A passionate lover of mathematics
Born in 1983, Le Anh Vinh had a special love for mathematics when he was a student at the Hanoi University of Science’s High School for Gifted Students, Vietnam National University. Vinh’s love was inspired by his teachers who showed him the appeal and beauty of mathematics.
In 2001, Vinh won a silver medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) and a gold medal at the Asia-Pacific Mathematical Olympiad. With a full scholarship from the Australian government, Vinh earned his B.S. in Mathematics (with Honors) and Computer Science from the University of New South Wales, Australia in 2005. He then pursued his PhD in Mathematics at Harvard University in 2010 when he was only 27. Vinh was a visiting scholar at the University of Rochester, Mathematics Department in 2011. Vinh had many opportunities to work in the US but he returned home in 2011 and worked for the University of Education, Vietnam National University-Hanoi with a desire to foster young mathematicians.
In 2012, Vinh won first prize at the Vietnam Young Science Talent Award and Young Talented Scientists Award of Vietnam National University-Hanoi. He also received Hanoi’s Ten Outstanding Young Faces Award 2013 and the Creative Youth Badge of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in the same year.
In 2017, Le Anh Vinh led Vietnam’s team at the 58th IMO in Brazil. His team ranked third out of 112 participating countries, with four gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal.
A mathematician and a teacher, Le Anh Vinh wishes to use his knowledge and experience to encourage mathematics talents in the country. In 2015, Vinh founded Learning Math with Jenny, a club for preschool and primary school children to learn arithmetic, combinations, geometry, mathematical thinking, algorithms, logic and statistics in a simple manner suitable for their age. The club, with a team of professionally trained mathematics teachers, attracts hundreds of children. It has become a bridge connecting children with the beautiful world of mathematics, which is not merely numbers and calculations, but a colorful and interesting picture. Many children attending the club have won prizes, such as Truong Quang Dieu who received a gold medal at the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge 2019.
The model of Vinh’s mathematics club is being applied in many primary schools and its teaching program is included in the Ministry of Education and Training’s standard curriculum for application.
A creative education administrator
Vinh held various posts at the University of Education, Vietnam National University-Hanoi, including deputy head of the Scientific Research and International Cooperation Division (2011-2013); director of the Center for Education Research and Application (2014-2015); and dean of the Faculty of Teacher Education and principle of the High School of Education Sciences (2016).
In each position, Vinh always inspires his colleagues with the idea that education is not merely pedagogy and teacher training, but is a science of education and administration.
Le Anh Vinh has conducted education research and published 51 papers in international journals. He also presented more than 30 reports at international and national science conferences.
In 2017, Le Anh Vinh was appointed deputy director general of the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES). The VNIES function is to advise the Minister of Education and Training in education and training, state administration, and policy making in the education sector.
“Holding the post of deputy general director of VNIES is an important responsibility and challenge for Dr. Le Anh Vinh. But the Institute needs young talents like Vinh to adopt new education programs and textbooks, and develop human resources strategies to meet the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution,” said Deputy Minister of Education and Training Bui Van Ga.
As a mathematician and teacher, Le Anh Vinh has brought a love for mathematics to his students, making them see mathematics as an appealing game to play and a useful tool to create inventions applicable to life. As an education administrator, Vinh has made contributions to bring Vietnam closer to the world’s advanced education.
Born in 1983, Le Anh Vinh had a special love for mathematics when he was a student at the Hanoi University of Science’s High School for Gifted Students, Vietnam National University. Vinh’s love was inspired by his teachers who showed him the appeal and beauty of mathematics.
In 2001, Vinh won a silver medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) and a gold medal at the Asia-Pacific Mathematical Olympiad. With a full scholarship from the Australian government, Vinh earned his B.S. in Mathematics (with Honors) and Computer Science from the University of New South Wales, Australia in 2005. He then pursued his PhD in Mathematics at Harvard University in 2010 when he was only 27. Vinh was a visiting scholar at the University of Rochester, Mathematics Department in 2011. Vinh had many opportunities to work in the US but he returned home in 2011 and worked for the University of Education, Vietnam National University-Hanoi with a desire to foster young mathematicians.
In 2012, Vinh won first prize at the Vietnam Young Science Talent Award and Young Talented Scientists Award of Vietnam National University-Hanoi. He also received Hanoi’s Ten Outstanding Young Faces Award 2013 and the Creative Youth Badge of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in the same year.
 Dr. Le Anh Vinh.  Dr. Le Anh Vinh with his student, Truong Quang Dieu, who won a gold medal at the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge 2019.  In a mathematics class at “Learn Math with Jenny” club.  Children find mathematics interesting thanks to Vinh’s class.  With his young students. |
In 2017, Le Anh Vinh led Vietnam’s team at the 58th IMO in Brazil. His team ranked third out of 112 participating countries, with four gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal.
A mathematician and a teacher, Le Anh Vinh wishes to use his knowledge and experience to encourage mathematics talents in the country. In 2015, Vinh founded Learning Math with Jenny, a club for preschool and primary school children to learn arithmetic, combinations, geometry, mathematical thinking, algorithms, logic and statistics in a simple manner suitable for their age. The club, with a team of professionally trained mathematics teachers, attracts hundreds of children. It has become a bridge connecting children with the beautiful world of mathematics, which is not merely numbers and calculations, but a colorful and interesting picture. Many children attending the club have won prizes, such as Truong Quang Dieu who received a gold medal at the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge 2019.
The model of Vinh’s mathematics club is being applied in many primary schools and its teaching program is included in the Ministry of Education and Training’s standard curriculum for application.
A creative education administrator
Vinh held various posts at the University of Education, Vietnam National University-Hanoi, including deputy head of the Scientific Research and International Cooperation Division (2011-2013); director of the Center for Education Research and Application (2014-2015); and dean of the Faculty of Teacher Education and principle of the High School of Education Sciences (2016).
In each position, Vinh always inspires his colleagues with the idea that education is not merely pedagogy and teacher training, but is a science of education and administration.
Le Anh Vinh has conducted education research and published 51 papers in international journals. He also presented more than 30 reports at international and national science conferences.
 Discussing with international experts on how to attract schoolgirls to science and innovation.  Dr. Le Anh Vinh speaks at a seminar on “Promoting Schoolgirls’ Interest and Participation in Science and Innovation through STEM Education and Digital Skills”. |
In 2017, Le Anh Vinh was appointed deputy director general of the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES). The VNIES function is to advise the Minister of Education and Training in education and training, state administration, and policy making in the education sector.
“Holding the post of deputy general director of VNIES is an important responsibility and challenge for Dr. Le Anh Vinh. But the Institute needs young talents like Vinh to adopt new education programs and textbooks, and develop human resources strategies to meet the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution,” said Deputy Minister of Education and Training Bui Van Ga.
As a mathematician and teacher, Le Anh Vinh has brought a love for mathematics to his students, making them see mathematics as an appealing game to play and a useful tool to create inventions applicable to life. As an education administrator, Vinh has made contributions to bring Vietnam closer to the world’s advanced education.
Story: Bich Van - Photos: Thanh Giang
