Thursday, the 23rd.
On this day, Tony Snow finally decided on the university he would attend.
However, the outcome was somewhat different from what Tony had originally envisioned.
The university Tony chose was Westbridge Institute of Science and Technology, where he would specialize in the Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics under the School of Life Sciences and Medical Technology.
Westbridge Institute is a comprehensive, national-level research university affiliated with the National Academy of Sciences in the fictional Midland Republic. It primarily focuses on advanced science and high technology, while also incorporating medical research and select humanities. Founded in 1958, the university moved to Lakeshore City, the capital of Bai State, in 1970.
Bai State is neither economically dominant nor known for education compared to other regions in the Republic. And while Westbridge's biology program may not match the renown of the top private research universities, its status within Bai State is unmatched—more than any other institution in its respective region.
Locals often joke that Riverport is the "Jerusalem" of Bai State, but the region has ambitions to emulate larger, more prosperous urban hubs. To retain top talent and develop Lakeshore into a center of innovation, Bai State provides extensive political and financial support to Westbridge—its sole Tier-One research university.
This was precisely what Tony Snow was looking for.
Originally, when Westbridge contacted Tony, they hoped he would join their Department of Mathematics. But Tony's goal had always been biosciences. He declined.
Still, Westbridge wasn't ready to give up. To win him over, they proposed a unique arrangement.
In a move showcasing unusual boldness, Westbridge offered Tony a three-year contract as a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mathematics. It wasn't a tenured role, but the offer was unprecedented: no other university in the Republic had ever extended such an offer to an undergraduate.
Tony couldn't supervise graduate students or lead grant-funded projects under this appointment, and the monthly salary was modest—equivalent to around $1,200 USD, without additional stipends. Still, it came with full benefits: insurance, housing support, and university credentials.
More interestingly, the contract stated that if Tony published at least one paper in any of the four top global mathematics journals within three years, he would automatically receive tenure and be promoted to full professor, indistinguishable from senior faculty.
After tenure, the compensation package would increase significantly, with bonuses, stipends, and travel allowances.
This exceptional offer stemmed from Tony's earlier publication in Mathematical Advances—a milestone very few researchers achieve in their lifetime. Westbridge had also caught wind, unofficially, that Tony had submitted another paper to Annals of Mathematics.
Whether that paper would be accepted or not, the fact that Tony even attempted such a submission as an undergraduate was enough to convince Westbridge to do whatever it took to bring him in.
Tony, of course, already knew that the second paper had been submitted—and he found the university's internal struggle to woo him almost amusing.
As for the School of Life Sciences, Tony's path would be through direct doctoral study, which usually spans four to five years.
Direct doctoral programs admit exceptional undergraduates directly into Ph.D. training, bypassing the master's degree. Candidates receive full doctoral benefits from day one and are expected to meet the same standards as other Ph.D. students.
Tony had already selected a prospective advisor: Dr. William Bright, an internationally recognized expert in biophysics and neurobiology.
Dr. Bright's work had significantly advanced understanding in areas like cell membrane repair mechanisms, synaptic plasticity, and neuronal feedback loops—all critical fields at the intersection of neuroscience and AI.
He had published extensively in top journals like Science, Nature Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, and PNAS.
After finalizing his contract with Westbridge and confirming his doctoral pathway, Tony joined the faculty's online workspace. Through that, he sent a contact request to Dr. Bright.
"I have accepted your friend request. We can now start chatting."
Soon, Dr. Bright had added him. Tony promptly sent a message:
"Hello, Dr. Bright. I'm deeply interested in your research direction and am very much looking forward to joining your lab as a doctoral student and contributing to meaningful scientific research."
Dr. Bright's reply was a single punctuation mark:
"?"
The confusion was understandable—Tony Snow had just joined Westbridge as a faculty member, not as a graduate student. Dr. Bright hadn't yet been informed of Tony's dual appointment.
Tony immediately followed up with a detailed message, explaining the situation: though appointed as a Distinguished Professor in the Mathematics Department, he had also opted for direct doctoral studies under the School of Life Sciences, and hoped to conduct his Ph.D. research under Dr. Bright's guidance.
After several minutes of silence, Tony almost closed the chat window—until Dr. Bright finally responded:
"Hello! While I am technically your advisor now, you're also a Distinguished Professor at our university. No need for formalities—let's speak as colleagues.
Still, I very much welcome you to our group. Let me introduce you to our ongoing projects and lab goals."
Despite the unconventional arrangement, Dr. Bright had accepted it with professionalism and enthusiasm.
Tony Snow's next chapter was about to begin—not just as a rising academic, but as a boundary-breaking anomaly in the scientific world.