Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang is currently working at the Center for Nanostructured and Molecular Materials Research, Ho Chi Minh City National University. He is one of 10 scientists to receive the Golden Globe Award in 2024.
Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang.
Forge your will from the salty taste of the sea
Born and raised in a small coastal fishing village in Phu My district, Binh Dinh province , he was very familiar with the rumbling sound of motorboat engines every time the fishing boats went out to sea. The sea was not only a part of his memories, but also the rhythm of life for his whole family.
His father spent his whole life on sea voyages . His two older brothers and younger brother followed in their father's footsteps, working hard every day on the open sea, considering the sea as their close friend. His mother sold fish at the market, counting every penny with her hands. The salty taste of the sea, the fishy smell of fish, mixed with the clear cries of the early morning vendors, became a part of his childhood.
And carrying the salty taste of the ocean, the hopeful eyes of his father, the calloused hands of his mother, and the sound of the waves late at night throughout his childhood… he was determined to reach the horizon of knowledge and science. “Perhaps it was this simplicity that became the motivation for me to walk on the path of research ,” said the young doctor .
Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang is one of 10 scientists to receive the Golden Globe Award in 2024. Photo: Duong Trieu His curiosity and love of exploring new knowledge began when he majored in Materials Science at the University of Natural Sciences, VNU-HCM. After graduating with a master's degree in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering from Sungkyunkwan University (Korea), he continued to receive scholarships for a PhD program in Chemistry and Energy Science .
“I realize that Energy Science is a new field of study, combining knowledge from basic science fields such as Chemistry, Physics, Materials and Mathematics. But with a passion for discovering new things, overcoming my own limits, I decided to choose this field of study with the orientation of researching and applying low nano materials in green energy technology, renewable energy”, said Mr. Quang.
Overcoming self-doubt
During his final year of graduate school, Quang had mental health problems.
“I had a fever, weakness, insomnia, and anxiety disorder due to staying up too late. That was a time when I worked too much, studied too hard, and always doubted myself. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic made me decide to return home,” Quang said.
Perhaps, the decision to return home to work was the biggest milestone in the young doctor 's career journey. "This was not an easy decision because at that time I had applied for a postdoctoral research position at the University of Chicago, USA," he confided.
Returning to Vietnam, working at the Center for Research on Nano and Molecular Structured Materials, VNU-HCM, Dr. Quang was assigned to build a specialized research group with its own school.
According to Mr. Quang, this is really a big challenge but also an opportunity for himself. With his current job as a research team leader, he has discovered many skills that he has not experienced and also overcome doubts about his own abilities.
Dr. Quang was assigned to build a specialized research group with its own school.
Currently, his main research focus is on combining available resources such as natural seawater, human urine containing urea, and sunlight to produce green hydrogen fuel through water electrolysis technology.
According to Dr. Quang, hydrogen-powered vehicles have recently emerged due to their environmental friendliness. However, hydrogen gas does not exist in nature, so strategies are needed to synthesize and store it.
Currently, about 95% of hydrogen production is produced by natural gas reforming, using fossil fuels and emitting large amounts of greenhouse gas CO2 into the environment.
For the young doctor, research is not only about giving and contributing new knowledge, but also about cultivating and learning a lot of knowledge for himself.
“The rapid development of science and technology requires researchers to constantly move, self-study and learn from colleagues and students to keep up with research trends, master new research tools, and approach research in the world. In research, we will fall behind if we are complacent and limit ourselves,” said Dr. Quang.
Dr. Quang is very happy to witness the maturity of his students, who are the next generation and the backbone of the future. Currently, many researchers in Vietnam are trying very hard to compete with foreign educational institutions in retaining young generations to study and pursue research careers in Vietnam.
Outstanding achievements of Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang :
- VINIF Domestic Postdoctoral Scholarship 2023 - 2024, 2024 -2025;
- Outstanding Research Award from the Director of CINAP-IBS Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea in 2018;
- Outstanding Scientific Publication Award from the Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea in 2018;
- 41 publications in international scientific journals in the Q1 category (17 articles as main author), 5 publications in international scientific journals in the Q2 category (1 article as main author)
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