In October 2020, Professor Dam Thanh Son - a famous Vietnamese physicist working in the US - shared on his personal page about a special event: Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim, a chemist of Vietnamese origin, was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz) by the President of Germany. This is the only federal medal in Germany, recognizing her outstanding contributions in bringing scientific knowledge to the public in a vivid, easy-to-understand and inspiring way.
Since then, Mai Thi's image has become a new symbol in the European science media - not only in Germany but also spreading in the global Vietnamese community.
Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim appeared on a popular TV show in Germany. (Photo source: Stern.de)
From 'ugly' girl to inspirational science icon
Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim was born in 1987 in Heppenheim (Germany) to a Vietnamese family. Her parents came to Germany to study from South Vietnam more than half a century ago. Her father was a chemist and it was he who first inspired his daughter in her journey to science.
In her famous book Komisch, alles chemisch (Strangely, everything is chemistry), she wrote:
“My dad was a chemist and he was a great cook. He told me: All chemists know how to cook – if you can't cook, you can't be in chemistry.
When I was 13 and started getting into makeup, my dad explained everything to me: how pigments worked, how hairspray worked, what the pH of face creams was. Chemistry was always a part of my life.”
With that passion, Mai Thi studied Chemistry at the University of Mainz, then continued her research at leading institutes such as MIT, Harvard (USA), RWTH Aachen and defended her doctoral thesis at the University of Potsdam. Her research focuses on hydrogel and polymer materials - a field with many applications in medicine and engineering.
In Vietnam, in recent years, Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim has become known to many domestic readers as the author of two best-selling books translated from German: Ngo qua, ca gi cung hoa (2021) and Don't be like a wind-up frog - Science in the age of fake news (2024).
In Germany, Mai Thi is a familiar face on television, not only as a scientist but also as a presenter who won the prestigious Grimme Prize. (Photo source: Eltern.de)
Introducing her in the program “20 Faces - 20 Stories” in early May on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany, the Goethe Institute wrote: With a lively, humorous and accessible style, Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim conveys complex scientific concepts through many television programs and on her YouTube channel maiLab. With over a million followers, she is one of the most famous YouTubers in Germany. The foundation of her impressive scientific career was built from studying chemistry at Mainz, MIT, Harvard, Aachen and Potsdam.
From the lab to mass media
While a PhD student at RWTH Aachen University (Germany), Mai Thi soon revealed her ability to share about science in an engaging and humorous way.
One of her first videos at RWTH in 2013 remains one of the school’s most-watched clips. In 2015, she launched her YouTube channel, The Secret Life of Scientists, in an effort to change the dry public image of scientists.
From competitions like "Science Slam", she stepped into the digital world with the YouTube channel maiLab, explaining "difficult" scientific topics in a youthful, approachable and humorous language. To date, the channel has more than 1.4 million followers, becoming one of the most popular science YouTube channels in Germany.
In addition to YouTube, Mai Thi has appeared in TV shows such as Quarks, Terra X, and recently MAITHINK X - die Show on ZDFneo. She brings complex topics such as genetic engineering, gender inequality in science, artificial intelligence, etc. closer to the public, through vivid animated models, combining humorous elements but still rich in academic content.
According to Rwth-aachen, Mai Thi's contributions to connecting science with society have been awarded many prestigious prizes such as the Aachen Engineering Award - along with big names such as Sebastian Thrun or Nobel laureate Emmanuelle Charpentier. But most importantly, she is the one who makes science closer to the public - especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when science plays a key role in policy decisions.
Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University, once commented: “For many years now, Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim has taken science communication to a new level. She connects science with the public and policy makers in an understandable and convincing way.”
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/nu-tien-si-goc-viet-noi-danh-o-nuoc-ngoai-duoc-tong-thong-duc-trao-huan-chuong-ar949305.html
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