Vietnamese-American professor honored by the Royal Society of Chemistry

Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen is the only scientist to win the de Gennes Prize for her contributions to materials research and promoting chemistry in industry.

Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen, a Vietnamese-American who teaches at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), USA, was honored in the category of the 2023 Materials Chemistry Open Prize (de Gennes Prize 2023). The information was published on the website of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). The prize recognizes outstanding contributions to research and innovation, honoring exceptional people who have promoted chemical science in industry and universities.

"Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen won the award for her important contributions to the development of organic semiconductor materials and device physics of organic photovoltaics to mitigate climate change," the RSC page introduced.

Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen was announced as the winner of the RSC award. Screenshot

Born in Buon Me Thuot to a poor family, Nguyen Thuc Quyen immigrated to the United States with her family in 1991 with zero English. She later became one of four Vietnamese scientists named in the list of the world's most influential scientists published by Thomson Reuters in 2015 and has been on this list four times in a row. She is also one of the few female scientists to have been in the top 1% of the world's most cited scientists for many years.

Professor Quyen is noted by the scientific community for his pioneering contributions in leadership roles to the scientific, educational and research communities on organic semiconductor materials, optimizing the performance of organic photovoltaics (OPV) for applications in the design of energy-efficient buildings.

She has published and co-authored 292 research papers and articles. Her research interests include electronic properties of conjugated polyelectrolytes, interfaces in optoelectronic devices, charge generation and transport in organic semiconductors, novel materials for organic solar cell applications, molecular self-assembly, material processing, nanoscale characterization of organic solar cells and device physics. In recent years, Professor Quyen's group has focused on research with high practical applications, including on solar organic molecules.

During her scientific career, she has received many major awards such as Harold Plous Award (2007); Camille Dreyfus Scholar-Teacher Award (2008), Alfred Sloan Research Fellow Award (2009), National Science Foundation Research Fellow Award for Innovation and Competitiveness in America 2010, Alexander von Humboldt Advanced Research Award 2015. In particular, she was voted into the list of the world's most influential scientific minds in 2015-2019. In February, she was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering. She is currently Co-Chair of the VinFuture Prize Preliminary Committee.

Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen in an exchange session within the framework of the VinFuture Award Ceremony 2021. Photo: Hai Nam

The Materials Chemistry Open Prize 2023 (de Gennes Prize 2023) is part of the Research & Innovation Prizes announced annually by the RSC, honoring outstanding chemists who have made contributions to education and industry. The prize has many categories corresponding to chemical specialties, interdisciplinary awards or specific roles in the field. This year, 46 scientists from many countries around the world were honored.

Nhu Quynh

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/giao-su-goc-viet-duoc-hiep-hoi-hoa-hoc-hoang-gia-anh-vinh-danh-4617733.html