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| Dinh Thi Huong Thao |
1. Overcoming her family difficulties, Dinh Thi Huong Thao has been nominated for the title of 2016 outstanding young face in study.
Thao, born in 1998, a student at Hanoi University of Natural Sciences, a member school of the Hanoi National University, is well known for two gold medals she won in two consecutive International Physics Olympiads.
The small pho shop near a small traditional market in Nam Dinh province run by Thao’s parents is the major source of income for her family. It has been feeding Thao and her family’s members, and has helped her cherish the dream of studying physics.
She scored first at the entrance exam to the Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted. In 2015, Thao won second prize at the national physics competition for excellent students, the silver medal at the Asian Physics Olympiad and gold medal at the International Physics Olympiad.
In 2016, she once again won the gold medal at the International Physics Olympiad and received the special prize for the Asian female student who had the best achievement granted by the Association of Asia-Pacific Physics Societies. She was also one of three people who had the honor of receiving the Third Class Labor Medal from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
Thao said she now focuses on study at the school, while she also spends a lot of time on practicing English. She hopes she will get the opportunity to study abroad one day, which would help her fulfill the dream of becoming a lecturer and researcher in an international standard academic environment.
2. Vu Xuan Trung, 1988, the son of a locksmith, won two gold medals at IMOs (international mathematics Olympiad) with the highest scores among Vietnamese competitors.
Trung is the youngest son in a family of five siblings. Because of the limited financial capability, Trung’s four sisters had to work after they finished secondary school. Trung’s parents do the field work, while his father tries to make extra money as a locksmith.
Since childhood, Trung has shown special talent and fascination with mathematics. He sat for hours to solve math problems.
The passion for mathematics helped Trung gain outstanding achievements in his high school years: the National Children's Gold Medal in Hue in 2009, the best student in provincial mathematics award in 2013, and second prize in Mathematics for national excellent students in 2015.
In 2015 and 2016, Trung won the Gold Medal at the International Mathematical Olympics and was awarded the Third Class Labor Medal.
