Vietnamese professors awarded highest French rank of honor
This is the first time that an academic couple from Vietnam has received France’s highest honor in the same promotion cycle.
THE HANOI TIMES — Renowned Vietnamese-French scientists Professors Tran Thanh Van and Le Kim Ngoc have been promoted to Officer in France’s prestigious Legion of Honor (Légion d'Honneur), recognizing their lifelong contributions to science and humanitarian work.
French President Emmanuel Macron conferred the promotion on July 11, ahead of France’s National Day, elevating the couple from the rank of Knight, awarded to Professor Van in 2000 and to Professor Ngoc in 2016.
Established in 1802, the Legion of Honor is France’s highest national award, recognizing exceptional contributions in military and civilian spheres. Their elevation to Officer, the fourth of five ranks, celebrates their extraordinary impact on global science and dedication to Vietnam’s development.
Professor Tran Thanh Van (right) and Professor Le Kim Ngoc (left) pose for a photo with French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at a reception in Hanoi in May. Photo: ICISE
Professor Tran Thanh Van, also known as Jean Tran Thanh Van, is a world-renowned theoretical physicist. Born in Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Province (now Quang Tri Province) in 1936. He left Vietnam at age 16 to study in France and later became a leading figure in atomic physics.
In 2012, he was one of only three Asians to receive the prestigious Tate Medal from the American Physical Society for his contributions to international physics. To promote scientific exchange in Vietnam, he established the Rencontres du Vietnam (Meet Vietnam) association in 1993 and the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) in Quy Nhon.
Since its inauguration in 2013, the ICISE has hosted over 200 international conferences, bringing together 16,500 scientists, including 18 Nobel laureates, from 60 countries. His pioneering Moriond and Blois physics conferences have shaped global scientific discourse.
His wife, Professor Le Kim Ngoc, was born in 1934 and pursued natural sciences at Sorbonne University in Paris. She graduated with distinction in 1956. Her groundbreaking work on "thin cell layer" technology revolutionized plant biotechnology and has been widely cited in global research.
Outside of science, Professor Le Kim Ngoc has championed education and child welfare. She served as president of the Association for the Protection of Vietnamese Children in France. Together, they have supported the construction of three SOS Children’s Villages in the cities of Da Lat, Hue, and Dong Hoi, providing care for orphaned children.
The couple has previously been honored with numerous accolades, including the Friendship Medal from Vietnam in 2015, the nation’s highest honor for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese. The French Embassy in Hanoi hailed their latest accolade as a testament to their lifelong commitment to bridging science, education, and compassion across borders.
