Dr. Hoang Thi Nam Giang, a lecturer at the School of Medicine and Pharmacy, the University of Danang, will participate in the Visiting Scholar Program (VSP) under the auspices of the USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform at Northwestern University from September to November 2024.  

As a researcher in preventive medicine, Dr. Giang will use her time at Northwestern University to analyze data on the sleep patterns of medical students. She intends to leverage the resources and expertise of Northwestern’s research laboratories to further her work: “I hope to learn comprehensive approaches to the study of sleep quality” – said Dr. Giang.

While in the United States, Dr. Giang also plans to attend classes, seminars, and conferences to deepen her knowledge. Dr. Giang also seeks to foster long-term research collaboration between the University of Danang and Northwestern University. In Vietnam, Dr. Giang is currently mentoring a group of 15 students and 5 junior lecturers who are pursuing a variety of research topics at the School of Medicine and Pharmacy. Through the expansion of international relationships during her academic sojourn, she hopes to foster long-term academic partnership between the two universities.

Upon return to Vietnam she hopes to share her new-found knowledge with her own research group at the School of Medicine and Pharmacy: “I hope that the knowledge I gain will be useful to our future research projects and result in a greater number of scholarly publications in the area of sleep quality.”

Through the Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Giang believes that the sustainable academic relationship between the University of Danang and Northwestern University will serve as a key liaison to promote collaborative research efforts and educational initiatives.

The Visiting Scholar Program (VSP) under the USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform project supports scholars from (1) Vietnam National University, (2) the University of Danang, and (3) Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City. The goal is to improve the research and teaching capacity of scholars across Vietnam while expanding partnerships with higher education institutions in the United States. In the Summer and Fall of 2024, the VSP will send a total of 21 scholars from Vietnam’s three major public university systems to host institutions in the United States for academic research and exchange experiences.