Prestigious scholarship sends Vuong to Narvik

 Le Hoang Vuong Nguyen på laben
LAB WORK: Vuong has touched on a variety of fields so far in her academic career. Now, all the experiences are coming together in a practical work as part of her PhD degree.

Her studies brought Vietnamese Le Hoang Vuong Nguyen to Vestfold in the midst of the pandemic. Now, a prestigious scholarship takes her even further north.

– We have a saying in Vietnam that ten scattered points will meet again in ten years. This resonates very well with my experience: All the knowledge I have acquired so far in life converges in this work, in Narvik, says Vuong

The 26-year-old came to Norway to do her master's degree during the coronavirus pandemic. It was purely coincidental that the scholarship she applied for led her from the metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to the University of Southeastern Norway's campus in Vestfold Le Hoang Vuong Nguyens foran nationaltheatret på 17.mai

– When I first arrived in Horten, I thought: Where are all the people? It was very unfamiliar and different," Vuong laughs.

During her studies so far, she has delved into electrical engineering, micro-nano technology and biology, as well as being part of the startup and entrepreneurial environment on the Horten campus during an internship.

Innovative doctoral work

Now, three and a half years after she arrived in Norway, she has started her doctoral work. She recently secured a prestigious scholarship that takes her further north. In Narvik, she will work for the innovative company Nanize for a few months. They have invented a coating that makes surfaces on everything from walls to frying pans more environmentally friendly and easier to clean.

– This is pioneering work in Norway, and very exciting to be a part of. I look forward to applying some of my academic experience out in the industry, says Vuong. 

 Le Hoang Vuong Nguyens holder foredrag på Bergseminaret

The opportunity comes through USN's program Industry Research School in Complex Systems (INRESCOS), which connects PhD researchers and industry.

For Vuong, the stay in the north means a unique opportunity to apply the varied scientific experience she has gained so far. Sustainable solutions for the future have always been important to her.

She completed her master's degree in the subject of bioMEMS (biological and biomedical microelectromechanical systems), which combines micro- and nanotechnology with biology. The pandemic was still raging, and Vuong wanted to use the opportunity to investigate how to make home tests that were both affordable and sustainable.

– The pandemic hit my homeland hard. It's a motivation for me to create solutions that are accessible to everyone and at the same time sustainable. Only then can you truly say that the product is successful, Vuong believes.

An active part of the local community

Now she's learning Norwegian and has long adapted to both culture and climate. She has learned to ski, got a cat - and a large network of friends, both Norwegian and international. 

 Le Hoang Vuong Nguyens på snowboard og klatring

– I love the environment here! Not only the academic one, but also the culture, the food, and all the activities, says Vuong, who after living in a student dorm on campus for several years has now moved to Hof.

– To be closer to the skiing opportunities! I had never tried skiing before I came to Norway, but now I love it, she says enthusiastically.

When she soon heads north for her PhD internship in Narvik, she hopes to have the opportunity to ski and be out in nature. And she really speaks like a true Norwegian when she tells what she's doing this weekend:

– Then I'm not working, then I have the day off!