[Guys! Ori-jwa has done it again...]
-Seems like it hasn’t been reported domestically yet, but an article came out in the U.S. This is our Ori-jwa, right? Posting a translation of the article.
The Boston Globe,
The Boston city government announced on the 24th that it has officially designated a next-generation traffic signal control model developed by MIT researchers for review and has begun development for application in a pilot section.
At the core of this project is the “self-directed phase variable” algorithm proposed by MIT researcher Yu Seoha.
It is a system designed to replace existing centralized traffic control, allowing each intersection signal to learn traffic volume and pedestrian flow on its own and synchronize its phase with nearby intersections.
Boston Transportation Department Deputy Director Alan Smith said, “This model is an innovative approach that views the flow of traffic not from the perspective of control, but of coordination,” and stated that development and testing would soon proceed.
Boston Mayor Patrick Stewart began by saying, “In cooperation with MIT, we are beginning the first experiment that can fundamentally solve the city’s traffic problems.”
He could not hide his excitement, adding, “If this project succeeds, Boston will become a pioneer in global transportation systems.”
According to city officials, the development period will be six months to one year, and full-scale pilot operation is scheduled to begin no later than sometime next year.
└Our beloved Ori-jwa. I’m glad it looks like he’s doing well over there too.
└The MIT kids need to get a taste of the heat too, right? It felt a little unfair that only we suffered.
└Isn’t that the senior who had a graduation ceremony all by himself back then?
└Yep, that’s him. I heard he’s an absolute monster, and now even in America, damn...
└Do you guys know how we felt having to take midterms and finals with him?
└Has he still not played soccer yet?
└The news report came out! Good thing I got his signature in the journal lol. The price is skyrocketing!!
Click.
Gyeoul closed her laptop and looked out the window.
The heat of summer had vanished before she knew it, and late autumn rain was falling. Raindrops touching the glass slid down, spreading along the lights.
On the desk lay a newly recorded CD.
[Han Gyeoul Private Session Vol. 4]
Seoha had said he was fine, but she was worried after all, so she had recorded the performance. If she sent it by courier, it should reach America quickly.
“...I wonder if he’s doing well. He won’t say anything even if he’s sick, so there’s no way to know.”
Gyeoul sat on the piano bench and pressed the keys.
The low notes of a D chord rang out heavily. That vibration reminded her of what had happened with Seoha not long ago.
Her face flushed red.
As if to make up for all the time she had rested, Gyeoul had been standing on competition stages both in Korea and abroad.
She performed on stages large and small in Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, sweeping first place in every competition.
At first, it had simply been a way to vent.
But the more she performed, the more Gyeoul felt that her piano had changed.
The texture of her pieces had become more delicate, and her emotions had gained depth. Only now did she realize that she had moved beyond being a student and become a musician in the true sense.
Thump, thump.
She placed a hand on her chest.
The quiet heartbeat she had heard that day.
That rhythm, steady yet warm, had now become a lamp within her, illuminating the darkness.
Now, even in practice rather than competitions, Gyeoul had become able to play with rich emotion.
During a lesson,
her piano teacher, Im Seonhwa, looked at Gyeoul with warm eyes.
“Gyeoul, Juilliard is good, but why don’t you try applying to Curtis as well?”
Gyeoul’s hands paused.
The Curtis Institute of Music.
An elite institution with only around 150 students in total. Among them, there were only about thirty new students.
If limited to piano, would there even be ten?
It was likely the most difficult music school in the world to get into.
“Out of nowhere? When I said before that I wanted to go to Juilliard, you agreed with me.”
Seonhwa smiled gently.
“That was because, at the time, you hadn’t shown me the ability to be accepted into Curtis.”
A surge of indignation rose in her chest, but it was not as if she could not understand.
“Teacher, you graduated from Curtis too, didn’t you?”
She was one of the few world-class pianists in Korea. Gyeoul had looked up her past interviews as well, and stories from her time studying at Curtis often appeared in them.
“Yes, that’s right. That place was the cruelest and most beautiful time of my life.”
As if recalling that time, her eyes sank into sorrow.
“Technically, you were already complete. But that place looks at what is inside. You must play with your soul in it.”
“Do you think I’m qualified?”
Seonhwa nodded.
The Curtis Institute of Music was in Philadelphia. Right next to New York.
“I’ll try. I want to achieve the best result I can.”
If she stayed still, it felt as though he would go far, far away.
Just as Seoha was creating a world of his own, Gyeoul also wanted to become worthy of standing beside him.
* * *
Whitman was full of energy these days.
Thirty years had passed since he began going back and forth between administration and research as a professor and then as dean. He was now old enough to be tired, but his steps were lighter than at any time in the past.
Whitman set down his coffee cup and scanned the report presented at the faculty meeting.
A document officially sent from Boston City Hall.
He had merely given him one assignment, and yet the boy had made an entire city move.
The item on today’s faculty meeting agenda was Seoha.
At MIT, there had never been a case of an undergraduate being designated as an official researcher on a government project.
“Would it not be sufficient to have him participate as a Research Assistant? An undergraduate cannot bear legal responsibility. There is no need to complicate things administratively.”
One professor carefully offered his opinion.
Tap.
Whitman set down the pen in his hand.
“The mayor submitted the proposal to us after seeing the algorithm that student created. And you want to use him as an assistant just because he doesn’t have a degree?
That is no different from declaring that this school intends to steal Seoha’s knowledge.”
The conference room instantly fell silent.
“I know what all of you are worried about. I will put my name down as the PI, Principal Investigator, and handle Seoha’s legal and administrative matters.
However, what if we register him as a co-investigator and give him the lead on the research?”
“You want to list an undergraduate as a co-investigator?”
“That is unprecedented. I’m not sure the Research Ethics Committee will approve it.”
The professors began murmuring.
A co-investigator was granted enormous authority and benefits.
Not only a considerable salary and research funding, but also a dedicated office, computing resources, priority in reserving instruments and equipment, and even the right to hire assistants.
Normally, it was a position one could only reach after becoming at least a postdoc, a postdoctoral researcher.
Most importantly, one gained the right to hold a stake in the research managed by the TLO, the Technology Licensing Office.
Whitman requested the floor.
“We are talking about principles, but in truth, we are afraid. Let us not discourage a researcher’s motivation with the words ‘there is no precedent.’
The value we hold most precious is the greatness of human intellect. And that has never once been judged by age or degree.”
The professors nodded as if in agreement.
“Galois never even entered university.”
“Abel didn’t have a doctoral degree either.”
The moderator read the agenda item again.
“Yu Seoha shall be appointed as a co-investigator affiliated with the MIT Department of Mathematics. Dean Whitman shall serve as PI and shall bear all administrative and legal responsibility.
Research equity shall follow TLO internal regulations.”
To prevent potential disputes in the future, the TLO clearly defined the ownership shares of research results produced within the university.
One-third to the inventor, one-third to the affiliated department, and one-third to MIT itself.
If the project succeeded and expanded across the United States, Seoha’s research would gain tremendous value.
“All in favor?”
One by one, hands went up.
By unanimous decision, Seoha became the first undergraduate co-investigator in MIT history.
* * *
At the end of the second floor of the mathematics building, a new nameplate had been put up.
[Room 2-148.
Yu Seoha, Lead Investigator, MIT Department of Mathematics]
When he opened the door, the distinct smell of oil and paint from a new building rushed out at him.
Except for the windowed side, all three walls of the office were covered in blackboards. They were brand-new, the protective film not yet peeled off.
Whew!
Root whistled.
“This is all yours?”
“I’ve been at MIT for three years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“Isn’t this better than a professor’s office?”
Entropy and Cipher said, their eyes wide.
Seoha smiled awkwardly and unfolded the blueprints in his hand. MIT had set up the office exactly as he had requested.
“The workstation is insane.”
“The touchscreen board is the latest model too. It’s seriously huge.”
Since Seoha did not know much about equipment, he had asked them for help when requesting the necessary devices.
The space completed in that way was a research lab no undergraduate should have been able to possess.
A small 3D printer capable of directly making models of the city, ultra-precision digital pens and tablets, laptop docking stations, and even a network system.
It was the result of thoroughly reflecting the hackers’ tastes.
“I’m going to live here!”
Entropy sat in the chair and spun around and around as if throwing a tantrum.
“I’d live here too, honestly. No rent, how great is that?”
Root pointed to the sofa on one side.
“Now it’ll be perfect once we get the network connected.”
Cipher sent a signal to the Transportation Department.
The line in this room was connected to the Transportation Department’s auxiliary server through a security gateway.
“Connection complete.”
As Cipher tapped on the keyboard, a green light turned on in one corner of the monitor.
“Authentication token confirmed, encrypted channel open. The data feed is coming in now.”
The screen flickered, and soon countless numbers and graphs began flowing in real time.
The intersections marked on the map began to light up one by one.
All data from across Boston—signals, traffic volume, vehicle queue lengths—was being transmitted to the server in this room.
Root let out an exclamation of admiration.
“Wow, you can really see the entire city moving.”
“Deputy Director Alan said he would share as much data as possible with us.”
Whatever magic he had worked, things were progressing without a hitch.
Seoha had been able to receive nearly all the support he needed for his research.
After Spectra Works left, Seoha slowly looked around the lab.
A space of his own, for the first time in his life.
Thud.
He dropped into the chair and spun around like Entropy had.
“I’ll be able to do tons of research from now on.”
He remembered the time when he had secretly entered a lecture hall and completed the four color theorem.
Now, those days were over.
Riiip.
He removed the plastic film attached to the blackboard.
When he stroked it with his hand, he liked the cool sensation.
Feeling giddy, he wandered here and there, then finally threw himself onto the sofa.
His back sank into the springy cushion.
A laugh came out on its own.
“Hahaha! This really isn’t a dream, right?”
He spread his arms, rolled around on the sofa, and shouted in triumph.
Turning his head while lying down, he saw Ellie and Jason holding back laughter.
Seoha’s face turned red with embarrassment, and he sprang up from the sofa.
At that moment, Ellie and Jason screamed and charged at Seoha.
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
“Hurrraaaaaay! We did it!”
They wildly ruffled Seoha’s hair, messing it up.
Seoha was not the only one savoring the achievement of their first completed project.
“Thank you for choosing us!”
“I’ll work really hard too!”
Seoha had chosen these two as the assistants assigned to him.
They had no equity, but it would help their future careers, and they would also receive considerable compensation.
“Cheers!”
The three of them toasted with Mountain Dew from the vending machine.