Late Professor Thai Tran Bai: A giant in Vietnamese zoology

Portrait of the late Professor, Doctor of Science, People's Teacher Thai Tran Bai

From a hard-working childhood to a "sower" of knowledge

Born in 1936 in Duc Lam commune (now Lam Trung Thuy, Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province) in a poor intellectual family with many children, the boy Thai Tran Bai soon understood the hardships of making a living. He once recounted: in 1953, after graduating from high school at Phan Dinh Phung School, he had to help his parents by making hats to sell, carrying fish from Cua Sot and walking dozens of kilometers to Bong market (Huong Son) to sell.

However, it was poverty that forged his will, courage and thirst for knowledge. Arriving in Hanoi in early 1954, he worked as a tutor to earn a living and passed the entrance exams to both the Medical University and the Hanoi Pedagogical University, then chose Pedagogy – for a simple reason: the tuition fee was lower.

A life of "cultivating people" and serving knowledge

After graduating with honors in late 1957, he was retained as a lecturer at Hanoi Pedagogical University – the beginning of more than half a century of dedication to education and research. From 1961 to 1965, he was sent to the Soviet Union to study and improve his qualifications.

Late Professor, Doctor of Science, People's Teacher Thai Tran Bai during his student days

Returning during the war, he organized, directed and worked with students to build bomb shelters, build A-shaped bunkers, and build laboratories in evacuation areas. Not only that, he and Professor Hoang Duc Nhuan compiled two textbooks on Invertebrate Zoology - the foundational document for biology training in Vietnam many years later.

Since 1972, he began his research on freshwater oligochaetes – a class of annelids without lateral limbs – and then on earthworms, head tapeworms, roundworms, etc. These directions have become his majors throughout his scientific research career.

Textbook of Invertebrates co-edited by the late Professor, Doctor of Science, People's Teacher Thai Tran Bai

In 1983, he successfully defended his PhD thesis at Moscow State University (MGU) on the systematics, phylogeny and zoogeography of Vietnamese earthworms – marking the most comprehensive research work on earthworms in Vietnam at that time. Many new earthworm species of the genus Pheretima were published in the journal of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union.

He then held the position of Head of the Department of Biology and Agricultural Engineering and then Vice Principal of Hanoi National University of Education . In his managerial role, he promoted the principle of “scientific integrity”, requiring theses and dissertations to ensure substantive quality.

Dr. Vo The Quan, former Head of the school's Science Management Department, commented:

“ During this period, Professor Bai made a very important request – that is to improve the quality of Master’s and Doctoral theses according to the principle of scientific integrity, which requires high honesty. Therefore, the University of Education has become a very prestigious postgraduate training center in Vietnam .”

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi - former Deputy Minister of Education and Training - also commented:

“ The late Professor Thai Tran Bai was an excellent graduate and made a significant impact. In addition to his role as a scientist, he also participated in management work and contributed greatly to the school .”

The pioneer of soil animal research in Vietnam

A major milestone was in 1987, when he founded the Soil Animal Research Center – one of the first facilities in Vietnam to conduct in-depth research on the ecology and biodiversity of this group of animals. Here, he and his colleagues discovered 84 new species of earthworms for science. The Center also participated in many ministerial and state-level projects, and international cooperation with France, Japan, Korea, etc.

Dr. Vo The Quan commented:

“ This is an important scientific achievement and is recognized by the international scientific community .”

The collection at the Center is very large and diverse, not only in Vietnam but also in Laos and Cambodia. The staff trained here have spread to universities, colleges, and research institutes in the country and in other countries.

Late Professor, Doctor of Science, People's Teacher Thai Tran Bai takes a photo with his students.

In addition to research, the late Professor also participated in training cadres for Laos in Sam Neua and successfully guided the PhD thesis of his student Samphon Keungphachanh (in 1990). He also taught at Mascara Pedagogical College (Algeria) from 1991 to 1994.

A shining example of a teacher

The late Professor Thai Tran Bai always improved his teaching methods – from using drawings, direct photos of specimens to illustrative videos – to help students easily absorb and love the subject.

In more than 60 years of his career, he has published more than 100 scientific works, guided 8 PhD theses, and dozens of Master theses. With these contributions, he was awarded the title of People's Teacher in 2010 - a worthy recognition for his persistent and humane journey.

Late Professor, Doctor of Science, People's Teacher Thai Tran Bai at his student's doctoral thesis defense ceremony.

At the age of 88, he is still diligently writing books, passing on the passion of science to the next generation. He confided: “ Happiness is doing what you like. As long as I am healthy, I still try to convey knowledge to my students .” He has just completed the book Laotian Earthworm Fauna with Dr. Lam Hai Dang – a valuable document for the biology industry.

The late Professor Thai Tran Bai has passed away, but he remains a beautiful image of a dedicated, humble, exemplary and creative intellectual. Although he has passed away, the flame of science still burns brightly, illuminating the path of scientific research for generations of students to follow.

Dear readers, please watch the video interview by reporter of Knowledge and Life Newspaper, Dr. Vo The Quan - Principal of Dong Do High School - Hanoi talking about his teacher and colleague - the late Professor, Doctor of Science, People's Teacher Thai Tran Bai.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/co-gs-thai-tran-bai-cay-dai-thu-trong-nganh-dong-vat-hoc-viet-nam-post268368.html