+ Professor, as a representative of female scientists among the members of the Kovalevskaia Prize Committee for many years, you are also one of the people who have been honored by the Prize since 1988. What is your most passionate and impressive thing about the Kovalevskaia Prize?

Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Tran Chau: The path of female scientists has not been easy in the past, so when choosing science as a career, women must have enough courage to move forward, try to live a simple life less dependent on objective conditions, in order to be able to do good scientific research work.

Therefore, the Kovalevskaia Prize came to Vietnamese female scientists very early in 1985, with the Chairwoman of the Prize Committee being Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh and then Ms. Nguyen Thi Doan - both former Vice Presidents, when our country was still facing many economic difficulties. At that time, there were not many scientific prizes and the Kovalevskaia Prize was only for female scientists, which was a great encouragement, showing the interest in science and especially women, which was a great progress in women's work in our country.

We sincerely thank the two founders of the award, Dr. Ana and Neal Koblitz, who wanted to encourage and promote women's scientific research activities. The award was organized and reviewed seriously, helping to raise the status of women in science, affirming that female intellectuals are completely capable of achieving scientific achievements that are not inferior to men.

In fact, the recipients of the Award over the past 40 years have included Labor Heroes in the renovation period, female professors and doctors of science who are prestigious and loved by their peers, scientists with many achievements in scientific research that have been successfully applied in practice, successful businessmen... who have directly contributed to the development of science and technology in the country.

This is the driving force that encourages women to boldly participate in all fields of cutting-edge research, technology transfer, and signing production contracts of great economic value. The Kovalevkaia Prize and the women who have been honored have been and are a source of inspiration for female scientists, generations of students, and especially female students, giving them more motivation to pursue the path of scientific research.

+ According to you, what opportunities has the Kovalevskaia Prize opened up for you personally, as well as female scientists in general?

Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Tran Chau: For me, receiving the Kovalevskaia Prize is a great pride and also a responsibility for me to continue working hard to contribute more to science and continue to apply scientific research results in practice.

Thanks to the recognition from the award, female scientists who have received the award have had more favorable conditions in accessing support in many different aspects of scientific research activities.

+ What are some of your suggestions/solutions to improve the Award, contribute to changing gender stereotypes in science, and increase access to research resources for female scientists?

Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Tran Chau: To raise the level of the Award and create greater impacts on female scientists, I think that individuals and groups that have received the award need to continue to strive in scientific research activities and actively support colleagues, especially young female scientists.

On the government side, it is necessary to create more conditions for female scientists in scientific research and practical application activities and strengthen international cooperation.

Taking advantage of support programs from major research funds will help female scientists have more opportunities to access resources and improve their professional qualifications.

They have achieved many research achievements that have been applied in practice, and are also good examples, and need to continue to contribute to the training of young scientists, especially women, the next generation of scientists for the country.

Young female scientists today have more favorable conditions. They need to take advantage of current favorable conditions to exploit them more effectively in international cooperation and scientific activities.

+ Thank you very much!