The person who started the Vietnamese 'golden generation'

Hoang Le Minh, Vietnam's first international gold medalist, did not regret abandoning the theoretical path, because what he had today was due to mathematical thinking and scientific research.

Dr. Hoang Le Minh was born in 1957 in Hanoi. Currently, he is the Director of the Software and Digital Content Institute under the Ministry of Information and Communications. This institute was only established for 5 years, aiming to help the Ministry study and develop development strategies, policies and projects in the software industry.

In childhood, the boy Minh was directed to the conservatory, because at that time both his mother and sister Minh worked in the music group of Voice of Vietnam. Minh learned Accordeon music for 4 years. The passion for music began to rise, in 1970, Minh's father was Mr. Hoang Xuan Tuy, now Vice-Minister of the University, served as Rector of Hanoi University of Technology in 1961-1966 to send Minh to study. The math is led by Mr. Ton Than.

"According to the arrangement of my parents, I took the math class of Mr. Ton Than, Trung Vuong school. At that time, I was not gifted in this subject and never liked math, even indifferent. it was small so I could only listen to my parents , " Minh said.

But after a few weeks, Minh completely changed that thought."Mr. Ton Than has an inspirational way to teach me and my friends with a passion for the subject, I find math very interesting."

Minh likes it most every time he makes a difficult topic, you find the best solution will be rewarded by the teacher and the whole class will stand up and clap as if watching the performer."My love of mathematics started from here, rather than from Master Ton Than".

Dr. Hoang Le Minh, who won the gold medal
Vietnam's first international math. (Photo: Huong Thu)

After graduating, Minh competed in mathematics and mathematics at Hanoi National University. In 1972, because of war conditions, Minh and his classmates evacuated to Dai Tu and Thai Nguyen districts. Those were really difficult days, he and his classmates came to the family house, in the temple's house, rice only had rice and vegetables. In 1974, Minh was selected to attend the International Olympic Math Competition in Germany.

Hoang Le Minh said his whole life could not forget the images that year. During the preparation for the exam, the math team was taken care of by Ta Quang Buu, the Minister of Education and told about famous scientists, as an inspirational way.

When entering the examination room, for the first time sitting in a new room with strangers who did not speak the same language, strange environment, Minh was initially shaken, but then he quickly regained his calm and became a Vietnamese person. Nam first won the gold medal. Then he was 17 years old.

"For the first time Vietnam 's math team participated in the Olympics, it has won many medals and achievements far beyond the developed countries like the US. I feel proud that Vietnam is not inferior to the five - year friends. create a positive effect in the education industry for long-term learning competition ".

"Up until now, I have kept that happy moment, my children always look at me for a step in learning , " Minh said.

The gold medal brought back by Hoang Le Minh opened a glorious period of Vietnamese mathematics in international Olympic competitions. One of the later peaks was created by Le Ba Khanh Trinh, who just won the gold medal and won the special prize of the 1979 exam season.

Be confident with applied math

After winning the gold medal, Hoang Le Minh went to the Soviet Union to study at Lomonosov General University. Next, he worked as a PhD student, participated in many research institutes and achieved many results. Minh's salary then equals more than $ 2,000 per month.

In 1991, he and his family decided to return to Vietnam. He did not choose Hanoi where he was born, he went to Ho Chi Minh City to settle down and work, at the mathematics department, University of Ho Chi Minh City."My parents were elderly at the time, on the other hand, in Ho Chi Minh City, universities opened information technology departments, I found that the country will promote their own abilities."

In 1995, the University of Ho Chi Minh City established the national key information technology department, the Faculty of Mathematics established the subject of informatics application, research on algorithms, image processing, network calculation.

Hoang Le Minh then joined the Ho Chi Minh City National University Software Technology Project. In 2001, he became a Post and Telecommunications Department. In 2003, he worked for the Department of Science and Technology."I change 5 to 6 jobs, considering the information technology," Minh said.

At the end of 2007, he went to Hanoi to be the Director of the Software and Digital Content Institute under the Ministry of Information and Communications."I went to Hanoi with nothing, only a decision from the Ministry. I had to find a team of staff, set up an operation mechanism, build a working relationship."

"It seems like I have any debt to Hanoi," Minh said.

Talking about the reasons for moving from theoretical to applied information technology, Hoang Le Minh said that when he was teaching in a narrow range, only 10 to 15 people studied, so he felt very wasted. When it takes time to prepare the curriculum and train very few people."While the trend of information technology is growing, I find myself capable in that area, so there's no reason to continue doing math theory."

On the other hand, according to Minh, theoretical math is not simple, it needs to converge many factors about teachers and facilities, but Vietnam has not had conditions yet. So he pursued the field of application.

"It is important that when I do applied math, I feel confident and not inferior to anyone at home and abroad. When I do math theory, especially in the foreign period, I find myself inferior to many people. but what do I do to help the country?

Hoang Le Minh was sad when many people said that the "golden generation of mathematics" in the past seemed to be "hidden" without many outstanding contributions to the country. "We are still dedicating ourselves every day to the country. It is not necessary to have a famous medal or a high-esteem position."

"People do not take too much respect for achievement. I am satisfied and happy with what I have done today, I find learning mathematics is never wasteful , " Mr. Minh added.