Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Mai has become the first woman to be appointed chancellor of the Việt Nam National University-HCM City. — Photo Courtesy of VNU-HCM

HCM CITY — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has appointed Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Mai as Chancellor of the Việt Nam National University–HCM City, making her the first woman to hold the position in history.

Mai, 51, is from the central province of Quảng Ngãi.

She got her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry in 1996 from the University of Science under the same university (VNU-HCM), then called HCM City University, and completed a master’s degree in analytical chemistry there in 2001.

In 2002, she pursued doctoral studies in Japan at Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, obtaining a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences in 2005.

After returning to Việt Nam, she continued her academic career at the University of Science.

From 2007 she held one key academic and managerial position after another, including head of department, vice dean and dean of the faculty of chemistry.

In 2021 she became its vice president and from 2022 concurrently served as principal of the High School for the Gifted under VNU-HCM.

She was conferred the title of associate professor in 2014 and professor in 2020.

In 2024, Mai was awarded the title of Meritorious Teacher.

In June 2024, she was named vice chancellor of VNU-HCM, overseeing international cooperation, university–industry–locality partnerships and the management of science and technology programmes.

A leading scientist in research on medicines derived from Vietnamese medicinal plants, she has led research teams that successfully developed two herbal products for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers and arthritis, both with acknowledged scientific value and application potential.

Her work on bee-derived products has received major accolades, including the 2017 Golden Globe Award from the Central Committee of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union and the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the HCM City Innovation Award in 2019.

In 2021, Dr Mai was honoured by the Việt Nam Women's Union with the prestigious Kovalevskaia Award that recognises outstanding women scientists for excellence in research and scientific application.

She has published more than 80 papers in reputed international journals.

In October, at the 17th General Conference of the World Academy of Sciences in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mai was elected a TWAS Fellow, one of the first Vietnamese women scientists to achieve this distinction. — VNS