“Golden girl” of Vietnam Physics Team
She is also the first female gold medalist of the 22 teams sent by Vietnam to this contest so far.
She was born in a family of learning tradition. Her grandfather, uncles and aunts are all teachers. About 2 dozens of her cousins are now university students. Since a child, Dung is very good at maths but she decided to enrol in a physics special class at higher secondary school. At grade 10, she won the first prize in the provincal physics contest. In the next two years, she got second prize in the national physics contest. In May 2005, she attended the Asia Paciffic Physics Contest in Indonesia and attained fourth prize. Then she was admitted to the Vietnam Physics Team at international contest.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thong, her father, attributed her success to the family’s study environment in which grandfather and parents are all maths teachers. Her strong points include resilient nerves and good writing presentation at competition.
There were only two female medallists at the 34th International Physics Contest. Dung won Gold Medal at 46.5/50 points. A Ducth schoolgirl achieved Blonze Medal. “We were very moved when the Organizing Committee announced the name of Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung in the list of Gold Medallist.” Mr Nguyen The Khoi, Head of Vietnam delegation to the contest said.
Dung was fond of maths since she was a child. From grade 1 to grade 9, she was always the first runner in school and provincial contest of good students. For good results, it requires both study enthusiasm and a good study method, she said. She appreciates self-study and always tries her best to find quick and simple solutions.
She loves sciences but does not neglect others subjects. She has a well-structured timetable according to which main subjects are to be studied in the end, after other subjects. Therefore, she is good at different subjects and has always achieved the title “outstanding” student for 12 school years.
Admitted straight to university without having to take entrance exam, she applied to the Gifted Class of Physics Faculty, College of Natural Sciences. “This is a good environment which will help me realize my dream of becoming a good physicist”, she said.
