The 'television village' boy from Nghe An is famous in the land of cherry blossoms

Mr. Le Huu Phac's family, Mrs. Pham Thi Hong Phuong, with their children and grandchildren. Photo: Family provided

Warm home and studious boys

In particular, not only because of Mr. Le Huu Phac - from an orphan boy, overcoming many hardships, striving to study to become talented, and before retiring was the Deputy Director of Nghe An Radio and Television Station; especially, not only because of Mrs. Pham Thi Hong Phuong - a Hue girl who fell in love with and sympathized with a Nghe An man and then followed her husband to Vinh and decided to choose the place to take refuge in her life. The specialness of that warm house also comes from the filial and obedient children. All 3 children of Mr. Phac and Mrs. Phuong are examples of studiousness and talent not only of Hung Binh ward but also of the whole Vinh city. Among them, the young man Le Quang Phuc is the most outstanding.

Le Quang Phuc in Japan. Photo: Family provided

Following the example of his father, a journalist respected by his colleagues nationwide, and his mother, a teacher at the Nghe An Province Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities, Quang Phuc showed an unusually studious ability from a young age. Phuc was good at all subjects, especially natural sciences. In 1999, Quang Phuc was admitted to the Hanoi University of Science and Technology and was selected by the school to join the talented Mathematics - Information Technology engineering class. This period can also be considered a very important turning point in the process of research, study, and knowledge acquisition of the Nghe An student. After 5 years of diligent study, Le Quang Phuc defended his graduation project with excellent results and was retained by the school as a lecturer at the Institute of Mathematics - Information Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

For many people, becoming a lecturer at one of the most famous and traditional schools in the country is a great success. However, Le Quang Phuc's learning and growth did not stop there. In early 2004, when preparing to finish the gifted class course, student Le Quang Phuc was sent by Hanoi University of Science and Technology to participate in a scientific conference in Hue city. With a fluent English presentation on the field of "Fuzzy Sets", the student from Nghe An caught the attention of Japanese Professor Hirota. So after 2 years of teaching at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Le Quang Phuc received an invitation to study at Tokyo Institute of Technology and continue his research with a full scholarship from Japan. And this was another important milestone in his research and study process.

In late Autumn 2006, at Noi Bai International Airport, people saw Mr. Le Huu Phac and Mrs. Pham Thi Hong Phuong carrying suitcases, big bags, and small bags. They saw Le Quang Phuc off to Japan. The more Mr. Le Huu Phac loved his son, the more he wanted him to fulfill his dream of studying. Japan was a vast horizon, worthy of parents who put their own feelings in their hearts, keeping their son steady before the plane took off.

Mr. Le Huu Phac said that what worried him most at that time was that Quang Phuc did not know a word of Japanese, and the land of cherry blossoms is not a country that widely uses English. The memorable memory at the airport was that Phuc's luggage exceeded the regulations. It was not clothes or any other belongings, but he brought too many Japanese and English textbooks and professional documents. This is something that Mr. Phac remembers to this day.

Mr. Le Huu Phac and his son Le Quang Phuc in Tokyo (Japan). Photo: Family provided

Self-study and success in Japan

When he went to Japan, Le Quang Phuc threw himself into learning the native language. In fact, Phuc had applied the ability to self-study to "turn things around" since he was still at home. During his years at Huynh Thuc Khang High School, his family did not have enough money to send Phuc to extra English classes, so he invited some classmates and "television friends" to ask his mother to open a class to teach them. Mrs. Pham Thi Hong Phuong is an English teacher. Mr. Phac is a journalist so he has little time to take care of his children's studies. Mr. Phac reminds his children about their studies with a large line hanging in the room: "ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS THERE ARE NO FOOTSTEPS OF LAZY PEOPLE". Until now, Le Quang Phuc and his classmates in his mother's English class still remember their father's advice to guide their children's diligent study.

Coming to Japan, with the industrious nature of a young man from Nghe An, remembering his parents' teachings, after 2 years of self-study, Le Quang Phuc has just completed N5 Japanese, graduated with a Master's degree to continue doing research in computational intelligence at Tokyo Institute of Technology.

In 2009, his specialized research topic was recognized as a “Young Scientist” by the International Professional Organization IEEE (short for Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engencecrs), Japan chapter. This is a title that very few Vietnamese and foreigners in Japan have achieved.

In March 2012, when he turned 31, Le Quang Phuc sent a photo to his family announcing the good news of his PhD degree at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Mr. Le Quang Phuc received his PhD in Tokyo. Photo provided by family

Following his brother's example of diligence and hard work, Le Hoang Phong's younger brother has completed two regular university degrees: a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor's degree in English. Le Quang Phu graduated in 2015 from the engineering class trained under the Vietnam - Japan Project at Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

For Mr. Le Huu Phac and Mrs. Pham Thi Hong Phuong, their children's self-discipline and hard work in studying to become good people is an immeasurable happiness. In the small house at 27 Ho Sy Duong Street, Hung Binh Ward, there is never a lack of laughter.

2 patents of Dr. Le Quang Phuc were recognized by the Japanese Government. Photo: Family provided

This September, on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the establishment of the Radio Station, the 46th anniversary of the establishment of the Television Station of Nghe An Radio and Television Station where his father works; also the occasion when his mother entered the new teaching season of the 2022-2023 school year, Le Quang Phuc sent his father and mother a special gift: Those are two patents from the Japanese Patent and Invention Bureau that he had just been recognized in Tokyo. Joy after joy, happiness after happiness. Hung Binh land and Vinh city are proud and believe in the youth of Le Quang Phuc and his younger brothers.

Le Quang Phuc and his wife visited Uncle Ho at Ho Chi Minh Square on their wedding day. Photo: Family provided

Dr. Le Quang Phuc's wife and daughter in Japan. Photo: Family provided