Professor Dang Luong Mo, a man who lives fully with scientific ideals

What scientists love about Professor Dang Luong Mo is not only his friendliness and willingness to share knowledge... but also during his years abroad, he always turned to his country with a desire and many efforts to develop the Vietnamese semiconductor industry.

Professor, Dr. Dang Luong Mo

He is the representative of a great intellectual: studying deeply, thinking far, and living fully with scientific ideals. The contributions of Professor Dang Luong Mo to the country's science will last forever...

After graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1962, he continued his studies and successfully defended his doctoral thesis in Japan in 1968. In the following years, he worked at the Toshiba Central Research Institute, then became a professor of microcircuits at Hosei University - one of the prestigious universities in Japan.

In 2002, he returned to Vietnam and settled in Ho Chi Minh City. Immediately after returning home, he taught and guided postgraduates at many universities in Ho Chi Minh City, taking on the role of Head of the Committee to promote the establishment of the Overseas Vietnamese Science and Technology Club. In particular, he laid the foundation for the establishment of the Center for Research and Training in Microcircuit Design (ICDREC), the Department of Research and Simulation of Microcircuit Design and Simulation, and the Postgraduate Training Program in Microelectronics under the Ho Chi Minh City National University.

Long ago, he said that microchips are like “a bowl of rice and a cup of water” to develop a strong country. I remember, he proposed to establish ICDREC at Ho Chi Minh City National University in 2005. The center successfully designed the first chip of Vietnam and essentially put Vietnam on the world map of microchips, training thousands of microchip design specialists to supply the domestic and world microchip markets.

Professor Dang Luong Mo discusses with lecturers about microchip design. Photo: QUANG HUY

With Ho Chi Minh City, Professor Dang Luong Mo seems to have a predestined relationship with the semiconductor industry and the city's Microchip Development Programs all bear his mark. Implementing the Ho Chi Minh City Microchip Program with the goal of completing the chip design part, in the process of researching and training in microchip design, more than ten years ago, ICDREC under Ho Chi Minh City National University succeeded in launching the Sigma K3 chip - the first chip of Vietnam, marking Vietnam's entry into the world chip market.

Starting from zero and after many years of research and testing, ICDREC has successfully manufactured the first commercial chip in Vietnam. More than 150,000 SG8V1 ICD REC chips produced for the first time in Vietnam were put on the market at the end of 2014. The “made in Vietnam” chip has superior features and parameters compared to the same type of chip from Microchip (the king of the world chip manufacturing industry) but the selling price is lower… with the great presence of Professor Dang Luong Mo.

There are many things to talk about the tireless activities of Professor Dang Luong Mo, and among them, he always feels regretful about an investment project for the Center for Micro-Electronics Fabrication (CMEF), which in 2003, Professor Dang Luong Mo almost asked for from NTT Corporation (Japan), to provide free aid to Vietnam.

The total value of the project at that time was 7.5 million USD, but for some reasons on our side, the CMEF project did not receive aid from Japan. Later, Japan provided aid to Malaysia, so this country was able to manufacture microchips since the first decade of the 21st century... This, until the days before leaving us, he still expressed regret!

With the Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park (SHTP), Prof. Dr. Dang Luong Mo has made many practical contributions and tireless activities. He has attended most of the important events of SHTP from 2010 to the following years, specifically: He was invited to be an honorary member of the SHTP Scientific Council in the period 2012-2028 and acted as a scientific advisor for the direction of human resource preparation for the Ho Chi Minh City microchip development program and the Minimal Fab program in cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City National University and SHTP at that time.

Although he is over 70 years old, Professor Dang Luong Mo always participates in and contributes ideas to the organization of the annual Science and Technology Conference of SHTP to create connections between domestic and international scientists in the field of training and microchip design, creating many positive echoes in the international scientific community. His presence, contributions and criticisms are proof and guarantee of scientific values at international scientific events... which few people can do.

“Professor Dang Luong Mo passed away at Hospital 175 (HCMC) on May 6, 2025, at the age of 89”. Hearing this news, many memories of him and I came back. There are still many unfinished tasks and unfulfilled wishes…

His passing is a great loss to the semiconductor technology community in particular and the scientific andeducational community both domestically and internationally. I believe that he has left behind deep sorrow for many generations of students, colleagues and those who cherished his persistent and dedicated academic spirit throughout his life, so that from now on he can continue to inspire the scientific spirit for many generations to come. I believe so!

Professor Dang Luong Mo was born in 1936 in Hai Phong. After graduating from Tokyo University in 1962, he continued his studies and successfully defended his doctoral thesis in Japan in 1968. During his more than 60-year career, he has published more than 300 scientific works and holds more than 10 patents. He has been honored in many prestigious lists such as “Marquis Who's Who in the World” and received the “Honoring Vietnam” award in 2004.

With the contributions of Professor, Dr. Dang Luong Mo, on April 23, he was honored by the City Party Committee - People's Council - People's Committee - Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City as a typical individual in the cause of building, protecting and developing Ho Chi Minh City (1975-2025).

Associate Professor, Dr. LE HOAI QUOC - former Head of the Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/gs-ts-dang-luong-mo-nguoi-song-tron-ven-voi-ly-tuong-khoa-hoc-post794050.html