9X guy has 15 international scientific publications

Just 26 years old with 15 ISI international publications, Tran Quoc Quan probably holds the Vietnamese record for the number of international publications at his age. However, the story of the 9X guy in the poor countryside of Can Loc, Ha Tinh is not just about scientific articles.

Tutoring to earn money to do science

Starting scientific research from the second year of university, up to now, after about 5 years, Tran Quoc Quan, a PhD student at the Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Structures, University of Technology - VNU, has owned 22 scientific articles and reports, including 15 ISI publications (the world's most prestigious scientific journal system) with an impact factor (IF) greater than 2.

This is a dream number not only for domestic researchers but also for postgraduates trained abroad. However, few people know that to achieve this achievement, Tran Quoc Quan had to go through many hardships and difficulties.

Only 26 years old, Tran Quoc Quan already has 14 ISI projects. Photo: Le Van

Quan said that in 2011, when he attended a presentation of scientific topics by teachers at school, he heard and felt very interested in the research direction on composite materials of Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc - Quan's future supervisor. "After that day, I went to see him and asked to try my hand" - Quan said.

Quan started his scientific research career from that time. In the following 2 years, until graduating from university, under the guidance of Professor Duc, Quan had 2 international publications in ISI journals.

After graduating, he was faced with many choices and opportunities: finding a scholarship to study abroad or finding a job with a high salary. However, in the end, Quan still chose to stay in the country to study for a doctorate, continuing to pursue the path of scientific research.

"At that time, I was working on a project with Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc and tutoring to earn extra income. However, the income was not much, and the tuition fees for my PhD and English studies were also high, so sometimes I still had to ask my family for money," Quan said.

At the same time, Quan's father also suffered a stroke and was paralyzed on one side. The family's income was entirely dependent on his father's pension and his mother's income from the grocery store. "It was a difficult and arduous time and I struggled a lot," Quan said.

In 2014-2015, Quan had the opportunity to receive a scholarship to study abroad, but he still decided to stay and continue his chosen research direction with his supervisor.

Quan said that it is true that studying abroad with a scholarship would be easier and more convenient for him financially, but because he has decided to pursue this research direction and has invested in it, he does not want to give up.

It was not until late 2015, when the Advanced Materials and Structures Laboratory was established, that Quan was able to sign a civil servant contract there with an engineer salary. Quan said that he no longer had to ask his family for money, but he still could not help his parents much.

However, up to now, the 9X guy's efforts have been duly rewarded. Not only does he have an impressive record of scientific research achievements, recently, Quan was also honored to receive the 3rd Nguyen Van Dao Mechanical Talent Award. Quan is the youngest scientist to receive this award.

Science must come from reality.

Possessing up to 15 ISI publications, Quan also believes that scientific research does not necessarily mean chasing scientific articles.

According to Quan, basic scientific research like the research direction he is pursuing, the evaluation of results is mainly based on international publications. However, basic research must also originate from reality and aim at practical application, not just for pure international publication.

Tran Quoc Quan believes that scientific research needs to originate from practice and move towards practice. Photo: Le Van.

"For example, when I do research, even if it's theoretical calculations, I have to think about where this material is made, how it is made, and where my results can be applied. If I just do calculations, then having an international publication is useless," Quan said.

"Of course, this depends on the characteristics of each industry. There are industries that are difficult, but there are also industries that are easier to apply. Because basic science is mainly the foundation and orientation for other industries," Quan added.

Quan said that he himself also wants to apply his research results to solve practical problems.

"Previously, the school's facilities did not allow it, but now that the Advanced Materials and Structures Laboratory has been established, I and the school's graduate students and students will have more opportunities to experiment with research results and apply them in practice," Quan said.

Talking about his future plans, Quan said that currently, the research results for his doctoral thesis have been completed. Next year, he will defend his doctoral thesis and continue his research and teaching work at the University of Technology - VNU.

Quan’s doctoral thesis research topic is on functional materials (FGM), a relatively new research direction in Vietnam. Quan said that this research direction cannot be applied immediately in Vietnam at the present time, but he hopes that one day in the near future, these research results can be applied in practice.

In addition to research, Quan also hopes to train and guide more students who are passionate about research like himself. Quan said he has met many smart friends who did science but then gave up because they found it too hard. "If you want to do scientific research in Vietnam, you have to endure hardship," Quan said with a laugh.

I asked Quan what made him overcome that hardship to pursue scientific research. Quan pondered for a while and then answered me: "Since first grade, students in my hometown have been determined that only by studying can they escape this poor land. Therefore, pursuing education is the only way for people like me."

According to VNN