The story of a Vietnamese scientist who has been in the top 10,000 most influential people in the world for six consecutive years.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son – a Vietnamese scientist who has been in the top 10,000 most influential people in the world for six consecutive years, has made his mark with over 300 publications and numerous practical AI applications.

In addition to contributing to leading scientific journals worldwide as both author and editor of more than 10 prestigious journals in the SCIE system, Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son also contributes practical solutions to hospitals, universities, and businesses, and participates in advising on national technology policies – where algorithms are transformed into solutions to serve humanity.

He is one of the rare Vietnamese scientists who, for six consecutive years (2019-2024), has been included in Clarivate's list of the 10,000 most influential scientists in the world . He has also dedicated himself to promoting the application of research to society, aiming for innovation, so that knowledge " no longer remains in drawers" but truly becomes a driving force for national innovation.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hoang Son.

From applied mathematics to artificial intelligence research.

Le Hoang Son was born into a family where his father was a doctor and his mother was a university lecturer, so from a young age he received careful and consistent educational guidance.

He graduated with a PhD in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Science (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) in 2013 through a joint program with Politecnico di Milano University (Italy). He was recognized as an Associate Professor in Information Technology in 2017.

With nearly two decades dedicated to research and training, he has focused on foundational areas of modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as soft computing, knowledge systems, integrated machine learning, and multimodal, multi-environment AI – forming the basis for solid theoretical research in AI.

"Writing a paper and having it published in prestigious academic forums is a source of happiness for a scientist. But perhaps that feeling is multiplied many times over when those research results benefit more people, helping to change lives for the better," shared Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son.

Perhaps, among his more than 300 international publications, many of which are in the Q1 and Q2 categories according to the SCIE ranking, Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son feels happiest when his research can be translated into practical applications.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son and engineers from the AIRC Center, Institute of Information Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

When AI steps out of the lab

The highlight of Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son's career lies not only in his highly cited publications, but also in his ability to transform research into practical applications. Several systems that he co-authored or led the development of have been implemented in real-world situations.

In 2023, the International Advanced Research Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence (AIRC), Institute of Information Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, was established. Under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hoang Son, AIRC has affirmed its pioneering role in realizing AI models into practice for many years through concrete products.

The VNU-DIAGNOSIS system, implemented at Hanoi Medical University Hospital, is one of the typical products applying Deep Learning in identifying periapical inflammatory disease areas from dental X-ray images.

The VNCEPH system applies AI technology to perform 3D measurements and predict the head and face morphology of Vietnamese people; providing a crucial anatomical and pathological database for orthopedic and cosmetic surgery, helping doctors plan optimal treatments based on the unique anthropometric characteristics of Vietnamese people.

The AIRC-VL (Visual Question Answering - VQA) system is an advanced AI technology that allows computers to "understand" and answer questions about the content of an image.

The GMED-LIS system supports the comprehensive digitization of hospital testing processes. In other areas, COMGIS is applied in 3D GIS telecommunications planning in Italy; Wine Terminal supports beverage recommendations in the US and Europe; and XPOMarket builds a virtual museum in New York.

These projects span from healthcare and urban planning to digital commerce, demonstrating interdisciplinary research and adaptability across diverse application contexts.

"We believe these technologies can revolutionize the way people work, and bring technology into life for the better," Associate Professor Le Hoang Son emphasized.

AI is a prerequisite for effective policy advice.

From 2018 to 2020, Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son served as a consultant, contributing to the development of policies on artificial intelligence and digital transformation for various ministries and agencies. He was also a member of the team that developed the Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Annual Report at Hanoi National University in 2025, aiming to assess national AI capabilities and propose strategic development directions.

At numerous major forums, he emphasized the urgent need to develop an inclusive digital society where everyone has access to and benefits from technology, and where no one is left behind in the digital transformation process.

In that environment, AI plays a supporting role for the "master engineer" driving the development of the digital economy and digital society, with a strong priority on investing in "Make in Vietnam" technology products with high knowledge content, owned and developed by Vietnamese people.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son (wearing a tie in the middle) with his students and research fellows.

In the field of education, Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son is a staunch advocate for the concept of "comprehensive AI education." He proposes that universities should develop short-term training programs on AI application skills for students from their third year onwards, and invest in AI tools for teaching to bridge the gap with business needs.

The Hanoi National University Young Scientists Research Award (2014), the Vietnam Mathematics Award (2015), along with numerous commendations for international publications and intellectual property over more than 10 years (2015-2025) are prominent milestones in the career of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hoang Son.

A series of applied technology products co-authored or developed by Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son reflect a consistent philosophy in his research: "AI must solve real problems, in real contexts, with real users."

What makes him highly regarded by the scientific community both domestically and internationally is his ability to connect three pillars: academic research, practical applications, and public policy, while upholding one principle: " AI must serve humanity, not replace humanity."

In the context of artificial intelligence reshaping every aspect of life, Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son's journey demonstrates that "doing science is not just about getting citations, but about creating sustainable changes for society."

"Vietnamese science can absolutely create internationally competitive value if it builds a sustainable research ecosystem, long-term support policies, and creates strong links between laboratories, businesses, and society," Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoang Son stated.

Le Thu

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/chuyen-nha-khoa-hoc-viet-6-nam-lien-vao-top-10-000-anh-huong-nhat-the-gioi-ar1002929.html