27-year-old man graduated as valedictorian of Natural Science School

Considered crazy for stopping 4 years of studying Information Technology to pursue Physics, Trinh Hai Son became valedictorian of the University of Natural Sciences at the age of 27.

Hai Son, from Bac Giang , graduated from the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, with a GPA of 3.92/4.

"I didn't set a target score, nor was I an excellent student selected for the talented program, so I was very surprised to be the valedictorian of the 64th class of Physics, shared.

Trinh Hai Son is the valedictorian of the University of Natural Sciences in 2023. Photo: Duong Tam

Born in 1996, Son studied with the 2001 batch, because before that he had studied Information Technology for 4 years at Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Son explained that when he was studying Mathematics at Bac Giang High School for the Gifted, he was advised to choose Information Technology because of the many job opportunities and high salary. Son followed suit even though he was very passionate about Physics.

Passed the exam for one of the hottest majors at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, but the more he studied, the more he felt it was not suitable.

"Information technology is a tool in many fields. It is important for Physics, but what I want to pursue is Theoretical Physics," Son said. The 27-year-old said that since grade 10, when he learned Newton's three laws of motion, he was impressed by the simple theoretical system that describes the natural world very closely with the movements of all things.

At Polytechnic, instead of focusing on studying, Son spent time practicing English and reading many books on theoretical physics. At that time, he really wanted to stop studying to retake the Physics exam, but when he shared, everyone said that idea was silly and crazy.

By his third year of university, Son decided to tell his family. "This was a very difficult period. His family objected because giving up a hot field to pursue basic science was very risky, and it was difficult to imagine job opportunities," Son recalled.

For a year, Son convinced his family that if he worked 8 hours a day in a field he was not passionate about, he would be miserable. For Son, losing 4 years of university was better than having to live with a job he did not love for the rest of his life.

Son’s parents finally agreed. In 2019, Son studied to retake the entrance exam to the Physics Department of the University of Natural Sciences. Dr. Hoang Chi Hieu, Deputy Head of the Physics Department, met Son at this time when the school opened its laboratory for students to visit.

Talking to Son, Mr. Hieu was surprised to learn that he intended to stop pursuing Information Technology. "I doubted whether Son was really passionate about Physics and advised him to think carefully," Mr. Hieu said.

It was not until Son asked the guest that day, Professor Phan Manh Huong, University of South Florida (USA), about in-depth knowledge of Physics such as dark matter, that Mr. Hieu believed in Son's determination. According to Mr. Hieu, students who do not study Physics hardly have such deep understanding.

Son was then admitted to the University of Natural Sciences and placed in the international Physics program thanks to his IELTS 6.5 English certificate.

Son gives gifts to people during a volunteer trip in Tram Tau (Yen Bai). Photo: Provided by the character

Entering school, Son compared himself to a fish in water, without encountering any difficulties. According to Son, the university environment requires a lot of self-study. Teachers teach the basics, while students have to read more documents, research, and then ask questions for teachers to answer. Only then can one understand the problem in depth.

With the international program, Son studied entirely in English. In addition to the textbooks and materials given by teachers, Son read many foreign books on theoretical physics, including many by Wolfgang Nolting - a famous German physicist.

"Every time I dig deeper and understand a problem, I feel very happy, as if I have just discovered something wonderful in the world of natural science," Son said.

Dr. Nguyen Tien Cuong, Head of the Department of Informatics - Physics, teaches Computational Physics 2, and is impressed with the "oldest" student in the class because of his different learning style.

"Other students are grateful for just reading all the materials the teachers give them, but Son proactively seeks out additional materials to read. The subjects I teach usually have lower scores than the others, but Son still often gets perfect scores," Mr. Cuong shared.

Mr. Hieu also assessed that during his studies, Son showed great passion. In addition to studying, Son joined the Physics Club, tutored other students, supported the faculty's recruitment work, and volunteered in the northern mountainous region.

Son won the title "5 Good Students" at the city level and first prize in the National Physics Olympiad for Students.

Son speaks at a scholarship ceremony in 2022. Photo: Character provided

After graduating, Son hopes to work as a teaching assistant for the department while looking for a scholarship to study abroad. The Physics Department said Son will start working next semester, moving towards signing a contract to create a source of lecturers for the school.

Graduating from university 5 years later than his peers, Son said he has no regrets. However, the Bac Giang boy believes that not everyone should do as he did.

"I am lucky to have my family's support and financial assistance. Without the conditions, changing majors would be very difficult," Son said, advising students to have good career orientation from high school so as not to choose the wrong major. They should also consider if they intend to skip basic science majors to pursue hot majors.

Duong Tam

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