Professor, Academician Nguyen Van Hieu passed away
Academician Nguyen Van Hieu was a world-class outstanding physicist, a pioneer, opening many fields of science and technology for the country; he was also a talented organizer, manager and scientific leader; a teacher who has trained and inspired many generations; he has built and strongly promoted many international cooperation channels in science and technology. It is rare for a person to have so many good qualities and abilities. In any position, Academician Nguyen Van Hieu reached the top and had the power to spread positive energy to the community. He left us after more than half a century of hard work devoted to the development of science and technology, promoting science and technology, and making practical contributions to the development of the country. Academician Nguyen Van Hieu’s passing is a huge loss for Vietnam’s science and technology and in particular for Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, where he has worked devotedly since 1969.
Some details about the life and career of Academician Nguyen Van Hieu. He was born in 1938 in Ha Dong, Hanoi, he graduated from Hanoi University of Science and Education; from 1956-1960, after graduating with an Excellent bachelor’s degree in Physics, he was retained as a teaching staff at Hanoi University. In October 1960, he was sent to train in the Soviet Union. With the enthusiasm of youth, superior intelligence and diligence, learning and working in an advanced scientific environment, with teachers and colleagues who are famous physicists such as Academician Bogoliubov of the Union Institute for Nuclear Research Dubna, he quickly obtained the Doctorate degree (1963) and Doctor of Science in Math-Physics (1964), becoming Professor of Physics of the famous Lomonosov University in 1968, when he was only 30 years old.
His achievements in scientific research were recognized by the Soviet Union by the awarding of the Lenin Prize in Science and Technology in 1986, the Ho Chi Minh Prize in Science and Technology by the Vietnam Government in 1996, and many other awards. In 1982, he was elected Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences; in 1984 was Academician of the German Academy of Sciences and the Third World Academy of Sciences, and was the President of the Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP, term 1996-2010). Along with his role as a top scientist and trainer, he was assigned by the Party and State many different management and leadership responsibilities. In 1969, he was assigned to establish the Institute of Physics, and became the Founding Director of the Institute of Physics in 1975. From 1983 he was the Director of Vietnam Academy of Science until 1993, was the Director of the National Center for National Science and Technology until 1994, and an excellent successor of the Founding Director of the Vietnam Academy of Science - Academician and Hero Tran Dai Nghia. He presided over the development of the establishment project and was the founder of many other research, training, and publishing institutions in the country (Institute of Materials Science (June 1993) under the National Center for Natural Science and Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology; International journal Advances in Natural Sciences: Nanoscience and nanotechnology, University of Technology under Hanoi National University). In this position, he was shown to be a broad-minded, strategic visionary, always interested in basic scientific research as a foundation for technology development, with the typical example of having launched, encouraged and successfully implemented the Nanomaterials Research Programs (started in 1997) and the Physics Development Program (2015); always oriented research and development of high technology for practical applications, meeting the practical needs of the country, with a typical example being the flood drainage works to the west sea for the Mekong Delta, creating a fertile rice growing area that was previously a place to store alum. With his prestige and influence, he has been consulted by many senior leaders of the Party and State over the years and has successfully advised on many important policies related to the development of the country. He was a 53-year member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, an alternate member of the Party Central Committee, term V, member of the Party Central Committee, term VI, VII, and VIII; Member of the National Assembly courses IV, V, VII, VIII, IX and X. He has been awarded many medals for his contributions to the development of science and technology and training: the Order of the Resistance War against America for National Salvation, Class II; the Labor Medal, First Class; the Order of Independence, Class II; and the title of People's Teacher.
Academician Nguyen Van Hieu has passed away, but his good achievements and positive inspiration in the fields of science and technology activities, education and training, management and leadership still exist. His name has become a legend, a pride and a beautiful example for the intellectuals of science and technology in Vietnam.
Some photos of Professor, Academician Nguyen Van Hieu
Photo taken at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on scientific cooperation between Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Dubna Nuclear Research Institute
Professor, Academician Nguyen Van Hieu received the "Glory of Vietnam - Imprint of 30 years of innovation"
Professor, Academician Nguyen Van Hieu at the announcement ceremony of Tran Dai Nghia Award for scientists with outstanding achievements in research and application of natural science and technology
Scientific conference "Opportunities and challenges of Physics and Materials Science in Vietnam" to celebrate Professor, Academician Nguyen Van Hieu's 80th birthday (July 21, 1938 - July 21, 2018)
Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version
