14-year-old girl wins two Bronze prizes at Asian Young Scientist Competition

The APT JSO Camp was established in 2012 and is held annually to seek and nurture talented young people in the field of science and technology. The APT JSO Camp focuses mainly on scientific research activities, while developing teamwork and presentation skills through collaborative projects for young scientific talents.

The purpose of the competition is to create opportunities for talented science students to exchange ideas and experiences; develop research and creativity capabilities for talented science students; and seek human resources in the field of science and technology in ASEAN and partner countries.

Thuy Duong shared that this was the fourth time she participated in the international final round of a science competition, spanning from the first years of middle school to the first years of high school. However, for Duong, this time participating in the APT JSO competition was different, because this was a large-scale, professional competition and instead of competing alone, you were paired with two contestants from other schools.

“Both of you from Nguyen Tat Thanh High School are very good, so at first I was nervous and a little worried and excited. Although this is not the first time I have won an international final, this time I was so happy I wanted to cry because the exam was not only complicated but also far from my strengths. So from the beginning, I was mentally prepared to do my best. Luckily, after 4 days of competition, my two brothers and I together brought home two Bronze medals for the Vietnamese team. I only regret a little because I could not change the color of the medals for myself and the team” - Thuy Duong shared.

Thuy Duong said that it was her passion for learning English that "guided the way" for her to pursue science when she was in 4th grade. That passion was clear and strong when she entered secondary school.

Coming to the Asian Young Scientist Competition, Thuy Duong's group chose the research topic "Plastic pollution of the aquatic environment". Thuy Duong shared that she is a person who is very passionate about researching the human body and public health. "Water directly affects daily life. Therefore, if the water source is polluted, the quality of life as well as health will be greatly affected. I think this is very clear in Vietnam, so I want to deeply understand this issue and help reduce environmental pollution", Thuy Duong shared.

During the research process, from her personal perspective, Thuy Duong found that most of the pollution in Vietnam ranges from quite serious to very serious. “Recently, we have witnessed many natural phenomena with the root of environmental pollution such as: acid rain, floods, droughts,... so in my opinion, the level of environmental pollution in general in Vietnam is quite serious. In terms of awareness, in recent years, people have gradually become aware of environmental concepts, so everyone has also begun to live greener and cleaner, regardless of age or gender. Although there are still many things to change and try, in my opinion, in terms of awareness, everyone is doing quite well, especially young people,” Thuy Duong commented.

By researching this topic, Thuy Duong hopes that people will realize the harmful effects of improper waste disposal, and appreciate natural resources and their health more.

In the research project on natural dyes to replace industrial dyes to reduce water pollution, Thuy Duong expressed that there were many times when it was difficult to innovate ideas, because natural dyes were a topic that had existed before. However, Thuy Duong's team did a lot of research on water consumption, color fastness, and ways to diversify colors.

Duong said that this was the best part of the project when he found many new ways to apply the project to everyday life. Currently, Duong and his teammates are still trying to develop and continue to learn to be able to dye more colors, with eye-catching patterns that are more suitable for the fashion industry.

During the project, Thuy Duong had memorable memories with her teammates. “Once we used turmeric to try dyeing yellow-orange (because my two brothers and I both liked the color of the school polo shirt), all three of us forgot to wear gloves when cutting the turmeric, after that our hands were as yellow as fresh turmeric. Once again, we wanted to experiment with reducing and increasing the pH of the dye solution, hoping to harmonize the color tones, while taking acetic acid to mix into the solution, I spilled a little on myself, so that whole day I was called Duong “Vinegar” because my whole body smelled of acetic acid (vinegar).

After more than two months of working with my colleagues and experts, I feel like I have learned a lot, both in how to solve a scientific problem, persistently pursue an idea, and control my emotions when facing problems that require calmness and determination," Thuy Duong shared.

After the competition, Thuy Duong hurriedly went on charity trips. She said that she is usually very busy, and has very little time to enjoy small joys. Therefore, these charity trips are also a way for Thuy Duong to find peace in her heart after a hard year of studying.

“Meeting the children and my fellow group members is a very happy thing that I think will have a much greater value than the word ‘charity’. From the joys I gather, I will find inspiration to continue living life to the fullest. My inspiration is simply seeing people around me smile,” Thuy Duong said.

According to Vietnamnet