebert had been flattering Raj so enthusiastically throughout their meeting.
"Don't worry, President. I am a member of Caltech, and I am happy to contribute to the University," Raj agreed readily.
Hearing his words, President Siebert's smile grew even broader, the lines around his eyes crinkling with genuine pleasure.
President Siebert hadn't expected Raj to be so easy-going and cooperative. He was not at all like those other nerds in the university—brilliant minds who were so knowledgeable in their fields yet utterly clueless when it came to understanding how people and the world operates, especially the delicate art of public relations and fundraising.
"Very good. I will help you arrange a magazine interview later. I hope you can help the University do a good job with the publicity," President Siebert said, his tone warm and encouraging.
"Definitely," Raj nodded. "But I haven't been interviewed before, so I don't really know how to speak to reporters. Can you give me a copy of the talking points or a speech outline? I'd like to review it first."
"No problem at all," President Siebert agreed readily, then added with a gentle reminder, "But during the actual interview, remember not to read directly from the script. It needs to feel natural and conversational."
It was perfectly fine to prepare using the manuscript and familiarize himself with the key points, but if he simply read from it word for word during the interview, the whole purpose and authenticity of the interview would be lost.
"I understand," Raj nodded, appreciating the advice.
After the meal concluded, a reporter arrived to conduct an exclusive interview with Raj.
The journalist inquired about Raj's experience growing up in India, his educational journey, his scientific research career, and most importantly, the detailed process of discovering the TO1700d planet—how he had identified it, what made him realize it was potentially habitable, and what this meant for the future of space exploration.
Raj had carefully read through the speech outline just before the interview, so when the questions came, he knew the material well. He spoke eloquently, his natural enthusiasm for the subject shining through, and answered each question with ease and confidence. His genuine passion made the prepared talking points sound spontaneous and authentic.
The entire interview process was remarkably pleasant and engaging.
After the interview portion concluded, the magazine's team also arranged a professional photo shoot with Raj. A seasoned photographer, experienced in capturing scientists and academics, directed the session with expert precision.
The photographer certainly knew his craft—there were indeed two brushes to his technique, as the saying went. The photos he captured were exponentially better than any selfie Raj had ever taken. In the professional shots, Raj appeared more handsome and distinguished, with an air of intellectual gravitas that made him look almost like a Hollywood star playing a brilliant scientist.
After successfully completing the exclusive interview and photo shoot for the magazine, the task was accomplished to everyone's satisfaction, and President Siebert was visibly pleased with how smoothly everything had gone.
"Rajesh, this is a VIP card for the private faculty restaurant," President Siebert said, handing over an elegant embossed card. "From now on, you can dine there whenever you like, and you're welcome to bring up to two guests with you."
"Thank you so much," Raj accepted the card with a grateful smile, already imagining the possibilities.
The private restaurant boasted luxurious décor, exquisite cuisine prepared by trained chefs, and an elegant, quiet environment perfect for both dining and discreet conversations. It would be genuinely enjoyable to eat there regularly. He and Howard could come and dine there every day if they wished, finally escaping the mediocre cafeteria food.
"In addition," President Siebert continued, clearly not finished with his offerings, "the University is planning to hire a personal assistant for you to help manage your growing responsibilities. What do you think of that?"
"Thank you very much for your kindness. That would be extremely helpful," Raj nodded immediately, barely concealing his enthusiasm.
After having a dedicated assistant, he could delegate many of the trivial but time-consuming tasks—such as collecting research materials, organizing files and data, managing his schedule, running errands around campus, and handling correspondence—to them. This would save him considerable time and energy that he could redirect toward actual research.
And if it happened to be an attractive female assistant, well, they might fall in love over time working so closely together, and perhaps she could even become a potential marriage partner. What's more, the University would be paying her salary, so why not accept such a generous offer?
Subsequently, Raj's recruitment notice for a personal assistant was officially posted by the University's human resources department, and it immediately attracted an overwhelming number of applicants.
First, the salary offered for the position was relatively generous—an annual salary of $70,000—which was quite attractive to young professionals and recent graduates looking to establish themselves in academia.
Second, serving as an assistant to a well-known and rising professor meant the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research projects, which would be immensely beneficial for improving one's professional knowledge and skills. Moreover, as the professor's personal assistant, beyond handling daily administrative tasks, one would inevitably meet many important people in the field—other professors, visiting scholars, potential collaborators—and thus expand their professional network significantly.
Raj had published three highly influential papers in prestigious journals in less than two months, and had also independently discovered a potentially habitable exoplanet, catapulting him to fame. He had become very popular in academic circles, with his name appearing regularly in scientific publications and news outlets.
Anyone following him as an assistant would naturally have bright prospects for their own career, so applications flooded in immediately. Resumes and cover letters nearly filled his email inbox to capacity, with new ones arriving every hour.
The interviews for the assistant position would begin tomorrow and continue over the following days, with candidates scheduled back-to-back.
"Dude, you are so developed now that you even have your own personal assistant," Howard said with obvious envy in his voice. "Meanwhile, even if I apply to the University for something as simple as a new pen, they act like I'm asking them to take pliers to the bank and rob it."
"Howard, don't worry. There will be bread and milk for you too," Raj said with an encouraging smile, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "When our quantum navigation system test is successful and we can demonstrate its practical applications, we'll not only have assistants, but we might even have servants waiting on us hand and foot."
"Yeah, you're right," Howard said, nodding vigorously, his spirits lifting at the thought.
Once the quantum navigation system was successfully developed and put into commercial use—particularly for aerospace and defense applications—it would generate an output value of tens of billions or even hundreds of billions of dollars. At that point, they would be able to earn enormous sums just from collecting patent licensing fees, transforming their lives completely.
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