Posted: December 5, 2007

Vietnam could be ready to innovate nanotechnology without help from other countries

(Nanowerk News) This November experts in the field of nanotechnology from MINATEC Corporation (France) trained Vietnamese scientists and Master's students from Vietnamese universities, leading up to the first international workshop on nanotechnology (IWNA 2007) in the city of Vung Tau.
The event, sponsored by MINATEC and Vietnam National University – HCMC, attracted more than 200 scientists and researchers from 18 countries.
Dang Mau Chien, director of the nano lab at Vietnam National University – HCMC, said the university has succeeded in setting up a team of young nano-scientists, some of whom were sent to study overseas.
According to Chien, the lab aims to expand nano application in medicine.
Partnering with scientists in Holland, the lab is working on building a tiny kit for diabetes patients who can use the equipment to track their concentration of blood sugar to better control their diets.
The university is also working on other projects using nanotechnology, including light-emitting diodes (LED), batteries that absorb natural lights and using nano-silver to purify water.
Professor Nguyen Van Hieu, chairman of the Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, said Vietnamese scientists have found that the application of nanotechnology is not limited to physics.
“It's important for us to realize that nanotechnology can solve many questions abounding other fields,” Hieu said.
Nicolas Quirke, a professor in nanotechnology from Dublin University and Imperial University in England, said he highly respected 195 research papers presented at the conference.
Some of the papers from the conference could possibly be published in the Journal of Experimental Nanoscience, where Quirke serves as editor.
Is Vietnam capable?
“Considering Vietnam has great potential to achieve nanotechnology by itself, domestically we should focus on one industry and work on recruiting skilled workers and engineers. From a researcher's perspective, I think the priority should go to developing [computer] chip and electronic products. I praise Vietnam National University – HCMC's efforts in producing LED lights that could help people in the countryside a great deal.” – Professor Dang Luong Mo, a renowned Vietnamese-Japanese scientist in the field of microchips.
“We should not limit ourselves to researching nanotechnology only. In the long run, Vietnam must build up an industry to produce nano-related products. That could increase the motivation for scientists, and more importantly, allow the country to stay on a competitive edge.” – Professor Nguyen Huu Duc, director of the College of Technology, Vietnam National University - Hanoi.
Source: Thanhniem News (Nhut Quang)