When courage and discipline propel female engineering students to the top

For the first time in the history of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), two female students simultaneously graduated as valedictorians with a perfect GPA of 4.0/4.0. The achievements of Ho Tran Anh Thu and Nguyen Hoang Hong Phung not only set a record for one of the most rigorous engineering schools in the country, but also marked a significant milestone in the strong rise of female students in the challenging field of STEM.

The first two female valedictorians and their journey to achieving perfect scores.

Hailing from Can Tho, Ho Tran Anh Thu entered the Polytechnic University with the desire to challenge herself in a high-pressure engineering environment. Throughout her four years, Thu maintained a GPA of 4.0 and boasted an impressive resume including: Champion of INTERCHAIN ​​2024; First Prize in Toward Smarter Logistics 2023; Honorable Mention in Logistics Talent 2024; co-author of two international scientific papers published in IEEE and Springer; and a TOEIC score of 950.

Ho Tran Anh Thu received the trophy and certificate as the champion of INTERCHAIN ​​2024.

Following Thư's academic progress, Dr. Nguyễn Đức Duy (Department of Industrial Systems Engineering) highly praised her thinking abilities and early maturity. “Thư lives with clear goals and plans, knows how to balance studying and playing, resulting in a comprehensive academic record. In her studies, she is intelligent, careful, and a perfectionist, always setting higher standards than the average. I really like this work ethic; at times, Thư seems more like a research colleague than a student,” Dr. Nguyễn Đức Duy shared.

Anh Thu's graduation project is currently being refined by Dr. Nguyen Duc Duy's research team for submission to a Q1 journal ranked in the top 5% globally in her field, clearly demonstrating the systems thinking foundation Thu developed during her studies.

Unlike Anh Thu, who is dynamic in her research, Nguyen Hoang Hong Phung stands out with her slow but very solid learning style. She applies the 80-20 principle, studies systematically, and always sets goals for each stage.

As Phụng's direct supervisor throughout her thesis and dissertation, Ms. Bùi Huy Hải Bích from the Department of Industrial Management was deeply impressed by the student's work ethic. “Phụng always meticulously takes notes in her notebook instead of using her phone or computer. Before each meeting with the lecturer, she proactively prepares her questions, communicates clearly, and fulfills all requirements. Phụng rarely talks about herself but works very calmly. In her graduation dissertation and during student scientific conferences, she handled problems very confidently and convincingly,” shared lecturer Hải Bích.

Hong Phung was honored at the graduation ceremony last November, being one of the first two female students at the Polytechnic University to achieve a perfect GPA of 4.0.

Hong Phung initially considered deferring her studies due to pressure, but the story of a lecturer who had failed Calculus but persevered helped her stay motivated. As a result, Phung completed the program with a GPA of 4.0, becoming one of the first two female students at the Polytechnic University to achieve a perfect score.

Female STEM students: From a small number to leading quality.

Beyond individual achievements, the fact that two female students simultaneously achieved perfect scores reflects a positive trend at the Polytechnic University and other major technical educational institutions.

From a training management perspective, Associate Professor Bui Hoai Thang, Head of the Training Department at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, commented: “The students' achievements reflect the increasingly strong trend of female students in STEM. Although female students only account for a small fraction of the total number of students at the University of Technology, the percentage of women achieving high academic results is always outstanding. Every year, 40-50% of students with the highest GPAs are female. Anh Thu and Hong Phung are the clearest evidence of the capabilities and systemic thinking of women in the engineering environment.”

Outstanding and exemplary Polytechnic students honored at the graduation ceremony (Hong Phung and Anh Thu in the front row, 5th and 6th from the right).

One can observe the outstanding common characteristics of today's generation of female students at the Polytechnic University: they are more confident in choosing STEM fields, actively participate in research and academic critique, maintain the discipline and perseverance necessary to pursue long-term plans, and are always ready to step out of their comfort zone to try their hand at new fields.

Anh Thu shared: "If you are a woman and still worried about entering engineering school, believe that the limitations lie in your mindset. With enough initiative and perseverance, you will go further than you imagine."

Hong Phung also shared a message: "Don't be afraid of difficulties. Taking a little step forward each day brings you closer to your goal. The important thing is not to give up."

The first two female valedictorians to achieve a 4.0/4.0 GPA not only set a new record for the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - Vietnam National University, but also marked a milestone for female engineering students: from a group "small in number" to "leaders in quality". The journey of Anh Thu and Hong Phung is clear evidence that the courage, systems thinking, and perseverance of women can absolutely create outstanding achievements in STEM fields.

Associate Professor Bui Hoai Thang commented: "Female students at the Polytechnic University not only keep up with the pace of fields requiring logical thinking, system design, and high pressure, but in many cases have risen to the top."

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/giao-duc/khi-ban-linh-va-ky-luat-dua-nu-sinh-nganh-ky-thuat-len-vi-tri-dan-dau-20251204154130931.htm