Nguyen Hai Binh: First Vietnamese World Chemistry Gold Medallist

People

Nguyen Hai Binh, a twelfth year student of Tran Phu Selected High School (Haiphong) has brought honour to the country by achieving a gold medal in the recent Olympic Chemistry Competition, becoming the first ever Vietnamese student to do so.

Born and brought up in a family where his parents were both State workers who can only provide financial and emotional support, Binh relied mostly on the help of his teachers, fellow classmate and his self-learning method of study. An honour student for 12 consecutive years, Binh had an impressive high school record that few would match: first prize in the Haiphong Chemistry Competition in year nine and second prize the following year; Second Prize in the National Chemistry Competition in years 11 and 12, as well as the recent gold medal in a world class chemistry competition.

The bright chemistry students puts all this down to the effective time management and learning technique, together with a strong passion for his subject.

"I set my own timetable and spend about three to four hours learning theory and applying what I know into reality each day. I especially love chemistry because it is so closely related to everyday life" was what Binh revealed as the secret for his academic success.

Speaking of competing in the Olympic Chemistry Competition, Hai Binh told the Youth that while "It was a strange thing to represent your country in such a tough competition," Binh was still able to maintain a cool, calm and collected head during the exams.

"With my teacher’s encouragement and support, I was totally relaxed when sitting for the exams."

Binh later added that he was "overwhelmingly happy to be there," and it was not just because of the chance to compete.

"I had the opportunity to go overseas, to meet new friends and to be introduced to new cultures."

"It was the experience of a lifetime."

When asked of his plans for the future, Binh revealed that he will still be learning Chemistry at the College of Natural Science (Hanoi National University) and hopes to become a scientist so as to serve Vietnam with his knowledge.

When we came to Haiphong, it was easy to find Binh’s house because the local people are all aware of Binh’s good news. This new joy no longer belongs to just Binh and his family but is also the joy of the whole country.

By THU THUY
(Youth Newspaper)