Ams School male student shares his love for Astrophysics

Won 2 medals in 2 consecutive years

In 2023, while still a 10th grader, Nguyen Ba Linh became an official member of the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Poland and won a Bronze Medal. At the 2024 IOAA, Linh won a Silver Medal, contributing significantly to the excellent results of the Vietnamese student delegation with 100% of members winning medals. This is the best achievement in 8 years of Hanoi students representing Vietnamese students at this competition.

Director of Hanoi Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong welcomed the Hanoi students who won the 2024 Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad.

Returning from Brazil after many stressful days of exams and nearly 40 hours on the plane, Nguyen Ba Linh said that although he and his friends were very tired, they felt happy and warm when receiving the love and care of the leaders of the Department of Education and Training, teachers, parents and friends.

According to Linh, she started to get acquainted with Astronomy and Astrophysics since primary school. Since childhood, she loved stars, galaxies, etc., so she saved money to buy a telescope to practice observing the sky. This hobby followed her to secondary school and when she learned more knowledge and read more books about this subject, she became more passionate and loved the subject. Knowing about the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics - one of the most prestigious exams for students who love this field and Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted is a good environment to study and pursue her passion, Linh set herself the goal of passing the entrance exam to Ams School. After passing, she tried very hard to get into the team.

“To become an official member of the competition team, passion is not enough, but also requires effort, determination and guidance from teachers,” said Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, Linh's mother.

When entering high school, with her existing English foundation, Linh read and researched many documents and English books on Astronomy and Astrophysics. The more she read and studied, the more Linh found herself drawn to this subject.

“During the time of training for the national team, I encountered many difficulties because I had to arrange and balance my studies. But then, I also found the best learning method for myself because for me, when I have passion, I will naturally find a way," Linh confided.

Talking about the difficulties of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Thuy said: “It is true that compared to other subjects, studying Astronomy and Astrophysics is much more difficult because during the day you study, but at night you stay up to practice looking at the sky and the stars; in addition, you also need to have tools and choose a suitable location to do the practice exercises.”

According to Ms. Thuy, she and her family always support and create the best conditions for Linh to live her passion; at the same time, they always trust her because they know Linh always manages her time, knows how to balance between studying and relaxing. In addition to studying and self-studying, Linh actively practices barbell and boxing to develop her physical strength, ensuring she has the health to study at high intensity.

“As a technical person, having graduated from the Electronics and Telecommunications Department of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the only thing I can help my child with is introducing him to good learning materials. The rest depends on his awareness, ability, and passion,” said Ms. Thuy.

IOAA is a valuable asset

Nguyen Ba Linh shared that 2024 is the second year he has participated in the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, but he still feels really excited. In addition to his achievements, this year's competition continues to bring him many new experiences, meeting many foreign friends with the same interests, expanding his knowledge and making him feel more mature.

When I went abroad to compete, I also realized that, compared to other teams, Vietnamese students were at a disadvantage in terms of review time.

5 members of the 2024 IOAA Vietnam team.

“Other countries pay a lot of attention to this subject and you will have to review it for a long time, maybe many years, 1 year or 6 months; but in Vietnam, we have to review for 2 months before leaving for the exam. Reviewing in a short time makes it difficult for us to have a wide and deep coverage of knowledge.”

When asked if Linh had any special secrets in studying, Linh said that she did not have any secrets and in her opinion, there would be no general method that could be applied to everyone because each person would have their own qualities, an effective and suitable way of studying. “Dream, move forward, be brave and do what you want to do. If you have interest and skills, you will find a way and method,” Linh said.

Previously, sharing with Chu Van An High School students at the Natural Science topic "Earth and Sky", Nguyen Ba Linh and IOAA 2023 members participating as guests, IOAA members said: during the competition days, the members had a busy schedule when taking the exam, visiting, experiencing, interacting with international friends, and exploring the culture of the countries. For them, the IOAA exam is not a path full of roses but also full of rocks and obstacles, so each person needs to really try to overcome them. As a result, the members won to bring glory to the capital and the country, contributing to affirming Vietnam's capacity and intelligence in the international arena.

By participating in the competition, I was able to cultivate determination, perseverance, will to strive, and make continuous efforts to achieve success. More than that, I learned to appreciate more the people around me including teachers, friends, and beloved family because they have always helped, encouraged, and supported me throughout the journey.

Talking about the future, Nguyen Ba Linh said that he has not made a final decision about his major, but no matter what, Astronomy and Astrophysics still have great significance to him, not only in his studies but also in his life. No matter what he studies or does, the romantic image of light and the sky through the lens of observation and the days of competing and practicing for the IOAA team are still valuable assets, helping him nurture his dreams and form goals for the future.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/nam-sinh-truong-ams-chia-se-tinh-yeu-voi-vat-ly-thien-van.html