Quang Ngai – After 14 years working as a civil engineer, Nguyen Le Duy, 38, won the special prize at the National Student Mathematics Olympiad.
Duy Anh was one of 11 students who won special prizes in the exam, which took place from April 9-12 in Da Nang City. The exam had nearly 700 students and over 800 registrations in the two subjects of Algebra and Calculus, a record in 30 years.
To win this award, contestants must be top scorers in each subject or win first prize in both subjects. Nguyen Le Duy falls into the second category.
Mr. Nguyen Le Duy at the Pham Van Dong University library, April 15th. Photo: Pham Linh
Duy said he's been fascinated by mathematics since middle school. But after finishing high school, he chose to study Civil Engineering at Hanoi University of Transport (Ho Chi Minh City campus), because many of his relatives work in this field.
After graduating, the young man from Quang Ngai stayed in Ho Chi Minh City to continue his studies, earning a master's degree in civil engineering and working for a state-owned company. In 2015, Duy decided to return to his hometown to be closer to his family and was hired by an agency in Quang Ngai City. During this time, he pursued a second degree in Law at Da Nang University to further his career.
In 2019, a close friend who was a math teacher suggested that Duy try tutoring some students in the subject. Duy realized he still remembered the formulas and solutions he had learned in high school. Being called "teacher" by his students made him even more enthusiastic and fond of this "side job."
In 2022, Duy quit his job, applied to and was accepted into the Mathematics Education program at Pham Van Dong University in Quang Ngai province.
"At that time, the university had just opened a Mathematics department, which suited my desire to study near home," Duy said. Another advantage was that teacher training students were exempt from tuition fees, along with a monthly living allowance of 3.6 million VND.
Thanks to his extensive study of mathematics books and journals since high school, Duy didn't encounter many difficulties in his studies. From his first year, he registered to participate in the National Student and High School Mathematics Olympiad, winning second prize in Algebra. This academic year, he won first prize in both Algebra and Calculus, much to the delight of his teachers and fellow students at the university.
Duy said the award was earned thanks to the guidance of the lecturers in the department, as well as the support of the university. He is grateful to the teachers for helping him rediscover his passion after a long period of "wandering aimlessly".
Mr. Nguyen Le Duy in the campus of Pham Van Dong University, April 15th. Photo: Pham Linh
Master of Mathematics Phan Bá Trình, a principal lecturer at Phạm Văn Đồng University, assessed Duy as dynamic, possessing aptitude and passion for mathematics. He also demonstrated effort in both his studies and life.
According to Professor Trinh, Duy's achievement is a great encouragement for the school, showing that even in a remote province, the school is capable of training and nurturing excellent students. "This result also inspires students in the department to study and conduct research," Professor Trinh said.
Duy is currently both studying and teaching. Therefore, he dedicates almost all of his daily time to mathematics.
"Mathematics helps me find balance in life after many ups and downs," Duy observed. His hobby is going to cafes to study and relax. Occasionally, he visits the school library to check out the latest editions of mathematics journals.
Pham Linh
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