VinFuture: Free-spirited, bold, and ahead of its time

– As one who has been deeply engaged with VinFuture since its inception, how do you view the Prize’s stature and influence after five years of its remarkable journey?

– Well, all the feedback I have from my colleagues is one of huge positivity. I think many were not sure if a newly-founded prize from Vietnam can make it globally, but we now have a wonderful list of VinFuture Prize Laureates from all over the world.

We have had four (set of prize winners) already in the public domain, and the fifth will be announced later this year. I believe there is a quality about the group of prize winners we’ve recognized that is highly appreciated globally.

– If you were to describe VinFuture’s five-year journey in a single word, which one would you choose?

– It’s “Optimism”! We tend to be too negative in the developed world. We tend to find things that are wrong, not things that are right. What is so refreshing with the VinFuture Prize is the appreciation that we can make the world better. We count what has been good and we celebrate it.

The VinFuture prizes are not tied to a particular area. It’s not chemistry or physics. It’s everything that can create a better future for the humanity.

What sets VinFuture apart is the freedom we have to interpret the Founders’ vision. Our criteria are broad. That flexibility makes possible the freedom to explore fields that may only gain broad recognition in the years to come.

I’m very pleased that we have that boldness to make some awards ahead of where others later have arrived. And that is precisely what keeps VinFuture ahead of its time.

– Since its very first season, the VinFuture Prize Council has brought together some of the world’s most distinguished scientists. What has impressed you the most about the Council?

– What stands out the most is the genuine learning spirit. The Prize Council brings together people from very different professional fields, but we all share one thing in common – a love of learning.
Every discussion becomes an opportunity to learn something new. We learn the nominations and from the investigations we conduct. Altogether, it’s driven by a shared sense of curiosity and discovery.

We work together closely. The decisions are always challenging, but we reach concensus. We all approach discussions with the same goal: to understand deeply the impact of each nomination, thereby ensuring a fair decision and honoring the most deserving achievement. We ask tough questions, we dig into details, and in the end, we reach consensus.

Photo 2. Comprising many of the world’s foremost scientists across diverse disciplines, the VinFuture Prize Council is united by a shared mission: to recognize and celebrate groundbreaking innovations that create meaningful, positive impacts on the lives of millions. Photo: VFP.

“Vietnamese people are capable of achieving great things”

– The VinFuture prize was launched at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic – a time filled with uncertainty. In that context, what did the VinFuture Prize represent for the scientific community and for you personally?

– The COVID-19 pandemic was a real “wake-up call” that the whole world has to work as one. We saw how quickly COVID-19 spread around the globe. We understood that solutions had to be global. The establishment of VinFuture at that very moment carried profound significance: to honor the efforts that bring about positive change for humanity.

For our first Grand Prize, we had winners who later received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of mRNA vaccines. It was a truly powerful moment when they arrived in Vietnam in January 2022 -despite the global lockdowns that made travel nearly impossible. Meeting the people who had helped save millions of lives, right in the midst of the pandemic, was an experience I’ll never forget.

And for me, at the prize ceremony, I thought that was a very special moment — a moment of global coming together and a real sense of hope and opportunity. The fact that it was in Hanoi, representing the whole of the world, added to that enormously.

– And for Vietnam in particular, in your view, what role does the VinFuture Prize play?

– I see Vietnam as a country that is proactively embracing the opportunities that science and technology bring to society and the economy, and the opportunity for education and employment in Vietnam. And I think the connection, the opportunity to meet, to understand what these prize winners have done, is a inspiration for the Vietnamese research community and younger generations to believe in their own potential.

The annual VinFuture Sci-Tech Week in Hanoi has consistently served as a compelling testament to this vision. It has brought to Vietnam far-reaching global dialogues — intellectual exchanges with the potential to shape the course of the world. These discussions have sparked remarkable public engagement, attracting not only researchers but also a broad spectrum of society. It is in such moments that science becomes an integral part of public life.

I think the eagerness to make the world better and to make things happen in Vietnam shines through very strongly. I believe that the opportunity to engage directly with those who have driven change across the world will be deeply inspiring, kindling a strong belief that the Vietnamese people are fully capable of achieving truly great things.