Tran Huong Lan
Passion not only helps them reap achievements, awards and scholarships, but also motivates them to nurture their desire to dedicate and contribute...
My father always told me to contribute to Vietnam. That teaching urged me to observe and look for things that I could learn from outside to help the country develop more.
TRAN HUONG LAN
Learn what you can contribute to Vietnam
Graduated from university in the field of computer science, the girl born in 2002, Tran Huong Lan, will soon continue to study for a master's degree, with a scholarship for postgraduate students at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic University of Lausanne (EPFL) - top 10 in the world in this field.
Huong Lan’s passion for STEM subjects began when she was a child, starting primary school. At that time, Lan’s father bought her the first computer for her to take the Math Olympiad and later the English exams.
The more she was exposed to computers, the more her curiosity and love for them grew. In high school, Lan called her decision to take the entrance exam for a specialized IT class a “turning point,” because that was also when she was selected for the gifted student team and decided to pursue a career in computer science.
“Everything is like a flow, opportunities come and I seize them. When I was young, I studied because I loved it. Growing up, I realized that the most interesting thing in this field is change and creativity. I learn new things, satisfy my curiosity when finding a way to solve or approach a problem through computer science. It is a feeling of being 'ahead of the times'…”, Lan shared.
In 2023, Huong Lan will have the opportunity to study for a year at EPFL. Not only will she broaden her horizons and understanding through her studies, the studious girl will also stay connected with professors and apply for research positions in laboratories.
“From that moment on, I set a goal to pursue a master’s degree here. Through my research on applying machine learning to contribute to education, I was noticed by teachers and awarded a master’s scholarship,” Huong Lan said. In addition to EPFL, Lan was also accepted to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), a top 10 university in the world, according to the 2023 QS rankings.
The Gen Z girl said that meeting strict standards while working with professors helped her practice and develop a lot. It is the initiative, independence and professionalism to ensure the completion of the research project.
“Since entering university, I have seen many talented and outstanding young people around me, with many different strengths and goals. Gradually, I have learned to set goals to be better than myself in the past instead of comparing myself to others. A young person will feel lost and stagnant if they do not have a goal to strive for,” she said.
In 2021, Huong Lan participated in the International Blockchain Olympiad and won first prize in the medical category for both the national and global rounds with ideas on securing patient information, finding optimal and personalized treatment options.
During her upcoming study abroad, in addition to focusing on her major, she also hopes to join the Women in STEM community to share her interests and find role models to learn from, and find some opportunities to contribute to Vietnam.
“In developed countries and big cities, it is quite common for women to pursue STEM fields, while in Vietnam it is very rare. I hope that in the future I can carry out community projects in my hometown, helping female high school students to be more proactive in seizing opportunities and making choices,” she said.
Lam Nguyen Thanh Thao
I believe that developing science and technology and equipping young people with STEM skills will be the 'key' to help Vietnam accelerate its international integration, and international students will be one of the resources contributing to that integration process with their knowledge and skills.
LAM NGUYEN THANH THAO
Technology is the “key” for Vietnam to integrate
For Lam Nguyen Thanh Thao, a girl who graduated with a degree in business analysis and has just received a full scholarship for a master's degree in artificial intelligence technology at Singapore Management University (SMU), the most outstanding thing is her community spirit in addition to her passion for science.
During her high school years at Luong The Vinh High School for the Gifted (Dong Nai Province), Thanh Thao “fell in love” with STEM from an exhibition of science and technology products. There, Thao was “drawn” into technology projects that supported solving community problems.
“Seeing projects like automatic chairs to help disabled people move up and down stairs, I understand that technology is not far away but very close. The most important thing is that technology can be applied to bring about positive changes, especially helping the disadvantaged and disadvantaged,” Thao said.
Upon returning home, Thanh Thao began to explore the STEM field on her own and hoped that one day she would be able to exhibit her products at an exhibition. In the summer of her 10th grade year, she found an opportunity to participate in a project using technology to assist children with disabilities.
The first STEM project was memorable: “We designed a virtual reality program for children aged 5-10 with cerebral palsy and hemiplegia. The games will encourage children to perform physical therapy and rehabilitation movements without boredom and pain.”
In 2019, the project "Application of virtual reality technology in upper limb motor rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy" helped Thao win first prize at the school and provincial levels, followed by a national consolation prize at the Science and Technology Competition for high school students.
Besides studying at school, Thanh Thao looks for online courses on platforms like Coursera or HarvardX to improve her knowledge and skills, and understand more about technology.
She then practices by applying the knowledge she has just learned to analyze data, participate in research projects or practice. Thao has had three scientific articles published in major scientific journals or publishers such as Procedia and Elsevier, one of which she is the main author.
The girl born in 2002 affirmed: besides trying and making efforts to achieve her own results, the motivation behind the ideas and projects she carries out is towards the community, because that is the image that Thao often sees in her mother - the person who taught her about tolerance, help and kindness. Her mother is also the person who taught Thao an inquisitive and humble attitude so that she can learn as much as possible.
Thanh Thao is still nurturing many ideas for applying science and technology to solve problems in life in Vietnam. In 2021, in the same group as Huong Lan in the International Blockchain Olympiad, Thanh Thao also won first prize in both the national round and the global medical category, with the idea of securing patient information. She hopes to inspire young people to pursue STEM, especially women.
Ngo An Ha Trang
Throughout my studies, I have been supported by my seniors, taught and trusted by my teachers. I have studied both undergraduate and master’s degrees with scholarships. It is a blessing and a blessing, and also a duty for me to definitely contribute back to the community. I have received a lot and now it is time to start the journey of giving back…
NGO AN HA TRANG
Studying abroad is being an ambassador…
In late July, Ngo An Ha Trang was preparing the final steps for her journey to study abroad at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (USA) majoring in electrical engineering and computer engineering with a full scholarship.
Like Huong Lan, this girl born in 2002 "fell in love" with STEM since primary school, when she participated in the Violympic math competitions. In secondary school, Ha Trang gradually became interested in physics thanks to the engaging lectures from her teacher.
“I was fortunate to have met many teachers who helped me develop a growing love for physics. I remember a teacher who corrected each student’s work in her own way, instead of asking us to correct our work according to her general answer. It was those small but dedicated actions that I will always remember, and they have skills and knowledge that will stay with me forever,” Trang said.
In high school, Ha Trang continued to study physics at Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Khanh Hoa province), where she put a lot of effort into seriously pursuing her choice. She received many awards: Odon Vallet scholarship for excellent students in 2020, third prize at the 2020 National Physics Competition, bronze prize at the 2021 International Blockchain Olympiad, full scholarship for students with excellent academic performance at VinUni...
Ha Trang emphasized that 90% of the achievements come from continuous and persistent research efforts, training in scientific thinking, in-depth research, in addition to luck and talent in the STEM field.
“I remember studying a lot, especially after joining the national physics competition team in high school.
Normally, my family goes out for breakfast, drinks coffee or goes out on the weekend, while I go home to continue studying. Many times, my way of 'entertaining' is to wander around the bookstore, stopping to ponder over any good books on physics. I also go to physics forums, actively search and learn from experiences, and ask for documents from seniors," Trang said.
Ha Trang said her biggest concern is that the number of female students studying STEM is gradually “dropping out” over time: “When I was in a physics class in high school, about half of the class was female. However, when I went to university, I was the only one who pursued engineering, while the others chose to study law, business, accounting, etc.
I also heard that a school's IT team, when competing at the provincial level and reaching the national level, had two female members, and received comments from people around them saying, 'Why not choose boys but have to send girls to compete?'
“There are many STEM scholarships in European countries and the US for women, as well as many job opportunities in businesses to encourage women to pursue this field,” Ha Trang added.
Preparing for her upcoming study abroad journey, the 2002-born girl reminded herself to continue to make efforts: "I understand that when stepping out into the world, every international student becomes an 'ambassador' of Vietnam."
Tuoitre.vn
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhung-co-gai-gen-z-cung-stem-buoc-ra-the-gioi-20240831093533135.htm#content-3
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