DTU researchers enjoy an excellent study environment to pursue their passion, which has led to various awards, year after year. In 2019, they added one third prize and two consolation prizes in the “Students and Scientific Research” Ministerial contest, presenting several important practical proposals to improve the quality of our lives.
The competition is organized annually by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee and the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, and attended by researchers from all over the country. The competition is important because it aims to discover and encourage talented researchers to develop innovative new projects, broaden their knowledge and create solutions to real-life problems. In 2019, 419 of the best projects, from 85 universities and institutions nationwide, were submitted in six fields:
• Natural Science
• Engineering and Technology
• Medicine and Pharmacy
• Agriculture
• Social Science
• Humanities
Prizes:
Third prize for a food safety project
This project was entitled: “Investigating factors influencing Danang consumers’ decisions to buy safe food” and devised by the team of Vo Le Thi Hoa and Vo Nguyen Thi Ngoc Kim, both from DTU Faculty of Business Administration. Inspired by the recent propensity of unhealthy food products, Hoa and Kim surveyed the market to assess public awareness of buying safe food in Danang.
Vo Le Thi Hoa (in pink shirt) and Vo Nguyen Thi Ngoc Kim
In 2015, 92 producers and vendors in Danang violated food safety regulations, importing 2,200 tons of vegetables and fruit from China and creating a challenging issue. The DTU team used qualitative and quantitative research methods based on consumer surveys, focusing on four discrete factors that affect consumer buying decisions, which were price, brand, product awareness and safety. Based on their findings, the team proposed solutions involving the four influencers.
Consolation prize for a “Child Sexual Abuse Warning Device”
Research on a “Child Sexual Abuse Warning Device”, conducted by Doan Nguyen Duy and Ha My Duyen from DTU Faculty of Electrical Engineering, was well received because of its ability to monitor and give warnings of sexual abuse. Components included:
• 5-volt battery
• Galileo Gen 2 sensor controller
• Sensors to locate individuals and monitor their activities
In operation, an infrared sensor will check to toilet door. If it is open, an ultrasound sensor can detect individuals within a 90-cm radius in the front, another sensor covers a 110-cm radius at the back and signal an alarm. If the door is closed, the alarm will sound only if there is strong and continuous movement inside the toilet for over 40 seconds. This practical device is expected to contribute to a reduction in the abuse of children.
Consolation prize for a “Smart Electricity Measurement and Data Collection System”
The “Smart Electricity Measurement and Data Collection System” was created by Doan Quang Hung and Dinh Trung Tu, also from DTU Faculty of Electrical Engineering. The multi-functional device measures current, voltage and power in real time and relays information back for analysis and evaluation, allowing management to analyze electricity consumption. This can conserve expenses by developing optimum energy saving strategies by monitoring power source quality and reducing electrical hazards at the same time.
Doan Quang Hung with his “Smart Electricity Measurement and Data Collection System”
“We are delighted to win a prize for our research,” said Ngoc Kim from Business Administration. “Our initial objective was to explore new research ideas in finance and business. This will encourage us to work even harder to develop and expand our project. We thank the DTU leadership for creating an environment where we are eligible for major academic contests, share our knowledge and skills and study wholeheartedly.”
Mr. Truong Van Truong, a lecturer in Electrical Engineering, mentored the research team. “We won a third prize in the social sciences division but also contributed to the engineering and technology expertise of the two other consolation prize winners,” he explained. “Our high-quality projects made it through the stringent qualifying round at the university but need to be fully recognized by the Scientific Council before they can be officially submitted for the ‘Students and Scientific Research’ Ministerial contest. We are achieving more and more every year in our research activities at DTU, demonstrating the capability and hard work of our DTU researchers in their mission to deliver solutions to improve the quality of life for all.”
(Media Center)