The person who inspires students at the International Physics Olympiad.

While students in the national team participating in the International Olympiad receive training in new knowledge and practical skills, the process of identifying and nurturing talent in secondary schools is the foundation for discovering talent.

Associate Professor Dr. Dang Duc Vuong (far left) with the Vietnamese student team participating in the 2025 International Physics Olympiad. Photo: Ministry of Education and Training.

Support and encouragement

Having spent many years training and coaching student teams for the Asian and International Physics Olympiads, and serving as Deputy Head of the International Physics Olympiad delegation from 2011 to the present, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Duc Vuong is currently the Deputy Head of the Department of Engineering Physics ( Hanoi University of Science and Technology). He believes that the students, having been selected through numerous rounds of competition from school, local, national, and regional levels before joining the international Olympiad team, already possess proven talent and knowledge. However, every competition has many unpredictable factors such as health issues, changes in weather upon arrival, or poor mental state, which can affect the final results.

“Before, during, and after each exam, we always tell our students to always do their best, and whatever the result, parents, schools, the State, and the Ministry of Education and Training all appreciate it. The competition is just the beginning; life ahead is still very long,” shared Associate Professor Dr. Dang Duc Vuong.

In his role as a mentor and mentor to the team, Coach Vuong affirmed that he felt no pressure and did not put pressure on the students. He always encouraged them to be confident, strive for excellence, and develop their full potential. This is a playground, and the important thing is for the students to fully express their abilities and find joy in their journey of discovering knowledge.

Mr. Vuong believes that to have a team of outstanding international students with many achievements, the role of high school teachers in identifying and nurturing talent is crucial. Unlike many countries with very strict Olympic team selection associations, where selected students practically live in university laboratories and receive long-term training from leading professors, in Vietnam we are selecting students through a systematic and thorough process. However, due to limited facilities and practical laboratories in high schools, Vietnamese students have not had much prior practice in this area. Only when they join the official team do they receive supplementary training to enhance their practical skills and update their knowledge.

Ready to dedicate ourselves to the Fatherland.

Although there are no comprehensive statistics on the achievements of students who have participated in the International Physics Olympiad, Mr. Vuong, who has been involved with the Vietnamese Physics team for many years, said that after entering university, whether domestically or abroad, most of them pursue engineering fields and develop their expertise very well. Their achievements in the scientific community abroad are highly regarded. However, it shouldn't be expected that they will return immediately after graduation, as each person has different aspirations. After university, they also need to continue their studies and improve themselves. Mr. Vuong believes that whether they choose to return or develop abroad, with their hearts always directed towards their homeland, each person can contribute to the country in different ways.

With approximately 40 articles published in prestigious international journals, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Duc Vuong shared that Physics is the foundation of science and engineering – an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary field of study. Physics is present in every aspect of life, so even without in-depth study of Physics at the university level, many academic disciplines are related to this subject, with interwoven and combined knowledge to solve real-world problems.

Professor Vuong also mentioned that some national-level physics students, after graduating from university, continued to pursue physics as their major, returned to become teachers, and continued to train young generations who love and are passionate about physics. However, through discussions with many students and teachers in secondary schools, attracting talented individuals to stay in the teaching profession remains a difficult challenge. It is encouraging that there have been recent improvements in the recruitment of students for teacher training programs in general, including physics education. This is good news not only for the education sector but for society as a whole, contributing to raising the intellectual level of the population and providing a high-quality workforce for society.

Affirming that no subject is difficult if you have passion, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Duc Vuong shared that, as a lecturer in the digital age, besides solid professional knowledge, one must constantly learn, update, and change to meet the increasingly high demands of society and of the students themselves. In particular, to keep up with the dynamic Gen Z generation, Professor Vuong said he is not afraid to learn from his own students. One of his biggest challenges in teaching today is the enormous volume of knowledge, requiring him to find ways to help students absorb it effectively and at a pace.

Thu Huong

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/nguoi-truyen-lua-cho-hoc-tro-olympic-vat-ly-quoc-te.html