The person who inspires students to compete in the International Physics Olympiad

If in the team participating in the international Olympic competition, students are nurtured with new knowledge and practical skills, then the work of discovering and nurturing in high schools is the foundation for finding talents.

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

Accompany and encourage

Having participated in training and fostering student teams for the Asian and international Physics Olympiads for many years and holding the role of Deputy Head of the International Physics Olympiad Delegation from 2011 to present, Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Duc Vuong is currently the Deputy Head of the Faculty of Engineering Physics ( Hanoi University of Science and Technology). He assessed that the students were selected through many rounds of competition from school level, local level, national level, regional level and then the international Olympic team, so their talent and knowledge have been confirmed. However, each competition has many unexpected factors such as health problems, changes in weather when going to a new place or bad psychology that can affect the final result.

“Before, during and after each exam, we always tell our students to always try their best and no matter what the results are, parents, schools, the State and the Ministry of Education and Training will all appreciate it. The exam is just the first step, life is still very long ahead” – Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Duc Vuong shared.

In his role as a leader and companion of the team, Mr. Vuong affirmed that he does not feel pressured and does not put pressure on the students, always encouraging them to confidently strive and develop their full potential. This is a playground, as long as the students can fully express their abilities and find joy in the journey of discovering knowledge.

Mr. Vuong acknowledged that to have an international team of excellent students with many achievements, the role of high school teachers in discovering and nurturing is very important. Because unlike many countries with very strict Olympic team selection associations, after being selected, students will almost live with the laboratories at universities, and be trained by leading professors for a long time, in Vietnam we are selecting through each step methodically and carefully. However, due to limited facilities and practice laboratories in high schools, in this part, Vietnamese students have not had much practice before, only when joining the official team will they be taught additional, enhance practical skills and update new knowledge.

Ready to contribute to the Fatherland

Although there has not been any conclusion about the students who came out of the International Olympic competition, but as someone who has been attached to the Vietnamese Physics team for many years, Mr. Vuong said that after going to university, whether studying domestically or abroad, most of them pursue technical fields and develop their expertise very well. Their achievements in the scientific community abroad are highly appreciated. However, we should not expect them to return home immediately after finishing their studies, because each person has a different orientation. After university, they also need to continue to study to improve themselves. Mr. Vuong believes that whether they choose to return home or develop abroad, with their hearts always turned towards the Fatherland, each person can contribute to the country in different ways.

With about 40 articles in prestigious international journals, Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Duc Vuong shared that Physics is the foundation of science and technology - an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary field of study. Physics is present in all areas of life, so even if you do not study Physics in depth at university level, there are still many fields of study related to this subject with interwoven knowledge, combined together to solve life's problems.

Mr. Vuong also mentioned that some excellent students in the national Physics major, after going to university, still pursued Physics and graduated, returned to work as teachers, continuing to train the younger generation who love and are passionate about Physics. However, through discussions with many students and teachers in the general education sector, the pedagogical sector to attract good people to stay is still a difficult problem. It is very gratifying that recently there has been an improvement in the enrollment of Pedagogical majors in general, including Physics Pedagogy. This is a good sign not only for the education sector but also for the whole society, contributing to improving people's knowledge and providing high-quality human resources 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, in addition to solid professional knowledge, one must constantly learn, update and change to meet the increasing needs of society and of the students themselves. In particular, to keep up with the dynamic Gen Z generation, Mr. Vuong said he is not afraid to learn from his own students. One of his current major challenges in the teaching process is the huge amount of knowledge, requiring him to find ways to help students absorb it effectively and on schedule.

Thu Huong

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