Young PhD holder nurtures his dream from a fishing village.

TPO - Growing up in a small fishing village on the coast of Binh Dinh province, Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang has brought the salty taste of the sea to the horizons of knowledge and science. With his pioneering work on green hydrogen from seawater and sunlight, this young doctor not only continues his own scientific dream but also inspires many young people passionate about discovery.

Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang currently works at the Center for Nanostructured and Molecular Materials Research, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. He is one of 10 scientists to receive the Golden Globe Award in 2024.

Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang.

Forging willpower from the salty taste of the sea.

Born and raised in a small fishing village on the coast of Phu My district, Binh Dinh province , he was all too familiar with the roar of motorboat engines every time a fishing boat set sail. The sea was not only a part of his memories, but also the rhythm of life for his entire family.

His father spent his entire life at sea . His two older and younger brothers followed in his footsteps, toiling daily on the open ocean, considering the sea their closest friend. His mother sold fish at the market, counting every penny with her hands. The salty taste of the sea, the pungent smell of fish, and the clear, ringing cries of the vendors each morning became an integral part of his childhood.

Carrying with him the salty taste of the sea, his father's hopeful gaze, his mother's calloused hands, and the sound of the waves at night throughout his childhood… he was determined to reach the horizon of knowledge and science. “Perhaps it was that very simplicity that became the driving force for me on my research path ,” the young doctor said.

Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang is one of the 10 scientists to receive the Golden Globe Award in 2024. Photo: Duong Trieu. His curiosity and love for exploring new knowledge began when he studied Materials Science at the University of Science, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. After graduating with a Master's degree in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering from Sungkyunkwan University (South Korea), he continued to receive scholarships for doctoral programs in Chemistry and Energy Science .

“I realized that Energy Science is a new field of study, combining knowledge from basic sciences such as Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, and Mathematics. But with a passion for discovering new things and pushing my own limits, I decided to choose this field of study with a research and application focus on low nanomaterials in green energy and renewable energy technologies,” Quang said.

Overcoming self-doubt

During his final year of graduate studies, Quang experienced mental health issues.

“I had a fever, weakness, prolonged insomnia, and anxiety disorders due to staying up late too much. That was a time when I worked excessively, researched too much, and constantly doubted myself. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic led me to make the decision to return home,” Quang said.

Perhaps the biggest milestone in the young doctor 's career was the decision to return to his home country to work. "This wasn't an easy decision because at that time I had already secured a postdoctoral research position at the University of Chicago," he confided.

Upon returning to Vietnam and taking up a position at the Center for Nanostructured Materials and Molecular Research, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Quang was tasked with building a specialized research group with its own unique school of thought.

According to Quang, this is truly a great challenge but also an opportunity for him. In his current role as a research team leader, he has discovered many skills he hadn't experienced before and has overcome his own doubts about his abilities.

Dr. Quang was tasked with building a specialized research group with its own unique school of thought.

Currently, his main research focus is on combining readily available resources such as natural seawater, human urine containing urea, and sunlight to produce green hydrogen fuel through water electrolysis technology.

According to Dr. Quang, hydrogen-powered vehicles have recently become popular due to their environmental friendliness. However, hydrogen gas does not exist in nature, so strategies are needed to synthesize and store it.

Currently, about 95% of hydrogen production is done through natural gas reforming, which uses fossil fuels and releases a large amount of CO2 greenhouse gas into the environment.

For this young PhD, research is not just about giving away and contributing new knowledge, but also about cultivating and learning a great deal of knowledge for himself.

“The rapid development of science and technology requires researchers to constantly adapt, self-study, and learn from colleagues and students to keep up with research trends, master new research tools, and approach research in the world . In research, we will fall behind if we become complacent and limit ourselves,” said Dr. Quang.

Dr. Quang is delighted to witness the growth of his students, the next generation and core of the future. Currently, many researchers in Vietnam are striving to compete with foreign educational institutions in retaining young people to study and pursue research careers in Vietnam.

Outstanding achievements of Dr. Tran Ngoc Quang :

- Domestic postdoctoral scholarships from the VINIF Foundation for the years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025;

- Outstanding Research Award from the Director of the CINAP-IBS Center, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea, 2018;

- Award for Outstanding Scientific Publication from the Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea, 2018;

- 41 publications in international Q1-listed scientific journals (17 as lead author), 5 publications in international Q2-listed scientific journals (1 as lead author)