A Vietnamese high schooler recently clinched third prize at a science fair in the US, beating out 1,700 competitors from 70 countries.
The Quang Tri student, Pham Huy, was awarded US$1,000 for his invention, a prosthetic arm, at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles on May 20.
Tuoi Tre reports that Huy was almost unable to attend the event because his visa application had been rejected twice for personal reasons.
His last attempt was only approved hours before his flight was scheduled to depart thanks to efforts by local media to lobby for his trip.
Huy spent four years researching the prosthetic arm, which is controlled by a transmitter. The arm can perform 31 motions such as holding a spoon or lifting an object of up to 11 kilograms, reports VnExpress.
He won first place at the national qualifying round and was selected by the Ministry of Education and Training to represent Vietnam at the US-based fair.
Huy told Tuoi Tre he did not expect to win when going head-to-head with major projects by students from other countries, especially those known for their advanced science and technology research.
[Photo via Bao Tai Nguyen Moi Truong]
