VinFuture Scientist: No need to 'think outside the box' because the box doesn't exist

ANTD.VN - During the Science and Technology Week and VinFuture Awards Ceremony 2024, the series of seminars became a highlight when scientists brought many inspiring scientific stories to students and young researchers.

Dare to dream and make your dreams come true

On the afternoon of December 5, at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the workshop “Women Scientists for the Future of Sustainable Energy and Green Environment” within the framework of the Science and Technology Week and the VinFuture 2024 Award Ceremony attracted a large number of students, lecturers and scientists. The two keynote speakers, Professor Susan Solomon and Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen, brought inspiring stories from their scientific journey.

Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen, co-chair of the VinFuture Prize Preliminary Jury, Director of the Polymer and Organic Solids Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, inspires the young generation of Vietnam.

Professor Susan Solomon, Professor of Chemical and Environmental Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and member of the VinFuture Prize Committee, told about her journey of researching the ozone layer – the “living shield” of the Earth. In 1986, she was the only female scientist to lead an expedition to Antarctica, where she elucidated the mechanism causing the “hole” in the ozone layer due to CFC compounds. This discovery led to the Montreal Protocol in 1987, which globally banned the production and use of CFCs.

Professor Susan Solomon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) and member of the VinFuture Prize Council shared at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology conference

“This is a vivid example of how science can guide not only policy but also public awareness ,” she said. According to Professor Solomon, public awareness plays a key role in driving collective action, such as the reduction of CFC use in the United States in the 1970s, even before the Protocol was enacted.

“Individual consumer actions can sometimes change the world,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen, Director of the Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), Co-Chair of the VinFuture Preliminary Committee, a famous Vietnamese-American scientist in the field of sustainable energy, told the touching story of her journey from a poor girl living in a village without electricity in Vietnam to a leading researcher in the US.

“When I was a child, I dreamed of storing sunlight in a bottle to use as a night lamp. Many years later, I made that dream come true with my research on organic solar cells,” she said.

Professor Quyen is currently leading research on organic semiconductors, a promising technology in the field of renewable energy. She stressed that Vietnam, with its rich natural resources such as long coastline and many hours of sunshine, is fully capable of becoming a pioneer in renewable energy development.

Besides inspiring, Professor Quyen also advised the young generation to focus on practicing and cultivating teamwork skills to solve complex problems.

What does the “Father of AI” say about the future of artificial intelligence?

On the same morning, at the University of Natural Sciences, the workshop “The Future of AI” organized by VinFuture Foundation brought a vision of global AI trends. The keynote speaker, Professor Yann LeCun – “the father of AI” and Director of AI Science at Meta – attracted the attention of a large audience.

Professor Yann LeCun – “father of AI” and Director of AI Science at Meta presented at the workshop “Future of AI” at the University of Natural Sciences

In his 90-minute presentation, Professor Yann LeCun emphasized that current AI is still limited in tasks that require logical thinking and complex planning. According to him, the future of AI is to reach “human level” through self-supervised learning from real-world data. He also introduced the JEPA (Joint Embedding Predictive Architecture) model, a new approach to help AI make predictions more abstractly.

“AI is not only a technology support tool but also a platform to help solve many social and economic challenges,” he shared.

During the exchange, Professor LeCun answered many questions from the audience and gave valuable advice. He encouraged Vietnamese students to master mathematics and physics, and participate in open source projects to overcome technological barriers. “Economic sectors that take advantage of technological innovations will create breakthroughs,” he emphasized.

In addition to Professor LeCun, the workshop also had the participation of Vietnamese experts such as Professor Ho Tu Bao and Dr. Nguyen Xuan Phong, providing an in-depth perspective on the application of AI in practice, from industry to education.

“VinFuture Discovery Dialogue Series” is an important bridge to connect the world's leading scientists with research institutes, universities and businesses in Vietnam.

VinFuture Science Week is not only a place to share knowledge but also a bridge between outstanding global minds and the Vietnamese scientific community. Stories from Professor Susan Solomon, Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen and Professor Yann LeCun have strongly inspired the young generation of Vietnam, while affirming the role of science in shaping a sustainable future.

The 4th VinFuture Awards Ceremony will take place tonight, December 6 at the Hoan Kiem Theater (Hanoi). The program will be broadcast live from 8:10 p.m. on VTV1 - Vietnam Television and online on many major online newspapers and social networking platforms.

Source: https://www.anninhthudo.vn/nha-khoa-hoc-vinfuture-khong-can-tu-duy-ngoai-hop-vi-chiec-hop-ay-khong-ton-tai-post597656.antd