In 2015, Thomson Reuters published a list of the world's most influential scientists , with only 4 people of Vietnamese origin honored. Among them, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Son Binh, professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University (USA), a senior member of Argonne National Laboratory, is a prominent face. His life story and career are living proof of his determination, passion and tireless dedication to science and the community.
The journey from dishwasher to famous university professor
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Son Binh was born in Ho Chi Minh City into a poor family of five siblings. The historical event in 1975 completely changed Binh's life. With the hope that their children would have a brighter future and be able to help the family, his parents sent him and his two-year-old younger brother to the United States to live with their aunt.
However, life in America was not a rosy dream. The aunt could only help the two brothers find a place to live. All living and studying expenses were placed on the shoulders of the young man who had just arrived in a strange country. The biggest difficulty at that time was the language barrier. Although he had studied and been taught English by his mother in Vietnam, his knowledge was only basic reading, translation and writing. "The first thing to live and succeed in a foreign land is to know how to listen and speak English," Professor Binh recalled.
As the older brother, he took on the responsibility of "setting an example for his younger brother to learn from", not allowing himself to fail but succeeding at all costs. Realizing that, he threw himself into learning the language and working. Fortunately, the Americans were very patient in helping him, but he also understood that if he did not show progress, they would give up. "Driving ambition, patience and responsibility helped me survive in America," he affirmed.
To earn money to pay for his studies and nurture his dream of sponsoring his entire family to come to the US, Nguyen Son Binh did all kinds of jobs. There were days when he worked three shifts in a row: from 7am to 3pm, from 3pm to 6am the next morning, and again from 6am to 11pm. The hard manual work such as washing dishes and waiting tables forged his iron will. "Not only did I need money for my studies, at that time I was still anxious to find a way to sponsor my entire family from Vietnam to the US, so I worked tirelessly and after 6 years my family was reunited," he shared.
A life of self-reliance helped him grow up and become stronger. He idolized Michael Faraday – the great scientist who rose from poverty, from an uneducated person to a world- famous professor. That role model gave him strength on the path to conquering knowledge.
After graduating with a BA in chemistry from PennState University, he went on to receive his MA and then PhD in Chemistry from the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1995. His academic career continued with a postdoctoral fellowship at the Scripps Research Institute under the National Science Foundation (NSF) program.
Soft material "wizards" and their cutting-edge scientific contributions
Realizing his childhood dream, Professor Nguyen Son Binh officially taught at the Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University - one of the leading universities in the United States, and became a senior member of the Argonne National Laboratory. Here, his talent truly blossomed.
Prof. Binh's research focuses on a pioneering area: the design of soft materials for diverse applications in catalysis, medicine and materials science.
His laboratory is the birthplace of groundbreaking ideas in the synthesis and applications of soft organic materials, including organic-DNA hybrid structures, liposome structures, porous materials such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), porous organic polymers (POPs), and especially nanocomposites involving graphene and graphene oxide. He also has a special interest in the development of environmentally friendly catalysts and biomaterials.
With his talent and relentless seriousness, Professor Nguyen Son Binh has continuously achieved resounding success. Since 1996, he has published more than 250 scientific articles in the world's leading prestigious international journals such as Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Chemistry...
His name has been associated with the title "highly cited researcher" for many years, a prestigious recognition from Thomson Reuters and later Clarivate Analytics. He is one of the few Vietnamese scientists, along with Prof. Nguyen Thuc Quyen, Prof. Vo Van Anh, and Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Xuan Hung, to have this honor.
Not only theoretical, his research is also highly applicable. Professor Binh is the author of 30 patents, many of which have been developed into commercial products. A typical example is the graphene diaphragm technology, which has been applied to create the world's first high-quality ORA-SOUND headphones, a clear demonstration that cutting-edge science can enter life.
a simple personality and a heart for the homeland
Despite his achievements that many people dream of, Professor Nguyen Son Binh still maintains an extremely simple and modest lifestyle. Whenever he has the opportunity to return to Vietnam, he refuses to stay in luxury hotels or eat expensive meals. He always emphasizes to the organizing committee to save money, because he believes that it is the people's tax money and should not be wasted.
His simple lifestyle is also reflected in his awareness of environmental protection. He almost never uses pre-packaged water bottles and always carries a small water bottle with him to reduce plastic waste. In the US, for short trips, a bicycle is his close companion instead of a car, as a way to "contribute to environmental protection".
In addition to his successful scientific career, Professor Binh always has a heart for the young generation and his homeland Vietnam. He often returns to Vietnam as a professor interviewing students for the VietnamEducation Foundation (VEF) scholarship program, a prestigious program that has helped hundreds of Vietnamese graduate students to enter top universities in the US. He believes that teachers, like parents, must take care of their students for life, guiding them even after graduation until they are truly adults.
He is especially interested in young scientists, wishing to pass on his experience so that they can confidently approach and keep up with world science. His kindness also spreads through quiet actions such as giving bicycles to poor but studious students in the South and cherishing the plan to do the same at schools in the mountainous areas of the North.
When asked about the secret to success, he humbly shared: "It is perseverance because life has many disappointments, then passion for dedicated research and finally knowing how to convey it well to students."
Always self-criticizing when making mistakes and asking the question "Can I do better tomorrow?", Professor Nguyen Son Binh is the model of a true scientist - someone who not only conquers the heights of knowledge but also wins people's hearts with a great personality and a heart that always turns to the source.
Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/tu-rua-chen-3-ca-den-nha-khoa-hoc-hang-dau-post1551284.html
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