The International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) announced the news on 14/7. French president Emmanuel Macron issued a decree promoting professors Tran Thanh Van and Le Kim Ngoc to officer (Officier) of the Legion of Honor. Previously, both professors were awarded the knight (Chevalier) rank of the same order, in 2000 and 2016 respectively.
Established in 1802, the Legion of Honor is the highest French order of merit, awarded for military and civil merits.
 |
Professors Tran Thanh Van and Le Kim Ngoc (center) with family members at a state dinner hosted for French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife during their visit to Vietnam, 5/2025. Photo: Tran Thanh Son |
Professors Tran Thanh Van and Le Kim Ngoc (center) with family members at a state dinner hosted for French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife during their visit to Vietnam, 5/2025. Photo: Tran Thanh Son
Professor Tran Thanh Van, also known as Jean Tran Thanh Van, is a Vietnamese-French physicist. He left his hometown of Quang Binh (now Quang Tri) in 1953 at the age of 16 to study in France. A leading figure in atomic physics theory, he was one of three Asians awarded the American Physical Society's Tate Medal in 2012.
Professor Le Kim Ngoc, originally from Vinh Long province, went to France to study at the Sorbonne University (Paris) in 1953. In 1956, she graduated with honors in natural sciences and then became a researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). She has made significant contributions to scientific research, notably her work on "cell slicing," which is considered groundbreaking and ushered in a new era in plant biotechnology.
In 1993, professor Tran Thanh Van founded "Meeting Vietnam," an association dedicated to supporting Vietnam in science and education. In 2013, the ICISE, which he founded and funded, was inaugurated in Quy Nhon, providing a bridge for Asian students and young scientists to integrate with the international scientific community.
Since its inception, the center has collaborated with "Meeting Vietnam" and the People's Committee of Binh Dinh Province (now Gia Lai) to organize nearly 200 high-quality international scientific events and over 45 specialized science schools, attracting over 12,000 scientists from 40 countries and territories.
Thanks to professor Tran Thanh Van's network, 19 Nobel laureates, two Fields Medalists, two Kavli Prize winners, one Shaw Prize laureate, three Dirac Medalists, and many other renowned scientists have visited Quy Nhon to share their knowledge with the scientific community in Vietnam and abroad.
Le Nguyen
