Professor Ngo Bao Chau: Success from both knowledge and personality

Professor Ngo Bao Chau affirms the important role of mathematics in the context of the 4th industrial revolution.

At the event to find practical applications for Hai Duong's digital transformation from Fintech, AI, Blockchain, and Cloud technologies held on the morning of August 18 at the Eastern Culture Center (Hai Duong City), Professor Ngo Bao Chau left many meaningful messages, from the practicality of mathematics to the important role of education.

Speaking about mathematics, in his opening speech at the event, Professor Ngo Bao Chau affirmed that in the context of the 4th industrial revolution, the role of mathematics has become extremely important. Issues such as big data processing, security, information encryption, artificial intelligence, blockchain, etc. all require mathematics. According to Professor Ngo Bao Chau, the impact of the extremely rapid changes taking place in new technology makes people worried, both positively and negatively.

During the dialogue at the event, Professor Ngo Bao Chau said that AI is basically good, but careful preparation is needed to avoid disruption in society.

“We need to have a deeper and broader view of what is happening to understand those impacts. We understand that we need good theoretical researchers and practical engineers who can use powerful mathematical tools to create competitive and safe products. From there, we can promote practical applications from mathematics. And most clearly, we need a modern mathematics education that still maintains and continues the good tradition of learning mathematics of Vietnamese people,” said Professor Ngo Bao Chau.

Not only Professor Ngo Bao Chau, but throughout the presentations of the speakers and leading experts at the event, all highlighted the role of mathematics in today's leading technology platforms such as Fintech, AI, Blockchain, and Cloud.

The rapid development of digital technology has also posed challenges to human resources in some industries today. “Some of our jobs today are done by many people, but in the future, no one will do them anymore, AI will do them for us. Should we be worried or not?”, Professor Ngo Bao Chau asked.

According to Professor Ngo Bao Chau, there is no general formula for career orientation, but one must have both knowledge and personality to be successful.

Providing an answer to this very problem, this professor born in 1972 said that instead of worrying, we need to change our way of thinking. “With AI, we don’t need to worry about searching for information or drafting documents. That’s when we can spend more time taking care of our physical and mental health. However, recalling the story of social disruption when the steam engine was born, we need to understand that AI is basically good, but there must be careful preparation in social organization,” said Professor Ngo Bao Chau.

Many young people took the opportunity to chat about mathematics with Professor Ngo Bao Chau.

A female student from New York University (USA) asked about the issue of training high-tech human resources. In response to this question, Professor Ngo Bao Chau said: “It is agreed that university education in Vietnam is still inferior to the world's average. However, Vietnam's education has had very big and positive changes over the past many years. With the right awareness, efforts and determination of educators, we are changing step by step, from training curriculum to teaching methods. It is a huge amount of work, but nothing is impossible.”

Also at this event, Professor Duc (David) Tran, Director of the “Connected Computing” Lab at the University of Massachusetts, USA, on behalf of many parents, sent messages asking Professor Ngo Bao Chau about career orientation for their children. “There is no general formula in education and career orientation. However, in addition to innate ability, the education and training of parents play an important role in their children's success. Parents should also listen to their children's wishes and interests to give appropriate advice. In addition to helping equip them with knowledge, parents need to train their children's personality. Both knowledge and personality make for success,” Professor Ngo Bao Chau answered this question.

Professor Ngo Bao Chau and Hai Duong Provincial Party Secretary Tran Duc Thang visited a number of booths introducing digital products and solutions within the framework of the event.

For Hai Duong, according to Professor Ngo Bao Chau, the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on digital transformation between the Department of Information and Communications, the standing agency of the Provincial Information Technology Steering Committee, and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Mathematics, the standing unit coordinating the National Key Program for Mathematics Development, will open up many new opportunities in organizing activities to promote mathematics, support mathematics education, and train and foster talents in mathematics and science in general.

HA KIEN