Nguyễn Hữu Tiến Hưng and his gold medal from the 56th International Chemistry Olympiad. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thương

HÀ NỘI Nguyễn Hữu Tiến Hưng, a student of the Bắc Ninh High School for Gifted Students in the northern province of Bắc Ninh, dreams of becoming a doctor.

The gold medal Hưng won recently at the 56th International Chemistry Olympiad in Saudi Arabia has brought him closer to the dream.

Born in a place with strong academic traditions and to a well-educated family, Hưng has always maintained his top spot in the class rankings. He has always had a particular love for natural sciences, especially chemistry.

His older sister, a previous student of Bắc Ninh High School for Gifted Students' chemistry class, motivated him the most.

He said: “"I am passionate about chemistry because it allows me to witness the fascinating phenomena of chemical reactions, which result in a variety of colours, precipitation and evaporation.

“With my knowledge of chemistry, I can now investigate the composition, structure, properties and changes of matter and explain substances and events with ease. It is really relatable to all people's lives.

“This is a subject with many applications in real life," he told Vietnam News Agency.

He was chosen for the special chemistry class when he was grade nine. That same year, he won the first prize in the chemistry competition for excellent students in Bắc Ninh Province.

Hưng said in order to learn chemistry properly, one must first master the fundamental concepts and then work through challenging situations by understanding the underlying causes of the issues.

He creates a comfortable and exciting routine for himself each day that balances leisure time with studying, which makes it easier for him to take in information and research papers.

Sharing his secret to winning a gold medal at the recent international competition, he said: "At first, when I read the exam questions, I felt a bit confused because the exam questions had many new points and were also topical, requiring candidates to have the ability to think comprehensively and perform operational skills accurately. The theoretical exam mentioned the applications of chemistry in industry, environmental pollution treatment, and advanced materials.

“At that time, I quickly regained my confidence, remembering the words of encouragement from my teachers to solve problems from basic knowledge, with the motto of doing easy things first, difficult things later, doing things firmly as much as possible. I was then in a comfortable mood and achieved good results."

Recalling the moment when his name was called out as a gold medal winner at the international contest, he said: “I felt happy and proud because I have contributed a tiny part to bring achievements to the Fatherland, the province, the school and my family.

“This is not only my own achievement but also the efforts of the entire team of teachers in the school, along with the support and encouragement of my family,” he said.

“The first person I shared my joy with was teacher Vũ Thị Len [his high school teacher] who smiled and cried at the same time when I announced the result.”

Nguyễn Quang Hòa, Hưng’s father, who follows every step of his son, could not hide his emotion.

“It was a just reward for what he had done. Our family is always appreciative of Hưng's teachers' concern and encouragement,” he said.

After working with Hưng for three years, teacher Len claimed to have a thorough understanding of each student's strengths and limitations, enabling her to develop effective teaching strategies that maximise their potential.

Hưng exhibits all-around qualities along with a particular fondness and enthusiasm for chemistry. He always gets the greatest grades in chemistry in his class because he plans his days rationally, works out and studies chemistry on his own.

Hưng had previously received chemistry awards both locally and nationally.

Hưng said he will pursue his dream of becoming a good doctor and treating people by attending the Hà Nội Medical University. VNS