Asian Physics Olympiad Gold Medalist: As a child, he was fascinated by studying thunder, lightning, clouds, and rain; as an adult, he aspires to be an AI engineer.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, a student from Bac Ninh Specialized High School, who recently won a gold medal at the 25th Asian Physics Olympiad, shared his principles of self-study and his dream of becoming an artificial intelligence engineer.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, a 12th-grade physics student from Bac Ninh Specialized High School, has just won a gold medal at the 25th Asian Physics Olympiad - Photo: THANH CONG

Born and raised in a large family in Duc Long commune, Que Vo town ( Bac Ninh province), Nguyen Cong Vinh showed early signs of intelligence and a passion for learning. He has two older sisters studying at Hai Phong Medical University and the University of Commerce, as well as a younger sister.

Passionate about reading and learning about thunder, lightning, clouds, and rain.

Ms. Nguyen Quynh Mai (Vinh's mother) shared that from a young age, her son showed signs of intelligence and quick wit; he could read and write from the age of 5.

Growing up, the boy from Bac Ninh showed a particular fondness for science books. Seeing her son's eagerness to learn, his mother played the role of both a mother and a companion on his educational journey.

Living far from home and coming from a disadvantaged family, Vinh started taking the bus alone for over 20km a day from his home to Nguyen Cao Secondary School – a key school in the town – to study. The long distance didn't deter his ambition to learn; he quickly demonstrated his abilities and was selected for the school's gifted student team.

Vinh shared that he was initially selected for the math team but requested to switch to physics – a subject he was passionate about, exploring natural phenomena like thunder, lightning, clouds, rain, and the effects of force and electricity in life, which he had particularly loved since childhood.

Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Vuong Quoc Tuan, congratulated, presented a certificate of merit, and advised Nguyen Cong Vinh to continue studying and training to achieve the best results at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) to be held in France in July 2025 - Photo: THANH CONG

My dream is to become an AI engineer.

Having been admitted to the specialized physics class at Bac Ninh High School for Gifted Students, Nguyen Cong Vinh had an ideal environment to develop his abilities. By the 11th grade, he was selected for the national team of outstanding students in physics.

Outside of regular classes, Vinh spends 3 hours a day in the library researching advanced materials. Vinh always adheres to the principle of self-study, mastering theory combined with honing practical skills, and absolutely avoiding rote learning or memorization.

According to Vinh, to excel in physics, theory and practice must go hand in hand. Therefore, he studies the theory thoroughly and then practices immediately, which helps him retain the knowledge for longer and gain practical experience.

Vinh also often explains everyday problems and questions to himself to reinforce his knowledge. For example, when learning about pressure, Pascal's principle, and hydraulic jacks, he tries to understand how the physics knowledge is applied to lifting a car.

Currently, Vinh is studying hard to prepare for upcoming exams, while also improving his foreign language skills to aid his research.

"I aspire to become an artificial intelligence (AI) engineer to contribute to applying science to life and solving practical problems," the male student from Bac Ninh confided.

According to Mr. Nguyen Chi Trung, head of the physics department at Bac Ninh Specialized High School, the Asian Physics Olympiad is a fierce competition, bringing together outstanding contestants from China, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, and other countries.

These are countries with a long tradition and systematic investment in physics. However, with confidence, composure, and good knowledge, Nguyen Cong Vinh excellently won the gold medal.

Teacher Trung commented that Vinh is an intelligent, diligent, reliable, and individualistic student. His strengths include quickly absorbing knowledge, not giving up when faced with difficult exercises, and taking notes scientifically and logically, saving time during revision.

Vinh always maintained a relaxed attitude, free from pressure to achieve high scores. In the practical exam, the problem involving the induction cooker proved challenging for Vinh, requiring flexible application of skills within a short timeframe, resulting in a score that was not as high as expected.

In the theoretical exam, with encouragement from his teachers and a strong mindset, Vinh achieved a very high score, thereby winning the gold medal overall. However, Vinh still needs more time to overcome his weaknesses and improve his speed when taking the exam...

According to the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province, before winning the gold medal at the 25th Asian Physics Olympiad, Nguyen Cong Vinh had won first prize in physics at the national high school student excellence competition in the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years.

In the 2024-2025 academic year, she achieved the top score nationwide with 35.75 points.

Vinh also won a bronze medal at the 2024 European Physics Olympiad.

From 2021 to the present, Bac Ninh has had 23 students participate in regional and international Olympic competitions, of which 18 students have won awards.

HA QUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chu-nhan-hcv-olympic-vat-ly-chau-a-nho-me-tim-hieu-sam-chop-may-mua-lon-muon-lam-ky-su-ai-20250519114628109.htm