Hoàng Xuân Sính facts for kids

Hoàng Xuân Sính, born on September 8, 1933, is a very important Vietnamese mathematician. She made history by becoming the first woman in Vietnam to be a mathematics professor. She also founded the first private university in Vietnam, called Thang Long University. She received a special award from France for her contributions to science and culture.

Her Early Life and Education

Hoàng Xuân Sính was born in a place called Cót in Vietnam. She was one of seven children. Her father was a fabric merchant. When she was eight, her mother passed away, and she was raised by her stepmother. Some people say she is the granddaughter of another famous Vietnamese mathematician, Hoàng Xuân Hãn.

She finished her first university degree in 1951 in Hanoi. There, she studied English and French. After that, she went to Paris, France, to study mathematics.

She continued her studies in France at the University of Toulouse. In 1959, she earned a special teaching qualification called an agrégation. This allowed her to teach at a high level.

After her studies in France, she returned to Vietnam. She became a mathematics teacher at the Hanoi National University of Education. At that time, she was one of the few mathematicians in Vietnam who had studied abroad. She quickly became the first female mathematics professor in Vietnam.

Studying with Alexander Grothendieck

During the Vietnam War, a famous French mathematician named Alexander Grothendieck visited North Vietnam in 1967. He was also a pacifist, meaning he believed in peace and was against war. Grothendieck spent a month teaching math to the professors at Hanoi University. Hoàng Xuân Sính was one of his students and took notes during his lectures.

Because of the war, these math classes were held outside of Hanoi. They took place first in the countryside and later in a town called Đại Từ. Even after Grothendieck went back to France, he kept teaching Hoàng. They communicated through letters, and she continued her studies with him from afar.

In 1975, she earned her doctorate degree from Paris Diderot University. Her research was about special types of algebraic structures. These ideas were very new at the time and helped create the modern theory of "2-groups."

Later Achievements and Founding a University

When Hoàng Xuân Sính became a full professor, she was the first woman in Vietnam to reach this level in any science or technology field. This was a huge achievement!

In 1988, she decided to do something even more amazing. She founded the very first private university in Vietnam. It is called Thang Long University [vi] and is located in Hanoi. She became the president of the university's board of directors, guiding its growth and success.

Awards and Recognition

In 2003, France honored Hoàng Xuân Sính with a special award called the Ordre des Palmes Académiques. This award recognized her important work. It was given to her for helping to improve cooperation in culture and science between France and Vietnam.

See also

In Spanish: Hoàng Xuân Sính para niños