Stories from the valley of love of a Professor couple who 'sowed the seeds' of science

TPO - From the "Valley of Love" more than a century ago to the "Valley of Creativity" today, Quy Hoa (Quy Nhon Nam ward, Gia Lai province) has become a special meeting place for international scientists. With their passion and persistent vision, Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife Le Kim Ngoc have turned this place into a symbol of connecting global knowledge, contributing to raising the position of Vietnamese science on the world map.

Báo Tiền Phong•03/10/2025

International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE).

From the Valley of Love

In the late 1920s, French priest Paul Maheu (1869 - 1931) discovered Quy Hoa valley (formerly Ghenh Rang ward, Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province, now Quy Nhon Nam ward, Gia Lai province) with the intention of creating a space isolated from the outside world to build a leprosy treatment area.

Quy Hoa Leprosy Hospital was established in 1929 and for several decades thereafter it was known as the "Valley of Love".

Nearly 80 years after Father Paul Maheu, Professor Tran Thanh Van (President of the Vietnam Rencontres du Vietnam Association in France) and his wife, Mrs. Le Kim Ngoc (President of the Vietnam Children's Assistance Association in France) also chose Quy Hoa valley as their resting place.

Less than 10 years later, this place has a new name, "Creative Valley", with many breakthrough projects such as the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE), the Center for Scientific Discovery and Innovation...

Professor Tran Thanh Van recalled that before choosing Quy Hoa Valley as the “destination” of ICISE, he had surveyed and worked with many provinces and cities across the country. However, many localities did not really understand this project and wanted to “keep” him.

“We chose Binh Dinh to build ICISE and it was not a mistake. Through many generations of leaders, we have always received strong support. That is a great source of motivation for us to continue our efforts,” Professor Tran Thanh Van shared in a working session with leaders of the People’s Committee of Binh Dinh province, now Gia Lai province.

According to Dr. Tran Thanh Son - Deputy Director of ICISE, the center is the greatest passion that Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife have for their homeland. The couple's wish when using their life savings to invest in building ICISE is to have a place to develop science and education, help Vietnamese students and young scientists integrate into the international scientific community, and bring opportunities for young generations of Vietnam to improve their level of understanding through attending meetings and sharing ideas with highly qualified international colleagues.

To date, ICISE has had the honor of welcoming 18 Nobel Prize-winning professors, 2 Fields Medal-winning professors (Mathematics), 2 Kavli Prize-winning professors (a prestigious award in astronomy), 1 Shaw Prize-winning professor, and thousands of the world's leading scientists to attend international scientific conferences.

Currently, on average, each year ICISE organizes more than 20 international conferences and 6 to 8 specialized schools, attracting 500 - 600 Vietnamese students, postgraduates, and young lecturers to participate in studying, exchanging, and conducting scientific research with the international student community and leading professors and scientists in the world.

Not only is it an international academic exchange center, ICISE is also a bridge to support students with a passion for scientific research. Through the sponsorship of the Vallet Foundation, the Vietnam Rencontres du Sciences Association, founded by Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife, has so far awarded more than 55,000 Vallet scholarships to outstanding students in Vietnam, with a value of nearly 500 billion VND.

In August 2023, talking about the 30th anniversary of the Rencontres du Vietnam and the 10th anniversary of the ICISE Center, Professor Tran Thanh Van said that the Rencontres du Vietnam is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, established under the Law on Associations 1901 in France since 1993, based on experience and successes recognized and highly appreciated by the international scientific community.

The main purpose of the Rencontres du Vietnam is to connect, cooperate, support and assist in contributing to the development of science and higher education in Vietnam. In 2012, Rencontres du Vietnam became an official partner of UNESCO.

Many scientists attended the conference “Windows to the Universe” and the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Rencontres du Vietnam and the 10th anniversary of the ICISE Center.

Scientific models and symbols

Recently, at a meeting with the couple Professor Tran Thanh Van - Le Kim Ngoc, Chairman of Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan emphasized: "Gia Lai respects and recognizes the great contributions of Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife as well as the ICISE team. The team of scientists has founded and turned the ICISE Center into a model and scientific symbol, a place to organize conferences, seminars, international specialized classes, a meeting place, attracting a large number of scientists from countries and territories around the world to Vietnam to research, work and do business".

According to Chairman of Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan, many contents and research results of ICISE have accompanied the province in economic, social, scientific and training development, initially contributing to the implementation of Resolution No. 57 dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation; as well as the action plan of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on implementing Resolution No. 57, achieving some positive results.

Chairman of Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan (middle) in a meeting with Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife, Professor Le Kim Ngoc.

The Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee said that the locality is committed to supporting the ICISE Center to develop four key scientific research directions, namely neutrino physics, astrophysics, quantum physics, and biophysics, starting from 2026.

The province also continues to create conditions for the ICISE Center to regularly maintain and organize international conferences, seminars, and classes so that this place becomes a meeting place for scientists, spreading the results from conferences, seminars, and specialized science classes domestically and internationally, contributing to the development of science and technology.

Many international conferences are held annually at the ICISSE Center.

ICISSE Center becomes a meeting place for scientists.

The head of Gia Lai provincial government also said that the province will consider, according to its authority, and pay attention to supporting the ICISE Center to deploy the establishment of an Oceanographic Observation Station and a Satellite Signal Transmitter and Receiver Station (BIOMASS) located in Gia Lai. In addition, it will create favorable conditions in terms of mechanisms, policies, and resources for the ICISE Center to promote activities to attract and invite scientists from other countries to work at the center.