Opportunity to narrow the gap between Vietnamese and world science
The VinFuture Prize 2024 ceremony honored the most outstanding minds in important fields such as Computer Science, Public Health and Global Health, Materials Science and Regenerative Medicine.
Accompanying the award ceremony was a series of seminars and talks during the VinFuture Science and Technology Week, attracting more than 1,000 domestic and foreign scientists and researchers. According to Associate Professor Dr. Le Chi Cong (Nha Trang University), this is a rare opportunity for Vietnamese scientists to access advanced knowledge and experience from the world's leading professors.
Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Thi Thanh Nga - Director of the Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change - also highly appreciated the role of international cooperation in promoting science and technology.
She said that the VinFuture series of activities not only creates opportunities to meet outstanding scientists but also helps build strategic cooperative relationships: “Working with leading minds will help us shorten the gap between Vietnamese and international science. The lively exchanges at the event have brought many new ideas to solve urgent problems in the country.”
In particular, according to Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Duy Ton - Director of the Stroke Center (Bach Mai Hospital), VinFuture also creates a global network of connections between scientists, opening up opportunities for cooperation to solve major challenges.
He said: “By joining this network, we can not only find leading experts in fields such as stroke, but also invite them to participate in national programs, directly contributing to the development of Vietnamese medicine.”
VinFuture 2024 is not only a bridge between Vietnamese and world science but also lays the foundation for global initiatives, contributing to bringing Vietnam up to speed with the world's development.
Great motivation for female scientists
VinFuture 2024 has made a deep impression by dedicating a separate category to honor female scientists. Of the 4 awards this year, 2 awards went to female scientists, showing the recognition and honor of the important role of women in the field of science and technology.
Of the nearly 1,500 nominations from more than 80 countries and territories, nearly 30% of scientific papers were by female scientists. This not only reflects the growing presence of women in research, but also encourages more women to participate in fields that are considered challenging.
Professor Kristi S. Anseth, winner of the 2024 VinFuture Special Prize for Women Scientists, shared that her 17-year-old daughter is also pursuing a career in science and engineering. She expressed her belief in the future generation of female scientists. “The world is facing many problems that need to be solved and female scientists will play an important role. VinFuture’s promotion of women in science is a very encouraging vision,” said Ms. Anseth.
Dr. Firdausi Qadri - the winner of the Special Prize for Scientists from Developing Countries - emphasized that women are often hesitant to enter science when they have families, because scientific research requires time and high concentration. However, despite being a mother of three, she has still achieved remarkable achievements in science. "I want to become a role model to encourage female scientists, helping them believe that women can absolutely succeed in this field," she shared.
In Vietnam, the achievements of international female scientists have been a great inspiration. According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Thi Thanh Nga, the appearance of the VinFuture Prize with a category dedicated to women is an important milestone, bringing the role of female scientists to a new level. Previously, the Kovalevskaia Prize was the only playground for women, but VinFuture has opened up greater opportunities, bringing Vietnamese female scientists closer to global standards.
“VinFuture not only encourages women's participation in science but also creates great momentum for the Vietnamese science industry to develop more strongly, with the participation of outstanding female intellectuals,” Ms. Nga emphasized.
