From tin-can phones to 6G: The inspiring journey of Vietnamese scientist

By Thanh Hang   February 2, 2025 | 09:30 pm PT
As a child Duong Quang Trung built tin-can telephones to talk to friends, unaware that this would spark his journey to becoming a leading scientist in 6G networks.

Now 45, he is a professor at Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada.

In early 2025 he became the first Vietnamese editor-in-chief of IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, the top-ranked out of 336 publications from world's largest technical professional organization, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Stanford University and the Scopus database, a globally recognized scientific citation index under Elsevier in the Netherlands, rank him among the most influential scientists in wireless communications and signal processing. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum optimization to advance next-generation mobile networks, including 6G.

GS Dương Quang Trung. Ảnh: Nhân vật cung cấp

Duong Quang Trung in South Korea, November 2024. Photo courtesy of Trung

Born in Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam, Trung excelled in primary and secondary school, but his first hurdle came when he failed to gain admission to his province’s top high school. "I was more interested in playing than studying and did not revise sample tests," he recalls. "I didn’t see it as a failure but as motivation to work harder to earn a spot at Tran Quy Cap High School."

In 1997 he joined the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, choosing electronics and telecommunications, inspired by childhood experiences. Hoi An’s frequent flooding kept him and his friends from meeting each other, so they entertained themselves with makeshift telephones crafted from condensed milk cans and strings, he recalls. "Those simple tin-can phones introduced me to the wonders of telecommunications."

In university he was mentored by Professor Le Tien Thuong, who had studied abroad and brought fresh perspectives to his lectures. Thuong’s influence broadened Trung’s horizons and fueled his ambition to study overseas. While many peers sought jobs after graduation, he focused on improving his English to secure foreign scholarships.

While he did feel pressure watching friends earn attractive salaries, he remained committed to his goal of becoming a researcher. His persistence paid off with full scholarships for a master’s degree in South Korea and a PhD in Sweden. In 2013 he was appointed professor at Queen’s University Belfast, one of the UK’s top 24 universities. By 2020 he became a full professor after one of the fastest promotions in the institution’s nearly 200-year history.

Before becoming a professor, he could dedicate himself entirely to research, but now he had to balance teaching, leading research teams, securing funding, and handling administrative tasks, he says. "This transition is one of the biggest challenges for postdoctoral researchers and early-career professors.

"But with pressure comes opportunity."

His groundbreaking work has earned him a number of accolades: He is the only person in the U.K. to have twice won research awards, in 2016 and 2020, from the Royal Academy of Engineering; in 2017 he received the Newton Prize from the British government for research applications in disaster prevention.

Trung and his team have secured around US$40 million in research funding. In late 2023 he received a US$6 million grant under Canada’s Excellence Research Chair program. Over the next eight years his team will tackle challenges related to wireless security, precision and capacity as global mobile traffic surges.

Neil Bose, president of Memorial University, has described him as a trailblazer. "His work will further elevate our institution’s global reputation for cutting-edge ICT research."

GS Trung trình bày báo cáo chính tại hội nghị IEEE CCNC - ROBOCOM, tại Las Vegas, Mỹ, tháng 1/2025. Ảnh: Nhân vật cung cấp

Trung delivering a presentation at the IEEE CCNC - ROBOCOM conference in Las Vegas, U.S., in January 2025. Photo courtesy of Trung

For Trung, scientific research must have real-world impact. " I will pursue whatever benefits society."

As mobile technology evolves, he remains motivated by rapid advancements in telecommunications. Mobile network generations shift roughly every 10 years due to societal demands. Scientists, including him, began exploring 6G five years ago, focusing not just on speed but also on latency, user capacity, reliability, and security.

"Near-zero latency in 6G will revolutionize industries such as autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, robotics, healthcare, and smart manufacturing," he explains. "My team and I are working to overcome these challenges."

His research group collaborates with global technology leaders like Nokia Bell Labs and IBM to develop AI and quantum-enhanced 6G networks. Their ambition is to make 6G systems 10 to 100 times more efficient than 5G.

Beyond research, he mentors young scientists. He co-organizes summer science camps with Duy Tan University in central city of Da Nang, guiding students in academic careers and international scholarships. After six such camps, more than 80% of the 100+ attendees have secured foreign scholarships.

Through his career he has often been asked about failures, he says.

"Looking at my professional profile, people might think my life is only success. But I have faced failures too.

"The key is what I learn and how I adapt afterward."

To him, scientific research is neither a pathway to fame nor a tool for wealth accumulation. It requires passion, persistence and rigorous training, he says, adding there are no shortcuts to meaningful discoveries.

 
 
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