Female student wins prestigious European master's scholarship before graduating from university

Nguyen Minh Hang, a final year student of the Chemistry Talent class at the University of Natural Sciences , has won a full Erasmus Mundus master's scholarship from the European Union. This scholarship allows Hang to study in many countries for 2 years, with the first year in Spain and France.

“I am very excited about this opportunity. I hope to take a step forward from researching chemistry in the laboratory to applying it in practice,” Minh Hang shared.

Nguyen Minh Hang is currently a senior student in the Chemistry Talent class at the University of Natural Sciences. Photo: NVCC

A former student majoring in Chemistry at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted ( Nam Dinh ) and winner of the national excellent student competition in grade 11, Hang took the entrance exam to the University of Natural Sciences to have the opportunity to study chemistry in depth. Passing the Chemistry Talent class, the female student was guided by leading professors, from which she gradually opened up new research directions.

“When I started studying, I realized that chemistry has many branches. Each person can have their own strengths. If you grasp them and persistently pursue them, you can develop in those branches.”

From the advice of her teachers, in the summer of her first year, Hang applied to study Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Organic Synthesis under Associate Professor, Dr. Mac Dinh Hung. At first, when she did not have much experience, the female student was assigned to read articles to better understand the research direction. After about 2 months of getting acquainted and basically understanding the direction, Hang was trusted by her teacher to assign the topic.

In less than a year, the female student had her first article as the main author published in the European Journal of Organic Chemistry , Q1 journal (the most prestigious group). Hang's research topic is related to the synthesis of organic compounds containing the element sulfur from pure sulfur.

“The nature of research is that different problems can arise at each stage. Even though the teacher has warned us in advance, when we encounter problems, sometimes the whole group still panics. However, the final result is always an emotional explosion that makes research interesting,” Hang said.

This is also the topic that helped Hang win the first prize at the school-level student scientific research conference and the third prize at the ministry-level scientific research conference. In these conferences, the female student has the opportunity to present and receive feedback from scientists in the same field to suggest ideas for further research.

Hang did a 2-month internship in the US. Photo: NVCC

At the beginning of her third year, Hang represented the school to participate in an 8-day exchange program in Japan, where she listened to lectures on the applications of chemistry in life, energy, environment, semiconductors and visited the national research center on particle accelerators.

That trip made Hang realize that chemistry not only creates new substances but also has many other applications, so when she returned, the female student began to learn about applying chemistry to solve life problems.

Turning point from an internship program

In the summer of 2024, when she learned about the annual internship program at Honeywell Corporation (USA), Hang decided to give it a try. “I researched and learned that the corporation has a branch that works on green fuels using biological products or hydrogen energy. I find this field quite interesting and want to participate to update new developments in the energy and environment sector,” the female student shared.

Surpassing many candidates, Hang won the opportunity to intern in the US for 2 months and directly participated in the production process of water electrolysis membranes during this time.

At the end of the internship, Hang was assessed by the management as being progressive, willing to learn, and open to receiving constructive feedback. She herself found that this trip helped her "narrow down her future orientation".

“I am very interested in membrane engineering in the energy industry and am more certain about my future direction,” Minh Hang said.

Minh Hang has just won a full Erasmus Mundus master's scholarship from the European Union. Photo: NVCC

After returning from her internship, Hang applied for a master’s degree under the Erasmus Mundus scholarship. With the shift from organic chemistry research to membrane engineering, Hang realized that further study was necessary to supplement her knowledge, especially in chemical engineering technology, to help her have a solid foundation before applying it in practice.

At the time of application, Hang had IELTS 8.0, GPA 3.87 - the highest in the department, and an international Q1 article. In addition, the female student has experience in research and internship in a field related to the master's program.

Thanks to her demonstrated ability to conduct in-depth research and willingness to pursue her studies, Hang received a full 2-year Erasmus Mundus scholarship for a master's program in Membrane Engineering. In addition to tuition fees, the female student will receive 1,400 euros/month for living expenses.

As Hang's companion at the lab since the second year, Associate Professor Dr. Mac Dinh Hung was impressed by his student's diligence, passion for research, and always having clear goals and plans.

“Hang has a very impressive profile. In addition to her research and internship experience, she also has the highest scores in her department. She is probably one of the most 'superstar' students in the Chemistry department,” said Associate Professor, Dr. Mac Dinh Hung.

Minh Hang said that after completing her master's program, she wants to continue pursuing a doctoral program and participate in the process of building and developing new applications in the green energy field.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nu-sinh-gianh-hoc-bong-danh-gia-chau-au-khi-chua-tot-nghiep-2396556.html