Physics Nobel Laureate Prof. Douglas Osheroff visits Vietnam
People's Army Newspaper, December 13, 2012

http://www.qdnd.vn/qdndsite/en-US/75/72/182/156/191/220211/Default.aspx

Prof. Douglas D. Osheroff, a Nobel Laureate for Physics at Stanford University visited Vietnam on December 13th to be a keynote speaker in 4th ASEAN event series “Bridges – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace”.

The visit is facilitated by the Vienna-based International Peace Foundation and the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training.

On the afternoon of December 13th, the International Peace Foundation organized a press briefing with the participation of the US professor in Hilton Hotel, Hanoi, one of the sponsors for the program.

According to the organizers, Prof. Douglas D. Osheroff is the third Nobel Laureate visiting Vietnam within one month as part of the 4th ASEAN “Bridges” program after Economics Nobel Laureate Prof. Roger B. Myerson’s and Medicine Nobel Laureate Prof. Harald zur Hausen’s visits to Vietnam in November.

Under the schedule, the US Professor will deliver a keynote speech on “How science changes our lives” on December 14th at 2 pm at the Hanoi National University. 

Answering questions from local reporters, the US Professor highlighted the importance of science to socio-economic development and its role in people’s lives.

According to him, scientific research is expensive and Vietnam as a developing nation, which does not have enough modern facilities for scientific research, should have prudential strategies for scientific development.

“I think that the best way for Vietnam is to send its outstanding students and young scientists to western countries, especially the USA, where facilities for scientific research are more modern,” he suggested.

He also said that he would share his experience in scientific research and results of his projects and studies.

Via the meetings and talks with local students, he hoped to encourage Vietnamese young people to do more scientific research at universities.

“In fact, my discovery results from my research when I learnt in my graduate course,” he stated.

He believed that his talks with Vietnamese students would benefit them and him as he would provide much time for local students to discuss involved issues and ask questions.



Professor Douglas D. Osheroff is a 1996 Nobel Laureate for Physics at the Department of Physics of Stanford University who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery of superfluidity in the isotope helium-3. Professor Osheroff’s work was considered a breakthrough in low-temperature physics, and in the course of his research on helium-3 he developed an early form of magnetic resonance imaging, but only in one spatial dimension.

Professor Osheroff has received numerous honors for his research. Besides the Nobel Prize, these include the Sir Francis Simon Memorial Award, the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize and the MacArthur Prize Fellowship Award. In 1991 he received the Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching from Stanford University. Professor Osheroff is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.

Besides his work in Physics, Professor Osheroff was appointed to the Columbia Accident Investigation Board in 2003 following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, and he currently serves on the board of advisors of Scientists and Engineers for America, an organization focused on promoting sound science in the American government.