How many Vietnamese are on the lists of the world's leading scientists?

^- ⁺ A^- A⁺ 21/10/2019

Statistics vary about the number of Vietnamese scientists internationally recognized for excellence.

The local press has reported that three Vietnamese scientists are among 100,000 leading scientists in the world on a list published in PLOS Biology, a US-based scientific journal.

Mr Tran Xuan Bach

However, according to Dr Le Van Ut, head of the Science & Technology Development Division of Ton Duc Thang University, the reported figure is inaccurate.

The list include levels S1, S2 and S4. The work was carried out based on scientific citations and scientific quantitative indexes from Scopus and Elsevier Publishing House.

Of the three lists, S4 is the most notable which evaluates the life-long achievements of scientists by the end of 2017. S1 evaluates the achievements from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2017.

S2 gives only analyzes data about citations in 2017.

According to Ut, Vietnam has at least 10 scientists listed in S2, not three as reported by some local newspapers.

The local press has reported that three Vietnamese scientists are among 100,000 leading scientists in the world on a list published in PLOS Biology, a US-based scientific journal.

Of the 10 Vietnamese scientists listed in S2, Hanoi Medical University has Dr Tran Xuan Bach, while Ton Duc Thang University has Prof Nguyen Thoi Trung and Dr Thai Hoang Chien.

Three researchers are from Hanoi National University. They are Prof Nguyen Dinh Duc, Associate Prof Le Hoang Son and Prof Pham Viet Hung.

HCM City National University has Prof Phan Thanh Son Nam. Phenikaa University has Prof Nguyen Van Hieu and Dr Pham Viet Thanh, while the Vietnam-France University has Dr Tran Dinh Phong.

Tran Xuan Bach is well known as the youngest associate professor in Vietnam, who received the title in 2016. Bach has just been appointed as professor at Johns Hopkins University in the US.

Meanwhile, Phan Thanh Son Nam is the youngest professor in Vietnam who received the title in 2015. He is now Dean of Chemical Engineering at the HCM City University of Science and Technology.

According to Ut, no Vietnamese scientist is listed in S4 and S1. However, many scientists of Vietnamese origin who are settling down in developed countries can be found on both lists.

Tien Phong newspaper found that Associate Prof Nguyen Xuan Hung from HCM City University of Technology is listed among 100,000 scientists in S4, but his research was registered by foreign universities.

Hung has been listed among top 1 percent of most influential scientists in the world for five years (2013-2018).