Igniting passion for scientific research in students

212 projects compete in 22 fields

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, in the 2024-2025 school year, the National Science and Technology Research Competition for middle and high school students will have the participation of 62/63 Departments of Education and Training and 12 units of universities, colleges, research institutes with high schools and high schools under ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

The total number of projects entered was 212, including 190 projects from high school students and 22 projects from middle school students. There were 401 students participating, including 358 high school students and 43 middle school students.

This year's competition projects are in 22 fields including: Animal science, biochemistry, biomedical and health sciences, social and behavioral sciences, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences, mathematics, microbiology, physics and astronomy, plant science, robotics and intelligent machines, system software...

Commenting on this year's competition projects, Head of the Jury, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality Management (Ministry of Education and Training), Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Ha stated that the research topics were diverse and rich, clearly reflecting the creativity and eagerness to learn of the students.

In the field of natural sciences and technology, many works in chemistry, biochemistry, physics and astronomy focus on developing advanced materials, renewable energy, biosensors and chemical process optimization solutions. Notably, some topics have applied nanotechnology to improve catalytic efficiency and exploit environmentally friendly materials.

In the field of engineering and information technology, many research projects revolve around robots, embedded systems, system software, keeping up with the trend of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, computer vision, and the Internet of Things. Topics focus on optimizing data processing algorithms, developing AI models that can learn and adapt in real time; at the same time, building intelligent automation systems to serve production and life.

The social and behavioral sciences field reflects students' interests in environmental issues, climate change, and the impact of technology on life...

Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Ha commented that under the guidance of teachers, the topics not only demonstrated creativity but also demonstrated the spirit of effort and perseverance of students. Many research groups have researched, experimented, and persevered through failure to complete their topics. This affirms the value of the competition in creating an environment for students to experience, explore and do real science.

Scientific innovation from practice

As one of the excellent projects that won the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Research Competition, the project High-performance lithium vanadium oxide oxidizing material for environmental treatment by the group of students Do Ha Phuong and Nguyen Duc Thai, Viet Duc High School (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) not only impressed by its practical application but also demonstrated the creativity and research efforts of the students.

Do Ha Phuong, the group representative, shared: “When we learned that our project won First Prize, we were overwhelmed with happiness. That moment was not only a joy but also an affirmation of our persistent efforts throughout nine months of research.” The project’s biggest advantage is that it can simultaneously solve two problems: water pollution and pollution from discarded batteries.

The research process showed that the demand for lithium batteries in daily life is increasing, while recycling this type of battery in Vietnam is still facing many difficulties and high costs. Realizing this, the group decided to focus on the solution of recycling and utilizing lithium from waste batteries, which not only helps reduce negative impacts on the environment but also opens up a new direction in the field of technological waste treatment. In addition, the group is very concerned about the problem of water pollution, especially the colored wastewater from handmade silk weaving villages.

Through monitoring and information sources, the group realized that this amount of waste directly affects people's domestic water sources. "Therefore, we have found a way to use recycled lithium to create new materials that can treat contaminated colored water. We hope that in the future, this research can be applied in practice, contributing to solving urgent environmental problems today" - Do Ha Phuong shared.

Teacher Nguyen Boi Quynh, Principal of Viet Duc High School (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) said: When participating in the National Science and Technology Competition, the school determined that this was not only a playground for students to express their passion but also an opportunity for them to develop their abilities and apply the knowledge they have accumulated.

This playground requires comprehensiveness, not only in science and technology but also in the ability of students to use English to research documents and present products. Students who participate will gain many benefits, from improving scientific understanding, developing critical thinking to improving foreign language skills, helping them access a richer treasure of knowledge.

In fact, when entering grade 10, many students tend to avoid natural sciences and focus mainly on social sciences. The school realizes that if the balance between the two groups of subjects is not encouraged, the basic science foundation will be affected, leading to difficulties in future career orientation. Therefore, to ensure sustainable development and encourage students to be interested in natural sciences, the school has a STEM club system, organizes many playgrounds and academic competitions...

In addition, students can join clubs at universities or other educational institutions, helping them to be exposed to practical research activities. With a spirit of learning and love of scientific discovery, students will always receive companionship and support from the school.

According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong, in recent years, the movement of scientific research, technology, innovation, and STEM education has grown increasingly extensive and achieved many good results, in line with the direction of fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuong hopes that in the 2025-2026 school year, the number of projects participating in the competition will be even larger, of better quality, and there will be even more passion for creativity and joy among students...

According to education experts, the contest not only creates a useful academic playground but also contributes to promoting proactive and creative learning methods in line with the 2018 General Education Program.

The competition does not only aim to identify outstanding projects but also motivates students to continue pursuing long-term research, contributing to their future career orientation. However, for the competition to truly become a launching pad for young talents, there needs to be a closer connection between the winning projects and businesses and research institutes for practical application. Schools need to continue to create conditions for students to have an environment to research and develop their ideas.

The national science and technology research competition for middle and high school students was first organized by the Ministry of Education and Training in 2013. Since then, the competition has been held once a year in the second semester of the school year. In 2025, from 212 competing projects, the Jury selected 12 First Prizes, 36 Second Prizes, 36 Third Prizes, and 36 Fourth Prizes for outstanding projects. The projects that won the highest prizes and met the requirements will be selected by the Ministry of Education and Training to participate in the International Science and Technology Competition for High School Students, scheduled to take place in May 2025 in the United States.

(Source: Ministry of Education and Training)

Source: https://nhandan.vn/thap-lua-dam-me-nghien-cuu-khoa-hoc-trong-hoc-sinh-post869167.html