Professor Dr Hoàng Thị Thái Hòa (middle) in the laboratory with her fellow researchers. — Photo baothuathienhue.vn

HÀ NỘI — An excellent educator with numerous scientific studies under her belt, Professor Dr Hoàng Thị Thái Hòa now has one more achievement to her name - the Kovalevskaya Award for outstanding female scientists.

Currently the department head of Agricultural Studies at the University of Agriculture and Forestry in the city of Huế, Hòa has worked on numerous studies, such as research on the nitrate content in soil and vegetables, solutions to better grow melons for seeds on coastal sands, and optimal use of water and fertilisers to improve vegetation’s adaptability to climate change.

Her research has been forging a new path in utilising nutrient-poor coastal land for agriculture, introducing new crops for rotation and increasing yields and incomes from farming, creating more job opportunities in rural areas while improving resilience to climate change.

Hòa’s research results, when commercialised, require little initial investment with simple techniques and a high chance for quick turnover, making them suitable for disadvantaged people in coastal regions.

Notably, the research on the science-technology application to increase the yields of melons for seeds in several districts of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province by Hòa and her colleagues was given the second prize at the 2016 Việt Nam Science and Technology Innovation Awards, as well as the third prize of the Thừa Thiên-Huế Provincial Science and Technology Awards.

By the time her application for the title of professor was submitted, Hòa had written over 130 academic articles in the country and abroad, seven of which were published in the renowned international scientific journal ISI.

Hòa has been fascinated by natural sciences since she was a child. With excellent academic performance, she was employed as a lecturer at her university after finishing her undergraduate study, then obtained a scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree in Thailand.

She believed that it was the accessibility and opportunities to work on international research projects that helped her grow and achieve one success after another.

Scientific research is demanding work, Hòa said, and it is even more challenging for women with family responsibilities on their shoulders.

Meanwhile, in agricultural studies, experiments must be conducted in laboratories or out in the fields, the latter dependent on the immediate weather conditions, therefore not every one of them is a success.

Many experiments have to be conducted repeatedly to achieve the desired results, she said, in addition to the limited resources in terms of equipment and financial funding.

Success in scientific research requires dedication, enthusiasm, perseverance and persistence to achieve the set goals, Hòa said.

In addition to her research achievements, Hòa also has six technology transfer and consulting contracts worth over VNĐ2 billion (US$81,000), as well as two patents on organic fertiliser production from animal manure.

This technology has been transferred for commercialisation at the Huế branch of VIPESCO (Vietnam Pesticide JSC) and THAGRICO in An Giang Province.

In 2023, Dr Hoàng Thị Thái Hòa received the news that she was given a Kovalevskaya Award, which honours outstanding female scientists with excellent research findings and application.

Hòa said she was honoured and overjoyed by the recognition. Women should constantly study and practice to improve their knowledge and intelligence, and must be confident in their abilities, she said.

To succeed, they must be clear about what their goals are, have dreams and be determined to achieve them, Hòa added.

The Kovalevskaya Awards Committee was established in Việt Nam in 1985, said President of the Việt Nam Women’s Union Hà Thị Nga.

For a developed economy and a democratic society, the crucial task is to establish a solid group of intellectuals to take advantage of scientific advancements and apply them in the country’s actual context, she said. — VNS