Turning from economics to engineering, Vietnamese girl wins full AI PhD scholarship in the US

From an economics student who switched to data science and then to a PhD in the US, Vu Mai Anh persistently took small, steady steps to pursue her passion for artificial intelligence in medicine.

Mai Anh (right cover) with experts at an international conference in Houston (USA) - Photo: NVCC

Vu Mai Anh was a student of Business Administration at the University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University) from 2013 to 2016. However, she realized that she was not suited to the field of economics. It was during that uncertain period that Mai Anh accidentally discovered a new interest and also a trend at that time: data.

Unexpected turn

In 2021, Mai Anh applied for a master's degree at the University of Science (Ho Chi Minh City National University) majoring in mathematical foundations for informatics - data science.

In the second year of her master's program, Mai Anh decided to quit her full-time job to focus on research. She joined a research group on artificial intelligence and data science under the guidance of Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh - currently head of the Department of Applied Informatics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, University of Natural Sciences and researcher Nguyen Thi Thu (Simula Institute, Norway).

During this time she carried out her first project and had her scientific paper accepted, marking her transition from a "data worker" to a young researcher.

After completing the first year of her master's program, Mai Anh proactively sought opportunities to "go out to sea". In October 2023, she received a research internship scholarship from the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan (NSTC) and interned at the biomedical engineering laboratory of National Cheng Kung University - NCKU (Taiwan).

Nearly four months in Taiwan helped her gain exposure to international standard research processes, improve her programming skills, calculation methods and lab work style.

The key is to find a genuine interest and then pursue it persistently. Then take small, steady steps: self-study, self-practice, and find an online learning community.

Vu Mai Anh

Full scholarships in the US

Also from the NCKU experience, Mai Anh began applying for a PhD in the US, focusing on the field she was pursuing: the application of artificial intelligence in medicine. In early 2024, she received news that she had been accepted for a PhD at the University of Houston (USA) with a full scholarship covering tuition and living expenses.

Houston's unique geographic advantage is its proximity to the Texas Medical Center - the world's largest medical complex with dozens of hospitals and research institutes - opening up a rich source of data and clinical cases for research.

In the US, Mai Anh worked in the laboratory of Professor Nguyen Van Hien, focusing on two directions.

One is explainable AI in computational pathology, which enables AI models to not only predict disease but also be transparent about the “why”, indicating the tissue regions and features that influence the results, thereby increasing reliability and clinical applicability.

The second is the research direction of a cooperation model between artificial intelligence and doctors to support fast, transparent diagnosis and training, aiming to let artificial intelligence support rather than replace humans.

As the only female researcher and also a "non-major" in the lab, she considers the difference in background as a motivation to develop endurance, self-discipline and collaborative spirit. However, looking back on her long journey, Mai Anh believes that it is very "normal" because after all, it is not a very outstanding achievement. Mai Anh believes that joy comes from persistently pursuing what she truly loves.

According to Mai Anh, it is never too late to start. The starting point - economic, marketing or technical - does not determine the destination. The important thing is to find a genuine interest and then persistently pursue it.

Then you should take "small, steady steps": self-study, self-practice, find online learning communities to ask and answer questions, proactively learn from colleagues, and when needed, register for formal courses and programs to "frame" your knowledge.

At the same time, you should consult with your predecessors, from their learning path to their experience in writing articles, submitting applications, and doing research to shorten the trial-and-error curve.

Impressed by perseverance

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh said that shifting from economics to engineering, especially data science and artificial intelligence, is not an easy journey.

"The fundamental differences make you have to work twice as hard. With Mai Anh, I am impressed by her perseverance, initiative and learning spirit. She not only studies theory but also participates in research groups, always ready to try new directions that she has never done before," commented Mr. Binh.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/re-tu-kinh-te-qua-ky-thuat-co-gai-viet-gianh-hoc-bong-tien-si-ai-toan-phan-o-my-20251016085305281.htm