VinUni Pathways to PhD Programs

(VinUni-3P)

Materials – Energy – Environment

Program Overview:

The VinUni Pathways to PhD Programs (VinUni-3P) is a groundbreaking initiative designed to address a critical gap in Vietnam’s higher education and research ecosystem. In most universities, Bachelor’s degree (BS) graduates are not financially supported or institutionally guided to continue research or pursue higher education programs at their alma mater. As a result, many promising students abandon research careers altogether, driven by financial necessity or lack of mentorship. This leads to a significant loss of research potential and scientific innovation.

Program Mission:

VinUni-3P aims to bridge this gap by providing research scholarships and hands-on mentorship to talented BS and MS graduates with a strong interest in materials research. The program offers these students a unique opportunity to:

• Continue and deepen their research after graduation
• Participate in cutting-edge projects at VinUni’s World-Class Research Centers
• Be trained on state-of-the-art equipment and techniques
• Develop an internationally competitive research portfolio

Research Experience and Mentorship:

Participants will be fully immersed in active research environments at VinUni. They will:

• Work closely with postdoctoral researchers and Principal Investigators (PIs)
• Join dynamic research teams in fields aligned with their interests
• Gain experience in:
  • Research design and experimentation
  • Data collection, analysis, and interpretation
  • Academic writing and publishing in ISI-indexed journals
  • Scientific communication at meetings and conferences

This experience will prepare students not only for PhD applications but also to contribute meaningfully to the global research community.

PhD Opportunities:

Qualified and high-performing participants will be considered for fully funded PhD scholarships to:

• VinUni’s own excellent PhD programs
• Joint PhD programs between VinUni and top-ranked global institutions, including Cornell University, NTU, Cambridge University, etc.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit their CV and reference letters (2) to: cmit@vinuni.edu.vn

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates will be notified of the decision within one week.

Who Should Apply:

• Recent BS graduates from any university in Vietnam who are considering a MS or PhD
• Master’s students preparing to transition into a doctoral program
• Candidates with a strong academic background and a demonstrated interest in research

Why VinUni-3P?:

• Access to globally recognized research centers and facilities
• Mentorship by international-caliber scientists
• Supportive environment to develop your full potential as a researcher and a leader
• Direct pathway into top-tier PhD programs in Vietnam and abroad

List of Projects:

1. Rare Earth Element Valorisation in Vietnam: An Integrated Sustainability and Computation Approach

This project will develop a theoretical proof-of-concept for rare earth mineral processing in Vietnam by evaluating the technical viability of using computationally designed adsorbents to recover trace rare earths from industrial waste. A Life Cycle Assessment( LCA) of current Vietnamese technologies will quantify environmental hotspots and provide data and decision-making tools to guide future low-carbon, high-efficiency REE valorization strategies.

2. Harnessing Cerium: Smart Rare Earth Catalysts for Solar-Driven Abatement of Toluene in Industrial Effluents

This project will develop a solar-powered technology to destroy harmful airborne pollutants in Vietnam, using both sunlight and solar heat for high energy efficiency. Using cerium—an abundant local resource —we will create advanced catalysts and apply AI to design smart air-purification systems tailored to industrial conditions. Our goal is to improve Vietnam’s air quality and public health through a sustainable, home-grown technology.

3. Hybrid Physics–AI Digital Twin for smart monitoring and thermal management of Battery Energy Storage Systems in EVCS

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essential for Vietnam’s clean-energy transition but face performance and lifetime challenges under tropical conditions. This project develops Vietnam’s first Hybrid Physics–AI Digital Twin for BESS to predict battery health, monitor temperature, and detect early failures. The technology will extend battery life, reduce costs, improve safety and reliability, and support efficient energy systems for EVs, communities, and smart cities.

4. Plasma treatment of sputtered Au/TiO2 thin films for sustainable chemistry

This project develops an innovative fabrication strategy for advanced photocatalyst thin films used in sustainable energy conversion reactions (including H2 generation, C2 – C3 hydrocarbon production). By combining heterostructure materials, plasma treatment, and advanced synthesis process, it develops novel photocatalytic devices with outstanding properties, resulting in superior energy conversion performances. The project also harnesses solar-driven chemistry conversion, contributing to the acceleration of green energy production technology and addressing both global energy crisis and environmental issues.

5. Leaching efficiency of cobalt from spent NCM batteries

Rechargeable batteries are vital to the energy transition, with NMC (Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide) cathodes remain the preferred option for capacity and fast charging. However, large-scale recycling remains economically inefficient, especially in the Asia–Pacific region, where upscaling the method of pairing recycling with raw mineral extraction has not yet succeeded. This project integrates chemistry and engineering knowledge to improve leaching and separation efficiency while reducing energy use, reagent usage, and equipment strain. By combining reaction kinetics with dynamic process parameters, the model will optimize metal recovery, shorten operation time, and lower overall energy and reagent demands.

6. Microsphere Lasers Enabled by Microdroplet Microfluidic Devices Fabricated via Thermally Drawn Fibers

This project proposes a novel fabrication approach for microsphere lasers by integrating microfluidic with thermally drawn fiber technology. The fiber platform contains built-in microchannels that can generate and excite uniform, gain-doped microspheres. These microsphere lasers exhibit whispering gallery modes that enable sensitive detection of tiny changes in the outside environment. The system offers scalable production, biocompatibility, and potential applications in biosensing, bioimaging, and integrated photonic systems, establishing a foundation for fiber-based diagnostic technologies and biomedical research.

7. Enhancing Magnetism and Mechanical Robustness of FeCo-based High-Entropy Alloys

This project aims to develop new high-entropy alloys (HEAs) that combine high strength with excellent magnetic performance, we aim to reduce dependence on scarce and expensive rare-earth elements. The outcomes will support the development of more efficient electric motors, generators, and renewable-energy technologies, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future.

8. AI for Materials, Materials for AI: An Integrated Framework for Intelligent Materials Design

This project uses artificial intelligence together with physics-based computer simulations to speed up the discovery of new materials. By learning from large collections of experimental and simulation data, our models will both predict important properties and suggest new compositions or structures for polymers, alloys, pharmaceuticals, glasses, and photonic or plasmonic materials. We also design advanced materials for future AI hardware to create a two-way link: AI helps discover better materials, and better materials enable more powerful and energy-efficient AI systems.

9. Development of all PErovskite Tandem Solar cells towards application in low orbit sATellites (PETSAT)

Most satellites in Low Earth Orbit last only 3–5 years, yet today’s solar panels are built for decades, making them unnecessarily heavy and costly. This project tackles this mismatch by developing next-generation perovskite tandem solar cells: ultra-light, efficient, and ideal for space’s dry environment. By integrating advanced materials, smart electronics, and rigorous testing, we aim to deliver affordable power for future satellite constellations while building Vietnam’s core space technology capacity and training the next generation of innovators.

10. Design and Synthesis of 2D Materials for Spintronic Devices

This project develops advanced two-dimensional (2D) magnetic and spin-active materials to improve future spintronic technologies such as magnetic sensors, nonvolatile memory, and energy-efficient logic devices. By combining material synthesis with device fabrication and magnetotransport measurements, the research studies how spin ordering, magnetic anisotropy, and spin–charge interactions govern the behavior of 2D materials. The team will also use computer simulations to understand and optimize these spin-dependent processes. The goal is to create high-quality materials and device designs that enable faster, more energy-efficient, and more reliable spintronic performance.

11. Integrated 2D Semiconductors for Quantum Optomechanical Sensing (i2D)

This project aims to achieve an advanced optomechanical sensing technology with nanometre-thickness and ultrahigh-sensitivity through integrating Silicon Carbide nanofilms with atomically thin 2D materials, and manipulating the quantum dynamic of charge carriers transport through the heterojunctions. It will address the shortcomings in rigidity and sensitivity of current solid-state sensing technology and drive advances in ultrasensitive sensing technology and miniaturization of wearable devices. This outcome will provide significant social and economic benefits to Vietnam by fostering workforce and technical capability for the development of semiconductor industry.

12. In-situ optical monitoring of monolayer MoS2 via micro-CVD and its application in optoelectronic devices and stabilized high-efficiency perovskite solar cells

Two-dimensional semiconductors like monolayer MoS₂ are crucial for next-generation sensing, computing, and energy technologies, but reproducible synthesis remains a major obstacle. This project uses a micro-CVD system with real-time optical monitoring to visualize growth processes and establish reliable monolayer formation. The resulting high-quality MoS₂ will be integrated into perovskite solar cells and devices such as photodetectors and FETs. Deliverables include reproducible growth protocols, MoS₂–PSC prototypes, device demonstrations, and a Q1 publication.

13. Theory-Guided Design of Spintronic Materials using Advanced Multiscale Analysis

This project develops advanced 2D magnetic and spin-active materials based 2D TMDs materials to improve future spintronic technologies such as magnetic sensors, nonvolatile memory, and energy-efficient logic devices. By combining material synthesis with device fabrication and magnetotransport measurements, the research studies how spin ordering, magnetic anisotropy, and spin–charge interactions govern the behavior of 2D materials. The team will also use computer simulations to understand, guild and optimize these spin-dependent processes. Together, these approaches aim to create high-quality materials and device designs that enable faster, more energy-efficient, and more reliable spintronic performance.