Two female scientists win the 2023 Kovalevskaia Prize.

Hanoi - The Kovalevskaia Award 2023 honored two individuals: Professor Hoang Thi Thai Hoa, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, and Associate Professor Dao Viet Ha, Director of the Institute of Oceanography.

On the afternoon of March 7th, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai chaired a meeting with representatives of female leaders and managers from central agencies and presented the Kovalevskaia Award in honor of International Women's Day on March 8th. Each award recipient received a cash prize in Vietnamese currency equivalent to 3,000 USD from the Kovalevskaia Award Fund.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai (right) presents the award to Associate Professor Dr. Dao Viet Ha, and former President Nguyen Thi Doan, Chairman of the Kovalevskaia Award Committee of Vietnam (left), presents the award to Professor Dr. Hoang Thi Thai Hoa. Photo: VGP

Professor Hoang Thi Thai Hoa, 51 years old, Head of the Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, was honored for her outstanding contributions to the field of agriculture. For the past 28 years, Professor Thai Hoa has pursued her main research focus on sustainable soil and plant nutrition. She concentrates on researching soil fertility, developing production processes for organic fertilizers, and applying fertilizers to crops. Her research opens new avenues in applying non-chemical methods to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, address agricultural product safety issues, and mitigate the impact of climate change on crop production.

Professor Hoa has published 148 scientific articles and papers in prestigious domestic and international journals, including 19 in ISI/Scopus journals. She has led many projects and research topics with high practical application. These include 6 consulting and technology transfer contracts, and she holds 2 patents for useful solutions: a process for producing organic fertilizer from livestock waste after biogas fermentation and a process for producing biological foliar fertilizer from aquatic plants.

On the awards stage, she was moved: "This award is a motivation for me to strive and constantly make meaningful contributions to society, my colleagues, and the community," she said, adding that she will continue to learn, explore, and create, actively participate in scientific research, and mentor the younger generation.

Professor Hoa hopes that the Kovalevskaia Award will be maintained, nurtured, and inspire female scientists to strive for research and dedication. She hopes for specific policies to ensure that women, especially those working in science, can develop comprehensively and fulfill their roles.

Individual awards were also presented to Associate Professor Dr. Dao Viet Ha, 55 years old, for her contributions to the field of marine environmental science. She received her Master's degree from Arhus University, Denmark in 2001 and her PhD from the University of Tokyo, Japan in 2009. Currently, she is the Director of the Institute of Oceanography (Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa) and also the Chair of the Intergovernmental Committee on Oceanography of Vietnam.

Associate Professor Ha is one of the veteran experts in oceanography, known as the first Vietnamese person to research the nature, origin, and accumulation mechanisms of natural toxins in marine organisms. With over 30 years of research, Associate Professor Ha has led numerous international oceanography projects, including serving as the head of an international cooperation project on marine toxins in the Western Pacific region.

To date, she has published 104 scientific articles, including 41 in prestigious international journals, and has been granted one utility model patent. Her research focuses on the screening and extraction of bioactive compounds from marine organisms; and the mechanisms of accumulation and elimination of natural toxins in marine organisms.

The Kovalevskaia Prize is named after the brilliant 19th-century Russian female mathematician Sophia Kovalevskaia (1850-1891). This is an annual award honoring outstanding achievements by female scientists and scientific groups in research and application of science and technology. Over 38 years, 22 groups and 53 outstanding female scientists have been honored.

Nhu Quynh

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