"Dusty" childhood

Born in EaToh commune, Krong Nang district, Dak Lak province - a place with red dust in the dry season and mud in the rainy season, Sang did not have a childhood filled with toys or brand new books like his friends in the city. Instead, every time the rainy season came, he and his friends in the neighborhood had to wear boots to go to school.

“I was used to being deprived, lacking electricity, lacking books, lacking learning conditions. But it was those deprivations that taught me how to persevere, learn on my own, and not give up easily. That childhood, a bit dusty, taught me to strive and never stop dreaming, something I have carried with me throughout my journey in science,” Sang shared.

Coming to Chemistry from an instinctive curiosity, from a young age, he was interested in simple experiments in children's science books, such as making batteries from potatoes or blowing soap bubbles... Growing up a bit, he was curious about how everything around him worked, from washing powder to batteries, accumulators...

Then, he suddenly realized that there was a whole world of Chemistry in soap bubbles. Gradually, that curiosity led him to Chemistry, where he sought answers to many seemingly normal phenomena in life.

When he entered university, he had the opportunity to be exposed to the fields of chemical and materials engineering and was particularly impressed by the potential of new materials in solving big problems such as energy, environment and health. From then on, he decided to stick with this path for the long term.

Graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, Mr. Sang received a scholarship for postgraduate research.   from ME Gachon University, Korea, then a PhD student at RMIT University, Australia. After an academic journey, the mindset of a PhD was forged from the sunny and windy land of the Central Highlands, truly matching the spirit and resilience of the people here.

“Every time I encounter difficulties in research, failed experiments, rejected articles, or work pressure, I remember my childhood. So later, when facing bigger challenges, I am not afraid. Difficulties are no longer obstacles, but become “weights” to strengthen my will,” Sang shared.

The journey of "germination"

During his journey of studying and researching across countries (from Vietnam to Korea and then to Australia), Mr. Sang realized that the moment he truly became a researcher was when he started his graduate program in Korea. Before that, although he loved science very much, he still viewed research as an advanced learning, learning to understand and to follow.

“It was the first time I had access to modern equipment, had to design my own experiments from A to Z, and had to learn how to ask my own research questions. And the moment I stopped waiting for a topic to be assigned, and proactively searched for interesting scientific problems, I truly entered the world of a real researcher,” said Mr. Sang.

Graphene is known as the “wonder material” that could change the future of electric vehicles and high-tech electronic devices, but it is still difficult to access due to the complicated and expensive production process. The research team has found another way that is more economical, easier to deploy, and still maintains the quality of the material.

Among his recent projects, Sang is most passionate about the research on the production of graphene powder on an industrial scale. This is a project for which he and his research team have filed a patent in the United States. The research uses surface tension in turbulent liquid flows, like a blender, to produce graphene - a simple, effective, and especially highly practical method.

According to Mr. Sang, the more difficult thing in the research process is not technical failures, because technical errors can be overcome by doing it again, trying different directions, and learning from mistakes. Research is sometimes quite lonely work.

“There are times when I wonder if I am on the right track, if anyone really understands what I am pursuing. But then, there are hundreds of paths on the street/How can life not be the same/Wherever you fall, you stand up there/When you fall in life, you cannot just give up and go back… ”, said Mr. Sang.

In particular, when doing research on nanomaterials for renewable energy, the young doctor realized that if he only knew chemistry, he would not be able to go far. He had to learn more about electronics, mechanics, and even programming, things that he was previously afraid of and “just looking at them made him dizzy”.

Sang said jokingly that it took him a while to learn to be "not shy", not to be good at many things but to know how to open up to learn and work together.

"Perhaps the thing that makes me happiest is the moment I understand something after many days of being stuck. At that time, it feels like catching a strong Wi-Fi signal after many days of losing the internet. Sometimes it's just a successful experiment, a reaction that happens as predicted, that's all it takes to be so happy I can't sleep. Doing science is like planting a tree, every sprout of knowledge that grows makes me feel more alive" - ​​Dr. Tran Tuan Sang.

Recently, Dr. Tran Tuan Sang is the only Vietnamese (in Australia) to receive a scholarship from the Australian Academy of Science (AAS) to attend the 2025 Lindau Nobel Laureate Conference in Germany.

The 74th Nobel Laureate Conference in Lindau, dedicated to the field of Chemistry, is expected to bring together more than 30 Nobel laureates and 630 young scientists from 84 countries.

Accordingly, young scientists receiving funding to attend the event and participate in the research innovation tour will be introduced to some of Germany's best Chemistry-related research and development facilities.

Currently, Dr. Sang has more than 20 scientific publications focusing on researching and designing interactions between nanomaterials to enable applications in flexible sensors, high-performance electronic devices and renewable energy.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chang-trai-tay-nguyen-to-mo-voi-bong-bong-xa-phong-den-hanh-trinh-thanh-tien-si-post1735637.tpo