The first Vietnamese female doctorate was elected to the Global Academy of Young Sciences

Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Vinmec Institute of Stem Cell Research and Gene Technology, was elected to the Global Academy of Young Scientists , thanks to her outstanding achievements and ability to create a great impact in the field of research.

Overcoming hundreds of nominations, Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao , 33 years old, is one of 45 researchers from 30 countries to become a member of the Council of the Global Young Academy of Sciences (GYA) in 2024 . As the only representative of Vietnam, Dr. Thao will be honored at the annual meeting of GYA in Washington, USA, taking place on May 5-10. Among the four Vietnamese scientists elected to this list in recent years, Dr. Thao is the first female scientist.

The Global Academy of Young Scientists selects young scientists under 40 years old with outstanding achievements from countries around the world, who will attend the GYA Annual General Assembly every year. Researchers elected to the GYA must have outstanding professional achievements, the ability to make a major impact in the field of research, while supporting young scholars, promoting science, and participating in policy debates. and promote international and cross-sectoral cooperation.

With a 5-year term, members in each country will participate in developing international science policy, promoting the establishment of young academies in countries, exchanging and supporting science education at the national level. on a variety of topics that are relevant to young scientists.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao attends the World Health Summit, Berlin, Germany in 2022. (Photo: NVCC).

Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao pursues research in the fields of Public Health, mental health, psychology and artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine. One of the outstanding works is the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the diagnosis and screening of mental disorders such as major depressive disorder, fatigue disorder, mood disorder, and anxiety disorder. sleep in patients after stroke. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Thao also participated in mental health research, assessing the impact of the pandemic on the psychology of students and medical staff.

Dr. Thao graduated as a Doctor of Medicine, majoring in Preventive Medicine at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy in 2014. After that, she received a master's degree in Medicine (2018) and a doctorate in Public Health from the University. Hanoi Medical University (2023). She published 16 international scientific articles in prestigious scientific journals (9 articles were the first author). She has received many awards and is currently the President of the Academy of Medicine in Vietnam.

Sharing with reporters, Dr. Thao was very happy and surprised to learn that he was the only Vietnamese person selected for this term despite the very strict selection requirements. She describes this as "a wonderful opportunity and looks forward to contributing to the community's mission."

Among the 2024 GYA members are 25 female scientists. She said she realized that the biggest obstacle when entering an academic environment is being a woman over 30 years old with a young son. "I faced bias and gender stereotypes and the pressure to balance family responsibilities with pursuing science ," she shares.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (front row, second from left) and colleagues at an advanced course on epidemic response at São Paulo University of Medicine, Brazil. (Photo: NVCC).

GYA was established in February 2010 , gathering leading scientists to create a common voice for young scientists on sustainable development policy globally. The Institute has a maximum of 200 members, elected from young scientists (under 40 years old) with outstanding scientific achievements from many countries. Previously, Vietnam had Associate Professor. Dr. Ngo Van Thanh (Institute of Physics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, joined in 2010); Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Quang Huy, Phenikaa University (2017) and Professor. Dr. Tran Xuan Bach, Hanoi Medical University (2018), was elected as a member.

GYA is headquartered in Halle (Germany), principally sponsored by the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany and the German Ministry of Research and Education. Every year, GYA members will be invited to attend the Annual Conference to discuss scientific issues with honored guests who are famous scientists and political activists. Currently, GYA has attracted members from more than 67 countries and territories worldwide.