Young PhD Uses AI as Core Technology to Create Community Value

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Dr Le Duy Dung and his colleagues at VinUni are researching the integration of AI and autonomous robotics in green material synthesis, and developing processes that use AI to extract knowledge from vast scientific datasets.

For twenty-two years, the Golden Globe Youth Science and Technology Award, a national prize organized by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Ministry of Science and Technology with support from major corporations such as Tan Hiep Phat, has helped empower many young Vietnamese scientists. Their projects have contributed to putting Vietnam on the global map of science and technology. The award represents a concrete step toward realizing Resolution 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, moving Vietnam toward a greener, smarter and more sustainable future.

AI and the Challenge of Green Development

As one of the ten young talents honored with the 2025 Golden Globe Prize, Dr Le Duy Dung has chosen a distinctive path: using AI to ensure indoor air quality and to support the development of green buildings through energy optimization, a key challenge for future urban environments.

Born in 1991 in Phu Tho, Dung showed strong aptitude for mathematics early on and won first and second prizes at the national competition for excellent students in mathematics. He graduated with distinction in Mathematics and Informatics from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, then earned a PhD scholarship and later a postdoctoral fellowship at the School of Information Systems at Singapore Management University (SMU). During this period, he received several distinctions, including the PhD Student Life Award and the SMU PhD Scholarship (2018–2019), and he also made a mark at the well-known Three Minute Thesis competition.

After completing his doctoral thesis, he was invited to join Grab as a senior data scientist, working in advertising and environment personalization. Instead of staying abroad, he chose to return to Vietnam to contribute to the country. He is now teaching and conducting research at VinUni.

Dung shared: “Throughout my studies and research, I always asked myself how my knowledge could be useful in real life. To find the answer, I joined as many research projects as possible. The more I worked, the more I realized how widely this knowledge could be applied. That pushed me to explore deeper and see what more I could do.”

For Dung, scientific research means learning to accept rejection and criticism. The peer review process can be harsh enough to make researchers feel their efforts are overlooked. One of his most frequently rejected project ideas was “Developing an advanced AI-based indoor air quality management system for multifunctional spaces with heavy human use”, aimed at creating greener and healthier buildings in Vietnam.

After two years of persistence, his team finally secured research funding in 2024. The project focuses on indoor air monitoring and management, optimizing operation of air conditioning and ventilation systems in crowded spaces, and using AI to predict future air quality and energy consumption. Explaining what sets the project apart, he said: “AI is combined with IoT sensors and digital simulations such as CFD and digital twins to offer intelligent operating solutions for HVAC systems. This allows us to cut energy use, reduce costs and protect human health, especially in dense urban environments and crowded settings like offices, schools and hospitals.”

Dr Le Duy Dung is one of the ten young talents honored with the 2025 Golden Globe Award in Science and Technology.

Dung believes the combination of AI and sustainable development will create long-term impact and deliver practical community benefits, from cleaner living spaces to a more sustainable, environmentally friendly industrial sector.

He is also committed to advancing fundamental AI and machine learning research, particularly in interdisciplinary areas such as AI for environmental monitoring. He hopes to deepen collaboration with materials science colleagues to apply AI in discovering new materials, an essential strategy at a time when advances in materials technology are shaping future sustainability breakthroughs.

Together with colleagues at VinUni, Dung is researching the integration of AI and autonomous robotics in green materials synthesis. The team is developing processes that use AI to extract knowledge from massive scientific datasets, combined with experimental robotics and machine learning, to accelerate the discovery of new eco-friendly materials. “This helps reduce hazardous emissions by replacing dangerous chemicals with safer inputs and cuts discovery time from weeks to only a few hours. This intersection of fields opens scientific opportunities while expanding the practical value and impact of AI research in Vietnam,” he said.

Staying True to His Path

Speaking about common challenges faced by young scientists, Dung shared: “The biggest one is comparing yourself to the success of others. Over time I realized each person has a different journey. I chose to focus on what I am pursuing, trust the research direction I believe in and stay persistent. When I did that, the pressure of comparison faded. I found joy again, along with resilience and motivation to stay committed to science.”

Amid the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, Dung chooses a different pace. “Slow down, look wider and see the important details clearly. I focus on studying the impact and integration of AI, digital simulation and robotics in solving big problems such as air quality monitoring, energy efficiency, green materials development and building intelligent systems for daily life. I believe this combination will generate lasting influence, not only producing new knowledge but offering real solutions for communities, from cleaner living spaces to a greener and more responsible industrial sector.”

“Interdisciplinary research also allows young people like me to learn from colleagues and share AI knowledge in return. When colleagues do not trust AI results, I have to understand what they value and apply AI to create that value. Once we understand each other’s language, the remaining task is to define the problem and solve it. Only when science steps out of the lab and meets real-world needs can it reach its full value. I want to share a way of living that gives back and passes opportunities forward, especially to the younger generation, so everyone has room to grow and contribute to the community,” he added.

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