On 17.5.2014, Ministry of Science and Technology held the Awarding Ceremony of the first Ta Quang Buu prize; awarded the Party and State rewards to scientists, managers for their contribution to the country's scientific and technological development; and organized the dialogue with scientists. The Ceremony saw the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, leaders of some ministries/sectors, more than 300 home and abroad scientists, and numerous press agencies.
The Ceremony created a bold mark because it not only encouraged, motivated managers and scientists through the worthy rewards but also created a ebullient forum for scientists, especially young scientists to share their thoughts, aspirations and desire to contribute the talent and intelligence for the country in the context of globalization and international integration with a lot of challenges currently.
Honouring scientists and managers
On 26.8.2013, Minister of Science and Technology signed Decision No. 2635/QĐ-BKHCN on promulgating “Regulations of Ta Quang Buu prize” aiming at encouraging and honouring scientists who have outstanding achievements in basic research, making contributions to boosting basic science research in particular and Vietnam science and technology research in general towards the international level, setting the stage for the country’s science and technology to integrate and develop. The Prize will be held annually to award Vietnam scientists who are the authors of excellent research works published on specialized scientific journals; abroad Vietnamese scientists and foreign scientists who make a lot of contributions to Vietnam basic research.
In this awarding ceremony of the first time Ta Quang Buu prize, 2 scientists were honoured: Professor Nguyen Huu Viet Hung (Department of Mathematics - University of Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) with the work "The homomorphisms between the Dickson-Mùi algebras as modules over the Steenrod algebra" and Associate professor and Doctor Nguyen Ba An (Institute of Physics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) with the work "Joint remote state preparation via W and W-type states" (each prize values 200 million VND).
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan expressed his wish: "The awards will be increasingly prestigious and diffuse strongly within the science and technology community, encouraging the nationwide science and technology intellectuals to promote creative capacity, passion for scientific research.”
Companion on the path of science and technology development of Vietnam, besides domestic scientists, we saw the presence of a lot of abroad scientists who have a special love with Vietnam. One of them is Prof. Pierre Darriulat (a world leading physicist, an academician at French Academy of Sciences since 1986, and currently living and working in Vietnam). He has made many important contributions to the training of human resources in the nuclear energy field for Vietnam.
To acknowledge the contributions of Prof. Pierre Darriulat, the Government has decided to award him the Friendship Order. At the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam awarded to him this honorable reward.
Also awarded this time, they are senior managers in the field of science and technology, including: Duong Hong Dat (former Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Science and Technology - now as Ministry of Science and Technology), Bui Manh Hai (former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology), Le Dinh Tien (former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology) - awarded the Third-class Independence Order; Hoang Van Huay (former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology), Ta Ba Hung (Director of department, Assistant to the Minister of Science and Technology) - awarded the First-class Labour Order; Nguyen Quan (Minister of Science and Technology), Ngo Quy Viet (General Director of the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality) - awarded the Second-class Labor Order.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam awarding to scientists, managers
Dialogue with scientists
Right after the awarding ceremony, it was the "Dialogues with Scientists" between Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan, 2 scientists who have received the Ta Quang Buu prize with other scientists about the current issues which are paid a lot of attention.
Answering questions by delegates on the orientation and the investment policy for basic science in the near future, Minister Nguyen Quan said that, the Ministry of Science and Technology determined that basic research has the fundamental meaning and can not be separated from the science and technology system in general, so it will be continued to be invested certainly. To effectively support the basic science from the State budget, Science and Technology Development Fund was established in 2003. With the support of the Fund, the growth rate of scientific publications in prestigious journals (rated by ISI) has been always over 30% for 5 past years. This fact also proves the effectiveness of the Fund and the efforts of scientists in basic research. In addition, there are national-level programs, such as math program... also provides basic science significant investment. Currently, the Ministry of Science and Technology along with the community of scientists are building the development program of physics by 2020. The other areas of basic research in natural sciences like chemistry, life science... will also be studied to build specific development programs. The Ta Quang Buu prize today is the most visible testament for this effort. Sharing point of views on this issue, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Viet Hung said: a nation which wants to be strong, decide the destiny by itself, and establish its position in the international arena may not have no strong basic science.
For policy of employing and using scientific staffs - a problem mentioned by many delegates, Minister Nguyen Quan said, in recent times, the Party and Government has agreed that this is the problem containing the motivation to boost the dedication and creativity of scientists. Implementing the Resolution 20-NQ/TW of the 6th Conference of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party XI on science and technology development and the Law on Science and Technology 2013, the Government recently issued Decree 40/2014/ND-CP on May 12, 2014 about regulation on the using and employing individuals working in the science and technology field. Three targeted objects of the Decree are: leading scientists, scientists assigned to the extremely important state-level scientific and technological task, young talented scientists. Accordingly, individuals working in the science and technology field are preferred not only finance but also working conditions with very high autonomy. Particularly for young scientists, Dr. Nguyen Ba An suggested management agencies to give them equality, justice (not preference) as older scientists. Also, Dr. An offered advices for young scientists to forcibly plunge headlong into new research directions, do what they like and do not be discouraged before but failures. Besides, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam also encouraged young scientists to learn the spirit of overcoming difficulties of previous generations of science and technology officers (who do science and undergo arduous wars to protect the country simultaneously) to surpass themselves and contribute more to the country.
Dialogue between Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Minister Nguyen Quan,two scientist awarded the Ta Quang Buu prize and other scientists
Most of the comments received in the dialogue afirmed that, fixed science and technology is now facing enormous challenges. The challenges, at first, come from the intrinsic development of science and technology; according to Minister Nguyen Quan, despite having the Resolution, Law (as stated above), the process of putting the Resolution and Law into life still exists a lot of difficulties. Among them, the biggest difficulty is the innovation of thinking, especially thinking of those who do management. So long as we have not accepted the mechanism for funding, not accepted the mechanism of ordering, and the mechanism of allocated expenditure in science and technology, the effectiveness of the legal regulations on science and technology will still be limited. So long as we do not pay attention to the living conditions and incomes of people doing science, are not forcible to change the way of management under the old mechanisms, we can not get the sudden growth in science and technology.
In addition, science and technology also faces many challenges and requirements of current conditions. Currently, on the international level, the factor crucial for defining the position of a country is the role of science and technology (embodied in all areas). As for these preoccupations, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasized: a nation wants to stand still in any fluctuations and all challenges, it must be a Rich and Strong country. Therefore, the Deputy Prime Minister desired, in very difficult conditions of Vietnam, every individual, community of scientists lets try to overcome ourselves, do our own tasks better. That is the practical and true patriotic action, so science and technology of Vietnam can take off in the future.
