Vietnamese-origin 'prodigy' sisters: 13 years old, now PhDs in cybersecurity

The unexpected trip became a turning point, making the two sisters the youngest people in history to be accepted into universities in both New Zealand and Vietnam.

When they arrived in Auckland (New Zealand) 8 years ago with their mother, Alisa Pham was in grade 2, Vicky Ngo was in grade 6 and neither of them was fluent in English. A walk around the city and the desire to see penguins with their own eyes made them decide to stay in New Zealand. Both quickly adapted to the new environment and were accepted into a public school here.

Vicky was adopted, so the sisters insist their academic achievements are not due to genetics, but the result of hard work.

Sisters Alisa Pham and Vicky Ngo are in New Zealand. (Photo: Amalia Osborne/New Zealand Woman's Weekly)

Outstanding achievements

In less than a year, the sisters completed their entire five-year secondary education and went straight to university. Vicky entered Auckland University of Technology (AUT) at 13; Alisa followed her at 11.

According to New Zealand Woman's Weekly, now 18 years old, Vicky has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Philosophy in cybersecurity and machine learning. She is the youngest PhD candidate in New Zealand and works full-time in the cybersecurity department of Air New Zealand.

Alisa, 15, graduated with a Bachelor of Communication at the age of 14 and is currently pursuing two master’s programs: Philosophy at AUT and Psychology via distance learning through Harvard University. Although they were offered admission by prestigious American universities such as MIT and Stanford, they both declined because they wanted to stay in New Zealand.

Alisa and Vicky spent 13 months sleeping near a cemetery after losing their home. (Photo: Lawrence Smith/Stuff)

The journey is not all glory

Few people know that behind the degrees is a long series of challenges. The two sisters overcame many adversities and obstacles on the road to success, including homelessness, financial difficulties and online criticism.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Vicky and Alisa’s mother lost her job, and the three of them lived in their car for 13 months after their lease ended and all their personal documents, including passports and bank cards, were lost. The sisters studied through the night under winter streetlights, parking near cemeteries to fetch water.

Both have faced a lot of online criticism, accused of “pretending to get permanent residency”. Vicky responded by being determined to pursue research in cybersecurity, protecting children, especially girls. Her doctoral thesis this year focuses on serving the government and national security.

Alisa also worries: “There are about 120 million girls in the world who do not go to school. I want to take advantage of my opportunity to inspire them.”

Risk of deportation

According to New Zealand newspaper Stuff, Alisa Pham and Vicky Ngo’s student visas are set to expire in October. The family believes they are eligible for skilled permanent residency, but have been denied the right to apply. The family’s adviser, former Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere, said he has contacted Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford to ask them to intervene.

Alisa and Vicky hope to be considered for “exceptional talent” status to stay in New Zealand. (Photo: Lawrence Smith/Stuff)

The Immigration Department said Alisa and Vicky's mother had been living legally in New Zealand since 2014, settling in 2019, but after one visa application was withdrawn and another was rejected, she was subject to deportation, and then granted a work visa. The two daughters have been here since 2018 on student visas. The agency confirmed that it had taken the family's circumstances into consideration multiple times when reviewing the application.

However, the responsible Immigration Minister, Chris Penk, said he would not intervene while the case was still in progress.

Advisor Delamere affirmed: “They are so excellent. I want them to stay, and I hope this country does too. It is absurd not to let them stay.”

Sisters Alisa and Vicky hope to be granted permanent residency, continue to give back to New Zealand and one day travel around the world together in an electric car before returning to the land they call home.

“Even if we're not geniuses, I still want to believe that we're good people, always trying to do the right thing,” Alisa said.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/cap-chi-em-than-dong-goc-viet-13-tuoi-vao-dai-hoc-nay-la-tien-si-an-ninh-mang-2422699.html