(VOVworld) – Technical sectors are often considered a man’s domain, so successful women in this field are rare and admirable. This week Personality of the Week introduces Thu Huong, the first woman in Vietnam to hold a doctorate degree in engine mechanics.
Thu Huong has a normal appearance and a gentle smile. She says her career follows the family’s tradition. "I chose to study mechanics partly because my father was also a mechanics student at the University of Technology. His work and lifestyle which I observe every day have taken root in my mind."
After graduating in the specialized Physics class of the Ha Bac Talented School in the northern province of Bac Giang, Huong passed the tertiary examination to pursue a Mechanics – Electronics major at the Hanoi University of Technology. Huong obtained remarkable academic results and was invited to teach at the University after graduation. In 2008, she was one of 5 people to receive a Japanese scholarship to do research on the Internal Combustion Engine. Huong obtained a doctorate degree in engine mechanics at Kanazawa University in 2011. Vu Khac Thien is Huong’s colleague. "Huong’s doctorate degree is the fruit of her hard work. It’s also a model for the younger generation to follow."
Returning to Vietnam, Huong began teaching Internal Combustion Engine classes at the Institute of Combustion Mechanics of the Hanoi University of Technology. She conveys her enthusiasm and passion for scientific research, particularly on internal combustion engines, to her students. Nguyen Dinh Tuan, one of Huong’s students, says: "Professor Huong is open and friendly with students. She is enthusiastic in lecturing and sharing with students about life and future work orientation."
Huong’s profound knowledge and role as a reliable moral support inspires her students to get involved in scientific research. She has demonstrated the practical values of her research at international conferences such as the FISITA Small Engine Technology Conference in Hungary, the International Conference on New and Renewal Energy Development, and the AUN/SEED-Net International Conference on Environment in Indonesia. Her research has been published in the journals of the US Automobile Engineers Association and the Japanese Design Engineers Association.
Huong credits her success in part to her family’s support. Her husband, who is her colleague at the Institute of Mechanics, understands and supports her career. Huong says she plans to make many more contributions to Vietnam’s internal combustion engine sector.
Phuong Thuy