Female PhD in the world's top influencers, running a 'million dollar' science fund
Báo Dân trí•13/05/2024
(Dan Tri) - Dr. Le Thai Ha, Director of VinFuture Foundation and Fund for a Green Future, shares about his scientific research journey and his relationship with the job of running the "million dollar" science award.
VinFuture Foundation was established in 2020 with an initial operating budget of VND 2,000 billion, equivalent to USD 100 million, from the two founders. In the early days, having a global science and technology award originating from a developing country like Vietnam brought many questions, surprises, and even... certain doubts. Gradually, after 3 seasons, the Foundation has received more and more recognition and support from the prestigious scientific community at home and abroad. Dan Tri Newspaper had a conversation with Dr. Le Thai Ha, Director of VinFuture Foundation and the Fund for a Green Future, about his scientific research journey and his relationship with the job of running the "million dollar" award. Dear Dr. Le Thai Ha, when imagining scientists, people often think of academic intellectuals, with very serious and exemplary personalities. So, is this image correct for Dr. Le Thai Ha? - It is true that for many people, the image of a scientist is often associated with a serious and academic personality. This is also true for me at work. I am always focused and serious in my work in general as well as in research and scientific activities in particular. I love what I pursue, and find passion and inspiration naturally in my work. And I am also fortunate to work and exchange with talented, enthusiastic people, which also makes me feel that I always need to strive to achieve better results. However, outside of work, when I am with my family and friends, or with close colleagues, I allow myself to be comfortable and carefree to enjoy relaxing time with my loved ones, the people I love. I believe that work-life balance is very important to maintain health and effective working spirit. How did Thai Ha's journey to scientific research begin? Is this a family tradition or a personal decision? - My family values education very much. Since childhood, children in the family have always received encouragement and motivation from grandparents and parents to study, train themselves and develop independence, a value that military families like us often promote. Not only me, but my younger sister is also pursuing an academic research path - she is also about to complete her PhD program at a major Australian university this year, at the age of 26. My parents work in the financial sector, and perhaps the fact that we often discussed socio-economic issues during dinner and watched the news together since childhood has given me the interest to learn more about these topics. I also majored in math since I was a child, so fortunately my abilities are also suitable for pursuing the field of economic research. My family wanted me to pursue a teaching career because they thought it was a noble job, suitable for women to work and contribute while still having time to take care of their family. When I was an undergraduate, I experienced research work in the URECA program (for students in the top 5% of the course) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. With the guidance of my professor and encouragement from my family, I decided to apply for a full scholarship for the PhD program at NTU right after graduation. Just like that, I pursued scientific research and became a university lecturer (Fulbright University and RMIT University Vietnam) after graduating with a doctorate, and also stuck with this job for nearly 10 years before joining the VinFuture Foundation more than 2 years ago. Dr. Le Thai Ha has many "huge" achievements at a very young age. These achievements came easily to TS, or as the band Bức Tường sang: "Every path is paved with roses / Feet are also filled with pain from the thorns"? - At the time I applied for a PhD, being considered for a PhD program right after completing a bachelor's degree was not as common as it is now. Therefore, I felt lucky to have received a full scholarship to pursue my research dream. However, this path was not always full of roses. Because the school allowed me to study directly into a PhD program without going through a master's program, my first two weeks in the PhD program were the most challenging. The gap in knowledge between the bachelor's program (including advanced subjects) and the PhD program was quite large, especially in subjects such as econometrics and econometrics. However, thanks to my determination, effort, family support, and... luck, I completed the coursework program with excellent results. At the same time, I also wanted to be able to write scientific research articles. So instead of focusing all my efforts on studying in class, I learned knowledge through lectures and also taught myself how to write scientific articles, although that was not the expectation for first-year PhD students at that time. Finally, when many favorable factors converged such as good coursework scores (highest in the class), 2 scientific articles accepted for publication in prestigious journals, I was allowed to graduate by my supervisor and the school board. However, it is true that at that time I never imagined that I would be so passionate and pursue the path of scientific research. Scientific research work requires perseverance, diligence, and a willingness to accept challenges as well as frequent failures. But through each experience, I increasingly realized that this is the field that I want to stick with. Having spent my youth pursuing the path of scientific research, looking back now, what do you think were the biggest difficulties and challenges? - As someone who is passionate about work in general and scientific research in particular, I do not consider "spending my youth on science" as you said to be a sacrifice. The biggest challenge in research work - which we researchers often jokingly say to each other - is "lifelong learning". Because in order to maintain the quality of our research, we must always learn deeply, improve our skills and expertise; at the same time, this is also a job that always faces failure and rejection - when submitting our research products to prestigious international academic journals or research funding funds for review and selection - so we need to maintain passion, perseverance, and patience to be ready to overcome these challenges. In addition, I also need to manage my time reasonably to balance the time spent on work and on my personal life. Which scientist has had the most influence on Dr. Le Thai Ha's research path? - I have learned a lot from many talented scientists that I have had the opportunity to exchange and work with. However, I do not have a comprehensive scientist model to pursue. Each person is an individual, a special and distinct personality with their own values and they all have specific points for me to learn. For example, a former teacher of mine who was a professor at NTU where I studied inspired me with his creativity in approaching problems. Another leading econometrics professor made me admire his enthusiasm, willing to invest time in building a website & blog to spread useful knowledge for free to young researchers, including me. Then many outstanding cases of the previous generation who were able to study and research at prestigious schools and institutes in the world still chose to return to Vietnam to contribute and build a career in their homeland despite the difficult and challenging conditions - this also inspired me with positive feelings and awareness of my responsibility - in the role of the next generation - in contributing to the development of the community and the country. The saying "good at public affairs, good at housework" is often used when talking about successful women. What about Dr. Le Thai Ha? - I am well aware that there are only 24 hours in a day and it is necessary to divide my time reasonably between management, research, and academic work that I am passionate about and my responsibilities to my family and myself. I prioritize work during working hours, except for special times when I need to concentrate on work. After that, I spend most of my time with my family such as playing with my children, visiting my parents, traveling with my husband or simply doing small things around the house together. In addition, I also spend time for myself, taking care of my physical and mental health. I think that only when I am healthy can I regenerate my energy and have a sharp mind for work. I really like the saying of Benjamin Franklin - a famous politician and scientist: "Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time." (rough translation: Put everything in its place; arrange each part of your work in a separate time period.) I believe that although time is limited and there are many things to take care of in life, if we know how to arrange everything in order and divide the work reasonably, we can do many things and still maintain a balanced life. Many readers will be curious about whether a scientist has the same hobbies as his peers, such as milk tea, shopping, etc. How does Thai Ha balance work and life? - It is difficult to comment on other scientists because we often discuss more about expertise than personal life issues. At meetings in conferences, seminars or organizations where I work, I notice that scientists often drink coffee or tea. As for me, because I cannot drink alcohol or coffee, my favorite drinks are fresh fruit juice and milk tea. I find drinking milk tea very delicious and brings a feeling of relaxation very quickly. In my current working environment, there are many young colleagues who are also passionate about this drink, so drinking milk tea also helps me "integrate" with my friends, bringing a happy atmosphere to the whole team after hours of highly concentrated work. However, I also understand that this drink is not very good for my health, so I only drink it in moderation. In addition, I also like shopping. But perhaps because I am an "economic person", I rarely overspend, but often prioritize my finances for long-term investment plans. Therefore, my family or husband have never complained about me for shopping too much. How does Thai Ha evaluate her own strengths and weaknesses? - I think my strengths are that my grandparents and parents have cared for and educated me from a young age in virtues such as independence, discipline, and perseverance. These are indispensable requirements in scientific research as well as my current job. As for weaknesses, I think researchers have a common weakness, which is perfectionism in work. The stream of thoughts about work not only comes to me when I work but also during meals and sleep. Therefore, I have to work hard at work but also try to balance my life. How did Thai Ha come to VinFuture Fund? - I had a chance to work with Vingroup before 2021, but at that time, I did not want to leave my academic path and life was very good in Ho Chi Minh City. The most recent time was when VinFuture Fund had been in operation for 1 year, during which the world had also experienced 2 years of the pandemic and my thinking had also changed a lot. I felt that I was ready to step out of my comfort zone to take on new challenges. After meeting and listening to the passionate sharing from the Founder of the Fund, I realized that this was the time when I was ready for a big "change" in my career. The decision to change my career path came from my appreciation for the Founder's vision and the good mission of the Fund - an organization that honors and promotes scientific inventions that have a profound impact on humanity. I believe that in the future, when the Fund's science and technology connection and transfer activities as well as the VinFuture Prize achieve the expected spread and influence, they will contribute to enhancing Vietnam's position on the world science and technology map. Deciding to stick with VinFuture is also a way for me to challenge myself. Although when I first joined, the Fund had been in operation for 1 year, I was not the one who laid the first bricks; but for nearly 2 years, I have been working with my colleagues to continue to make daily efforts to standardize and build more activities because the Fund is still too new. The process of laying the next bricks is challenging but also very interesting because this is an opportunity for me to grow more and learn many new things. How is the work of an executive of a fund to honor and encourage scientific research similar and different from that of a person directly doing research? - In my role as Executive Director of the VinFuture Foundation, I have had the opportunity to visit many institutes and schools, to discuss with leaders and scientists in many fields to clearly understand the current state of scientific research in these organizations. There are many of their efforts that I admire. But there are also many difficulties and barriers that researchers need to overcome in order to conquer their goals in science and achieve the expected results. Understanding these aspirations and difficulties of researchers in developing countries, including Vietnam, we wish, within our capacity, to support the connection and promote the development of the scientific community, through creating an environment that supports research, encourages innovation and creativity. In addition, one of the important annual activities of the Foundation is the VinFuture Prize. Judging the nominations for the VinFuture Prize categories is the independent work of two Prize Councils, consisting of world-leading professors and experts in the fields of science and technology. Although I am not directly involved in the "judging" process of the prize, I feel very happy to have established and organized the Fund's activities professionally with my teammates, in compliance with international standards, contributing to honoring, spreading knowledge and connecting the domestic and international scientific community. VinFuture Foundation has passed its third year, and society has a better understanding of the Foundation's mission and vision. But there are still questions about why we, as Vietnamese people, do not focus on investing in domestic research but aim for global awards. How does Thai Ha answer this question? - Each organization has its own mission. The two founders of VinFuture Foundation established VinIF to focus on supporting and investing in domestic scientific research. For VinFuture Foundation, choosing to aim for global awards is not only to promote scientific progress on a national scale but also to contribute to the global scientific community. Although it is an organization originating from Vietnam, VinFuture Foundation is not limited by geographical boundaries, but aims for the higher goal of promoting global scientific progress. Focusing on global awards helps VinFuture Foundation attract the attention and participation of leading scientists, researchers and experts around the world, not only providing opportunities and resources for Vietnamese scientists, but also creating an environment for international exchange and cooperation, thereby promoting the development and sharing of global scientific knowledge. VinFuture Foundation always supports and encourages research and projects of Vietnamese scientists through specific annual programs and networking activities. All of these activities are aimed at the common goal of promoting scientific development and progress not only in Vietnam but also around the world. How do leading scientists around the world receive information and activities of VinFuture Foundation? - In the early days of the Foundation's establishment, having a "million dollar" global science and technology award originating from a developing country still brought many questions, surprises, and even... certain doubts. However, after 3 seasons, with evidence of strict compliance with international standards in the selection and nomination evaluation process as well as activities to honor, spread and promote science and technology to serve humanity, we have increasingly received great recognition and support from the prestigious scientific community at home and abroad. The fact that the two winners of the first VinFuture Main Prize (Dr. Katalin Kariko and Prof. Drew Weissman) continue to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2023 is a great source of pride. Or recently, 3 scientists who won the VinFuture Special Prize season 3 (Professor Daniel Joshua Drucker (Canada), Professor Joel Francis Habener and Associate Professor Svetlana Mojsov (USA) were voted into the list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2024 by Time Magazine (USA). These events prove that VinFuture has chosen the right goal when honoring scientists with breakthrough achievements, affecting millions of people. Because with Professor Kariko and Dr. Weissman, VinFuture recognized their work since 2021, in the context of the still difficult Covid-19 pandemic and when the world has not yet fully assessed the epochal contribution of this research. Or with Associate Professor Svetlana, Time magazine's honor for Associate Professor Svetlana further strengthens the vision and comprehensive evaluation criteria of the VinFuture Prize, because her pioneering role in the development of this drug was rarely recognized at major international biomedical awards, until being honored at the VinFuture Prize Ceremony in 2023. Another special thing is that in the recent VinFuture Prize 2023 season, Vietnam had its first scientist honored. That is Professor Vo Tong Xuan. Together with Professor Gurdev Singh Khush - an American scientist of Indian origin, Professor Xuan became the first Vietnamese scientist to win the VinFuture Prize with the work "Invention and dissemination of disease-resistant rice varieties" at the award ceremony held in December last year in Hanoi. This has positively inspired scientists in developing countries, especially in Vietnam. In general, more and more prestigious scientists recognized by prestigious world awards have expressed their great support and shared the honor of accompanying the VinFuture Foundation and Prize. And many of them have proactively sought out the Foundation with the purpose of connecting with Vietnamese scientists; and vice versa. We strongly expect that with these developments, VinFuture's role as a bridge between Vietnamese science and the world will be further promoted to bring more good results in the future. Can Thai Ha "reveal" the orientations of the VinFuture Foundation in the coming time? - Although there will always be adjustments and improvements, the core philosophy of VinFuture is still maintained and promoted. VinFuture promotes research and inventions with practical applications to serve people and for people. Science and technology are and will develop strongly and spread globally, connecting humanity for the sustainable development of the world. In 2024, VinFuture Foundation plans to collaborate with leading universities and research institutes in Vietnam to organize InnovaConnect events. This is the latest initiative of VinFuture Foundation, including a series of academic and professional exchange activities between prestigious scientists from around the world and leading universities and institutes in Vietnam. The first InnovaConnect event took place from April 15-17 at Hanoi University of Science and Technology focusing on the semiconductor field and received the participation and positive response of scientists at home and abroad. In the coming time, VinFuture will continue to promote and expand connection activities, supporting the connection between schools and institutes in Vietnam with prestigious scientists around the world, to promote cooperation and create useful scientific and technological products for the community. We are committed to making efforts to build bridges between parties, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of science and technology not only in Vietnam but also in the world.
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