Vietnamese female professor is admired by her husband, a famous physicist

For more than half a century, from the laboratory to cross-country volunteer trips, Professor Le Kim Ngoc is not only a loyal life partner but also a colleague and scientific confidant of Professor Tran Thanh Van, one of the world's leading theoretical physicists, making him respect and admire her.

"She is much more famous than me"

Born in 1934 in Vinh Long , Professor Le Kim Ngoc moved to Saigon with her family when she was young. Her high school years at the French school Marie Curie opened the first door for her to enter science. Here, student Kim Ngoc not only stood out with her excellent academic achievements but also won many major awards, becoming one of the few students selected to study abroad in France.

Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife Le Kim Ngoc. Photo: ICISE.

At the age of 16, she began studying natural sciences at the Sorbonne University in Paris, one of the most prestigious universities in Europe, and graduated with honors. She then did research at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), where her research on plant physiology quickly gained attention and praise from the French press.

If Professor Tran Thanh Van is known as the “master of theoretical physicists”, then Ms. Le Kim Ngoc is considered the “master of botanists”. Professor Van also humbly commented: “My wife is much better at science than I am. She has 100 times more scientific publications than I do. In the research community, she is much more famous than me”. In fact, she has three articles published in prestigious global scientific journals such as Nature and Science, her name is known and recognized by the world scientific community.

The man who laid the foundation for the “revolution” in plant biology

In the history of modern plant biology, the name of Professor Le Kim Ngoc is remembered as one of the pioneering scientists who opened a new and groundbreaking direction, especially with the work of introducing the "Thin Cell Layer" technique in 1973. This is considered a turning point in plant biotechnology, changing the traditional thinking about tissue culture and creating a wave of extensive research in this field.

Professor Le Kim Ngoc talks with mothers and children of SOS Village.

The concept of “thin cell layer” that she proposed is based on the idea of using only a thin slice of plant tissue, several cell layers thick, to induce and control the regeneration of plant organs (roots, shoots, flowers, etc.). This work was published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, quickly attracting great attention from the international scientific community. The French journal Science et Vie at that time called this “a revolution in plant biotechnology”, because for the first time researchers proved that controlling growth at the smallest cell level could create a complete plant.

Her method not only opened up an effective approach in plant development research, but also had profound implications for plant breeding, selection, and genetic crossbreeding, especially in the context of global food demand and biodiversity conservation. The work also contributed to forming the foundation for many modern research directions on gene transfer, asexual reproduction, and plant molecular biology later.

In addition, she has many important studies on the flowering mechanism of plants, analyzing the role of hormones and environmental conditions on plant growth. These results are not only highly appreciated in international conferences, but also widely cited in academic documents.

For her outstanding contributions, she was honored to be awarded the Legion of Honor (Chevalier, 2016; Officier, 2025), one of France's highest awards for intellectuals.

When science is linked with love and responsibility

During more than 60 years of scientific activities, Professor Le Kim Ngoc has always maintained a simple philosophy: "Science cannot be just theory in the laboratory, it must serve people, especially the disadvantaged."

Professor Le Kim Ngoc and her husband have devoted their hearts to giving wings to the lives of many children.

Although she became famous in France and received the prestigious Legion of Honor, she never forgot her roots. In her mind, she always thought of herself as Vietnamese. Every orphan and every deprived life in her homeland made her feel uneasy and unable to sit still.

In 1970, during the fierce war years, she and her husband, Professor Tran Thanh Van, founded the Association for Helping Vietnamese Children (AEVN) in France. Since then, a series of SOS Children's Villages have been built in Hue, Da Lat, Dong Hoi... Raising and educating thousands of orphaned and disabled children, that is a part of her heart sent back to her homeland.

She not only raises funds for humanitarian projects, but also directly monitors each project and each child. For her, helping a child to get an education and have a roof over their head is creating a different future for the whole society.

“My husband, Professor Tran Thanh Van, and I never thought that we would live just to do research. We want to contribute to our country and humanity, no matter where we live. Helping a child escape poverty and get an education is also a way to create a new future,” she shared.

From scientific works to humanitarian actions, Professor Le Kim Ngoc and his life partner have lived a full life, contributing not only with their intelligence, but also with their hearts.

The French President has just decided to promote the Legion of Honor to Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife, Professor Le Kim Ngoc, on the occasion of the French National Day (July 14). The Legion of Honor was established in 1802, with 5 ranks. This is the highest award of the French state, given to those who have made contributions in the military and civilian fields.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/nu-giao-su-viet-duoc-chong-nha-vat-ly-lung-danh-ne-phuc-post1554734.html