My
Research
In engineering, a signal is the meaningful part hidden inside a lot of noise. Looking back, the most important moments of my journey were exactly that – a spreadsheet that kept me up at night, an afternoon following engineers on site, a piece of honest feedback from a mentor. Every time I caught one of those signals, I understood a little better where I wanted to go.
Research 01
My first independent research project started with those parents' words: "If only we had known sooner." I wanted to know exactly how soon "sooner" should be.
In my study, "Data Analysis to Identify the Optimal Window for Early Detection of Cerebral Palsy in Children," I collected and analyzed statistics on the number of children with cerebral palsy, the age at which they were identified, and when intervention began. The results showed that the average age of detection fell between [1.8 and 5.6 years] – far later than the critical window.
It was the first time I saw that data isn't just numbers: every row in my spreadsheet was a child, a family that had waited too long. This small study became the foundation of CereAware.
Reading the Numbers
(Mar – Jun 2025)
Research with a Mentor
Research 02
(Jan – Oct 2026)
To take CereAware beyond a student project, I needed to learn how real research works. I joined a study on using AI for early detection of cerebral palsy signs as a co-author and research assistant, under the guidance of Dr. Cao Phuong Thao.
Our team explored models that recognize early risk signs and generate alerts so parents can monitor their children and seek medical checkups proactively. Working with Dr. Thảo, I learned that a good model needs more than high accuracy – it has to answer the question: is this result safe and understandable for a parent with no technical background?
Late nights revising drafts taught me patience and scientific rigor. The paper is [intended for a Scopus Q4-indexed journal].
Viettel Construction:
Smart Homes, Real Homes
Internship 01
(Jul – Aug 2025
In summer 2025, I interned at Viettel Construction on smart home projects. For the first time, things I had only seen in diagrams – sensors, automated lighting, security systems, environmental monitoring – came to life in real homes.
I worked alongside a team of 20 engineers across 6 projects, helping with installation, device configuration, testing, troubleshooting and technical documentation. I learned that real-world technology rarely works the first time: a sensor placed a few centimeters off or a weak Wi-Fi signal can throw an entire system out of balance.
One question followed me throughout the internship: if a house can turn on the lights when I walk in, could it also help a child with cerebral palsy live more independently every day? I'm still looking for the answer.
Research with a Mentor
Research 02
(Jan – Oct 2026)
If Viettel Construction showed me hardware, Viettel Software showed me the power of data at scale. In summer 2026, I interned in Data Analytics on a real-world project for Vietnam Airlines: analyzing flight and operational data to support fuel-cost optimization.
I learned how a business problem is translated into a data problem – understanding operational data, spotting optimization opportunities, and turning findings into recommendations that non-technical people can act on.
The surprising part was realizing that CereAware and an aircraft have something in common: both depend on finding small patterns in a lot of data, and every small finding can make a big difference.
Awards
My
Competitions are where I test whether my ideas hold up under pressure, time limits and rivals who are better than me.
Behind the Medal
My most memorable moment was the WRO international round: our robot broke down right before our run, and the team had only a few dozen minutes to find the bug and fix the code. We didn't finish at the very top, but I learned how to stay calm when nothing goes according to plan – something worth more than any medal.
