Vietnamese scholars win another three U.S. scientific research awards

PANO - Vietnam has earned an additional three awards in the latest round of the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER), an international program that funds scientists and engineers in developing countries who partner with U.S. government-funded researchers to address global development challenges. Vietnamese researchers have earned 20 awards under this program since 2011, including these three new grants.

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Recently, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced more than $5.8 million for 26 new worldwide research projects to discover, test, and scale breakthrough solutions for critical challenges in international development through the PEER program, funded by USAID and implemented by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The awards range in value from $54,000 to $300,000. The following researchers in Vietnam received awards under this latest round:

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Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh of Asian Institute of Technology Center, Vietnam (AITVN) and AIT, Thailand, will use microbes to remove toxic pollutants from contaminated soils in Vietnam to protect the health of the community and the environment. To learn more about the project, visit: https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/PEER/PEERscience/PGA_364196.

Dang Thuong Huyen of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology will help convert agricultural waste into a tool for removing pollutants from soil in Vietnam. To learn more about the project, visit: https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/PEER/PEERscience/PGA_364197.

Nguyen Khoi Nghia of Can Tho University will research cost-effective methods for removing pollutants by analyzing soil and testing techniques for stimulating the growth of microorganisms to degrade pollutants. To learn more about the project, visit: https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/PEER/PEERscience/PGA_364198.

Since its establishment in 2011, the PEER program has helped to build the scientific and research capacity of researchers and research institutions worldwide. Currently in its ninth cycle, the PEER program has enabled more than 300 local researchers in over 50 countries to find evidence-based solutions to development challenges across regions and sectors.

USAID is dedicated to helping governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector build resilient and sustainable societies. Research increases the commitment and capacity in our partner nations to plan, finance, and implement solutions through informed decision-making. By strengthening the ability of governmental, private-sector, and academic institutions in our partner countries to conduct research and apply science to help solve their own challenges, USAID is supporting their Journey to Self-Reliance.

Song Anh