With a GPA of 3.66/4, the Quang Ninh–born student ranked first in the Materials Technology major under the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, at the university. She is also the first student of the university to successfully defend a thesis with a perfect score of 10, especially notable in the engineering field.

Hanh Nhung's graduation project was about a new material, nanocomposite complex, applied in sensor manufacturing to detect pesticide residues in food.

Five years ago, Hanh Nhung was the top entrant to this program, with a university entrance score of over 26/30 points.

Nhung told VietNamNet she was not surprised by the result after her continuous efforts, but said she did not expect to surpass male classmates to become the valedictorian of the Materials Technology field.

“Engineering is often seen as a male-dominated field. What I achieved proves that there is nothing women cannot do,” said Nhung.

During high school, she hesitated for a long time before deciding on a career path. One day, after reading news about material science, she became intrigued and realized that materials are not only related to construction.

“Out of curiosity, I continued to learn more and found that the field of materials science is very broad. I saw its potential for growth, especially as society demands more skilled workers in this field,” she said.

After visiting Phenikaa University, she was impressed by the facilities and the enthusiasm of the professors, which motivated her to apply.

Studying in an engineering field, she gradually got used to the fact that female students made up only about one-fifth of the class, and sometimes, only one or two girls were in a course.

She noted that the biggest challenge was the heavy load of knowledge in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computing.

“We were even trained in programming and information technology,” Nhung said.

She spent long hours in laboratories, sometimes from early morning until 10 pm, as some experiments could not be interrupted halfway.

“This is a demanding and somewhat dry field, but it’s also fascinating and meaningful. At first glance, it might seem repetitive like other engineering majors, but in reality, it is closely connected to practical human life,” she said.

During her studies, she gained hands-on experience tightening screws, working on assembly lines, and visiting factories.

“Fortunately, my male classmates always helped us girls with tasks that required physical strength,” Nhung recalled.

Through constant effort, Hanh Nhung achieved numerous awards, including Phenikaa University’s Outstanding Student Award for multiple academic years and Third Prize at the 2023 National Student Chemistry Olympiad.

She also won two First Prize in the university’s Scientific Research Competitions (academic years 2022–2023 and 2023–2024) and a Consolation Prize in the 2023 Ministry-level Student Research Contest.

Remarkably, she has had four international publications indexed in ISI, including two Q1 and two Q2 papers. All of her research focuses on materials for sensor applications.

In 2024, Hanh Nhung was honored with the Vietnam Female Student in Science and Technology Award, presented by the Central Youth Union and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

She has no special study secrets or specific methods. The most important thing, she said, was flexible time management and knowing what to prioritize at different times.

“In class, I focused on the lecture and was not afraid to ask questions when I did not understand something. I often visited professors’ offices or sent emails to ask for clarification,” she said.

Alongside studying and doing research, Nhung was also active in youth union and student association activities, earning titles such as Five-Good Student (2023 and 2025), the January Star Award 2023 from the Vietnam National Union of Students, and Outstanding Youth Union Officer of Hanoi 2023 from the Hanoi Youth Union.

“Participating in extracurricular and communication club activities helped me balance the demanding life of a female engineering student. These activities also helped me develop soft skills and make student life more colorful,” Nhung said.

Regarding her future plans, she intends to pursue a master’s degree, and possibly a PhD, if conditions allow.

“I feel happy when conducting research and developing new materials with practical applications in science and daily life. I want to go further because I believe science and technology are vital. They are the lifeblood of a nation’s development,” she said.

Thanh Hung