The young man earned his PhD at age 27 and chose to return to his home country to pursue a career in semiconductors.

In early December 2025, Nguyen Quang Khanh (born in 1998) successfully defended his doctoral thesis at Hanyang University (South Korea).

At the age of 27, he became one of the first people in the semiconductor materials technology industry to complete his studies ahead of schedule. During his 4 years and 8 months of continuous study and research, there were times when he felt pressured and considered giving up.

Nguyen Quang Khanh at his doctoral thesis defense in early December 2025 (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

In 2016, Quang Khánh became a student in the Chemistry Department of the Faculty of Science , Vietnam National University, Hanoi. During his studies, he had access to academic programs and professional exchange activities through introductions from faculty members in the department.

These experiences gradually sparked his passion for scientific research, initially focusing on the synthesis of nanomaterials and their application in analyzing practical products for everyday life, such as food and pharmaceuticals.

In the early stages of his research, due to a lack of funding and the unavailability of many tools and equipment, he had to borrow them from other research labs and institutes, which added significantly to the time and effort required for the experiments.

"At the time, I didn't think much about it. My lecturer, Associate Professor Pham Thi Ngoc Mai, always encouraged me, saying that if we didn't have equipment, we could borrow it, 'ask for more, buy less,' as long as we could successfully complete our research," Khanh recalled.

Newly graduated PhDs at the research lab in 2022 (Photo: NCVV)

In 2019, while in his third year of university, he applied for a three-month internship in India at a catalytic materials laboratory. The internship allowed him to gain exposure to systematic research processes, use state-of-the-art equipment, and participate in ongoing projects.

Returning from his internship helped him clearly define his direction: he wanted to pursue in-depth scientific research in an international learning environment.

After graduating from university in 2020, he planned to apply to a European country for a master's degree. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his plans, so he switched to a combined master's and doctoral program at Hanyang University (South Korea).

He was fortunate to receive a research scholarship from a professor and a full scholarship from the Hyundai Group, totaling over 4 billion VND for 5 years of study and research at Hanyang University. He began his academic and research journey in South Korea in April 2021.

During his first six months in South Korea, Khanh faced numerous challenges: language differences, laboratory culture, and a high workload from the very first week. “I wasn’t used to working through the night, constantly reporting, and meeting weekly deadlines. There were days when I left the research lab at almost 4 or 5 in the morning ,” Khanh said.

The pressure from the workload and the differences in the work environment accumulated over several days, causing him to feel "overwhelmed" at times and consider quitting.

Thanks to encouragement from his supervising professor and fellow researchers at Hanyang University—who reassured him that struggling in the initial stages was normal—he gradually regained his work pace. This professional and emotional support helped him adapt better to the research environment in Korea and continue pursuing his ongoing projects.

At Hanyang University, Nguyen Quang Khanh pursued research in advanced thin-film semiconductor materials. His work focused on the synthesis and development of thin-film semiconductor materials for electronic and power devices.

Nguyen Quang Khanh at the 51st International Micro and Nano Technology Conference in Southampton, UK, September 2025 (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

In November 2025, he was awarded the "Outstanding Young Vietnamese Scientist in Korea" award by the Vietnamese Student Association in Korea and the Vietnam Office for Science and Technology in Korea for his series of international publications, contributions to the field of advanced materials research, and academic collaboration between the two countries.

The award was presented just before the doctoral dissertation defense, providing strong motivation for the final stage of study and research at Hanyang University.

After completing his studies in South Korea, Khanh will return to Vietnam with the desire to contribute to the development and application of his accumulated knowledge and experience in the field of semiconductor materials to domestic science and technology projects.

"The field of semiconductor materials development is currently receiving significant attention from the government, so I am very eager to return to Vietnam and contribute to the development and innovation of my homeland," the newly minted PhD shared.

Giang Pham

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/chang-trai-lay-bang-tien-si-o-tuoi-27-chon-ve-nuoc-theo-duoi-nganh-ban-dan-ar991577.html