Refusal of any involvement
This morning, March 30, the Institute of Chemistry of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology posted an announcement on its website entitled “Information related to the project that won the first prize of the National Science and Technology Competition 2026 needs to be clarified soon.”
The Institute stated that it had no connection to the project of the two students from Ninh Binh and was ready to cooperate with the contest organizers to clarify the situation quickly in order to protect the honor of the scientists.
According to the Institute of Chemistry, there have been recent rumors on social media suggesting that the project which won the first prize at the 2026 national scientific research and technology competition, led by two students from the Luong Van Tuy high school for gifted students in Ninh Binh, bears similarities to scientific publications of a research group led by associate professor Hoang Mai Ha, the deputy director of the Institute of Chemistry.
However, associate professor Hoang Mai Ha has stated that she had no link, collaboration, or involvement in supervising the students’ project. She only became aware of the issue after the discussion about the Ninh Binh students’ project started on social media.
Due to the negative impact of unverified information on the reputation of individuals and organizations, associate professor Hoang Mai Ha has requested the contest organizers and relevant authorities to quickly verify and clarify the situation.
Regarding the Institute of Chemistry, the management has reviewed the list of students enrolled in internships and research within the unit for the 2024-2025 period. This list did not include any cases related to the two Ninh Binh students whose project won the first prize in the 2026 national science and technology competition.
The Institute of Chemistry also emphasized the importance of reaching an objective and transparent conclusion quickly. This will not only preserve the legitimate honor of scientists but also enhance public trust in scientific research activities, especially those involving students.
A person’s integrity depends on their “successor”.
The Institute of Chemistry also mentioned that the research results conducted by associate professor Hoang Mai Ha on the production of fireproof materials have been widely published since 2019 in major scientific journals. Hoang Mai Ha actively shared her reports and research results to inspire the scientific community, especially young researchers, to draw inspiration from them, explore and develop new research directions.
Access to published results and their use is common in an open scientific environment, provided that this utilization strictly adheres to scientific integrity principles. However, adherence to these principles is the responsibility of individuals and organizations using the results. Additionally, evaluating the value of subsequent publications is the responsibility of scientific councils and contest organizers.
The Institute of Chemistry’s response stems from the controversy surrounding the project of two students from the Luong Van Tuy high school for gifted students in Ninh Binh, which won the first prize nationally at the 2026 scientific research competition (organized by the Ministry of Education and Training).
Members of the scientific integrity group believe that the project content is “too complex” for high school students’ practical skills and shows similarities to publications from a research team led by associate professor Hoang Mai Ha, the deputy director of the Institute of Chemistry of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. They question whether the Ninh Binh students’ project was actually carried out by scientists on their behalf.
Besides the first prize-winning project by a student from Ninh Binh, several other high-level projects selected nationally at this year’s scientific and technological competition are said to have been carried out by “adults.” In response to these suspicions, the Ministry of Education and Training announced that an investigation would be conducted to clarify the situation.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vien-hoa-hoc-bac-bo-cao-buoc-lien-quan-du-an-giai-nhat-khoa-hoc-ky-thuat-quoc-gia-185260330131042287.htm
