When students participate in scientific research

When students participate in scientific research, students Lai Quoc Khanh and Mai Hoang Dang Son, from class 12 Math 1 at Lam Son High School for gifted students, along with their teacher Vu Chi Tuan, conduct experiments for their scientific research project.

In addition to its excellent results in high-quality teaching, thanks to the efforts of each teacher and the students’ passion for scientific research, Lam Son High School for gifted students has also achieved many successes in this field, notably by participating in the national competition for scientific and technological research for high school students. In recent years, several research projects carried out by students from the school have been honored at the provincial and national levels. For example, at the national competition for scientific and technological research for high school students in the 2024-2025 school year, Lam Son High School presented three projects, all of which were awarded prizes: a first prize, a second prize, and a hope prize. At the same competition, held at the end of March 2026, students from the school won a national second prize with their project entitled “Design, synthesis, and study of the inhibitory activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by certain fluorinated chalcones to guide research on drugs against Alzheimer’s disease.”

This project was carried out by Lai Quoc Khanh and Mai Hoang Dang Son, students in scientific studies (mathematics option 1) at Lam Son High School for gifted students, under the guidance of their teacher, Vu Chi Tuan. Mai Hoang Dang Son stated: “Our project focuses on the design and synthesis of a series of fluorinated chalcone compounds to inhibit the enzyme AChE and improve memory in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Instead of conducting large-scale experiments, we focused on a series of 12 fluorinated chalcone compounds. Experimental results identified three derivatives, FC3, FC3Bn, and FC3F, which show extremely potent inhibition of the enzyme AChE. These compounds are promising candidates and constitute an important basis for the development of more effective treatments against Alzheimer’s disease.”

According to Professor Vu Chi Tuan, following these initial successes, teachers and students will continue their research on other derivatives of FC1, FC2, and FC3 to discover more effective compounds to treat Alzheimer’s disease. This new phase also aims to develop the skills, motivation, and creativity of students in research.

Not only Lam Son High School for gifted students, but also many colleges and high schools in the province are launching innovative projects and achieving excellent results, such as Ham Rong High School in the Hac Thanh district, Dong Van College in the Dong Quang district, and Yen Son College in the Ha Trung commune. For example, Ham Rong High School recently won the fourth prize in the national competition for scientific and technological research for high school students (2025-2026) with the project “Design and manufacturing of a multifunctional agricultural robot for seeding, pesticide spraying, and watering, incorporating an AI camera and an intelligent control system for maintenance and monitoring of crops on different types of terrain,” presented by students Vu Xuan Thinh and Nguyen Hoang Anh from class 12A7. Dong Van College, on the other hand, won the second prize in the provincial competition for scientific and technological research for high school students (2025-2026) with the project “Floating stilt house for populations in flood-prone areas,” presented by students Le Van Hoan and Tran Le Binh from class 9A.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, scientific research activities carried out by students are experiencing significant growth in schools in the province, especially since the launch of the scientific and technological competition for high school students. Each year, hundreds of projects participate in this provincial competition. For example, in the 2025-2026 school year, the provincial competition attracted 148 projects involving 288 students from 136 schools in the province. Among these projects, 35 came from high schools and 113 from colleges. In this first school year, organized according to a two-level local governance model, there were some difficulties and challenges, but the quality of the participating projects has continued to improve. Many of them have moved beyond the initial idea stage to focus on research and the production of products or solutions with practical applications. The presentation and critical analysis skills of some students have significantly developed, fully meeting the requirements of the competition.

This also demonstrates that the scientific research movement among high school students has achieved its goals: stimulating students’ creativity; encouraging the search for innovative and original scientific ideas, initiatives, and practical and concrete solutions; and creating an intellectually stimulating environment for students. This movement also fully leverages the potential of teaching staff, especially competent and experienced teachers to guide students in their research. Above all, the success of students participating in scientific research is not only measured by the number of subjects and projects completed, but also by the development of their creative spirit, perseverance, teamwork skills, and problem-solving abilities. This is an essential foundation that contributes to improving the quality of human resource training for the industrialization and modernization of the country.

Text and photos: Phong Sac

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/khi-hoc-sinh-tham-gia-nghien-khoa-hoc-283080.htm