(VOVWORLD) - UNESCO and the L’Oréal Foundation last month presented the L’Oréal-UNESCO International Rising Talent Award in 2022 for Dr. Ho Thi Thanh Van, a chemist who works at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment. Her research in developing new materials for the production of green hydrogen made Dr. Van one of 15 young female scientists to receive the award.
 Dr. Ho Thi Thanh Van (R) receives the 2022 L’Oréal-UNESCO International Rising Talent Award. (Photo: VNA) |
From 2004 to 2013, Ho Thi Thanh Van was a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. After finishing her Master’s degree program in 2006, Van received a scholarship from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. During her study there, Van received two patents related to new energy and had 3 articles published in International Scientific Indexing (ISI) journals.
Returning to Vietnam, Van has been looking for new ways to shift from fossil fuels to renewable and environmental-friendly sources of energy.
“Like many other countries, Vietnam is facing energy in security and other risks of climate change because we rely too much on fossil fuels. My research is focused on ways to reduce CO2 emission and ensure energy security in the future,” said Van.
Van now works at the HCMC University of Natural Resources and Environment, teaching, conducting research and advising her students on their projects. She has had more than 80 articles published in national and foreign scientific journals and has received numerous national and international scientific awards. In 2016, Dr. Van was made an Associate Professor at the age of 36. She was ranked 23rd of Asia’s 100 Outstanding Scientists of 2020 by Singapore Science Magazine and was recognized as one of Vietnam’s three most outstanding female scientists by L’Oréal-UNESCO.
Dr. Van's research project "New nanostructured catalyst for efficient, cost-effective fuel cell production and green H2 energy production" has won acclaim from the UNESCO International Science Council.
“It was a great honor for me to receive the L’Oréal-UNESCO award. We all want Vietnam to contribute to the world of science,” Van said.
 Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van (L), head of the Vietnamese Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, congratulates Dr. Ho Thi Thanh Van. (Photo: VNA) |
Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Delegation to UNESCO said the award is a source of great pride to Vietnam and a response to the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development 2022 proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.
“This award to a Vietnamese female scientist once again shows Vietnam’s contribution to science. Vietnam will continue joining hands with others to use science to deal with the world’s many problems and promote sustainable development in the digital era,” said Ambassador Van.