Int’l fundamental science workshop commences in central Vietnam

Six Nobel laureates have gathered in south-central Vietnam for a two-day international fundamental science workshop that opened Thursday morning, part of the famous months-long ‘Rencontres du Vietnam’ meeting.

Running from June 26 through December 17 in Quy Nhon, the capital of the south-central province of Binh Dinh, this year’s meeting features 13 separate seminars and workshops alongside three physics classes, including the ‘Fundamental Science and Society’ workshop – the highlight of the event set for Thursday and Friday.

‘Rencontres du Vietnam’ (Meet Vietnam) is a major science and education program aimed at helping Vietnamese and Asian-Pacific scientists establish contacts and exchanges with Western colleagues, consisting of many Nobel laureates.

This year marks the 12^th edition of the event held in celebration of the 50^th anniversary of ‘Rencontres de Moriond’ initiated in 1966 by Vietnamese Professor Tran Thanh Van.

Six Nobel laureates and Vietnamese mathematician Ngo Bao Chau gathered on Thursday, alongside 300 Vietnamese and international delegates from across different fields at the International Center of Interdisciplinary Science Education (ICISE) in Quy Nhon, to attend the workshop.

The Nobel winning participants include David Gross (Physics, 2004), Carlo Rubbia (Physics, 1984), Jerome Fiedman (Physics, 1990), Kurt Wuthrich (Chemistry, 2002), Finn Kydland (Economics, 2004), and Jean Jouzel (Peace, 2007).

Professor Ngo Bao Chau won the 2010 Fields Medal, widely considered as the most prestigious prize in mathematics.

The two-day workshop will be structured around round tables addressing various historical, current, and emerging issues relevant to fundamental science and society and their role in the development of relationships with Asian countries, particularly developing countries around Vietnam, according to the ‘Rencontres du Vietnam’ website.

According to Professor Tran Thanh Van, president of Rencontres du Vietnam, scientists and experts at the workshop hope to convince Vietnam’s leaders of the significance of science, particularly fundamental science.

Van stressed that fundamental science is often neglected, especially by developing countries which tend to place emphasis solely on applied sciences.

“A negligence of fundamental science will result in Vietnam falling behind others due to its failure to master certain technologies,” Van asserted.

According to the workshop’s organizers, this year’s conference will focus on breakthroughs in fundamental science and how they have transformed our world.

The workshop will also serve as a platform for scientists to discuss and interact with policymakers and representatives from the private economic sector on the importance of science in social development.

Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh is also scheduled for a secluded meeting with professors David Gross and Jerome Friedman to discuss the establishment of the Vietnam Premier International Research Institute in Binh Dinh Province.

The institute, fostered by Gross and Friedman, is expected to be a venue for international scientists to work and carry out research in Vietnam, according to ICISE Deputy Director Tran Thanh Son.

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