CURRENTLY
I am currently working as a Research Associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (University of Bristol) under the supervision of Professor Valeska Ting.
My current research aims to design new porous materials which have hierarchical MOF-based structures. In this synthesis, I am exploring the use of supercritical carbon dioxide with solvents to manipulate the porosity of materials. This artificial porosity is tailored for improved energy storage, drug delivery and catalysis performance.
My PhD project has been highlighted in the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), see here.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Porous materials synthesis and characterisation
Metal-organic frameworks, zeolites
Green chemistry
Using carbon dioxide as a tunable solvent in materials synthesis
Molecular modelling and simulation
Monte Carlo (MC) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations
Energy Conversion and Storage
by using hierarchical structured porous materials
Innovative catalyst technologies
by using hierarchical structured porous materials
EDUCATION
2014 - 2019
University of Bristol (2016-2019)
Mechanical Engineering (PhD)
University of Bath (2014-2016)
Chemical Engineering (PhD)
Sustainable Chemical Technologies (Integrated PhD)
2010 - 2012
Hanoi University of Mining and Geology
Petrochemical Engineering (MSc)
2004 - 2009
Hanoi University of Mining and Geology
Oil Refining and Petrochemistry (BSc)
AWARDS
Bristol PLUS Award. This Award recognised my involvement in a range of extra-curricular activities and skills development alongside my studies. I have been awarded for my commitment to engage in numerous intensive skills activities (to improve academic writing skills and presentation skills in a range of communication techniques) and put the learning into practice (successfully applied for several travel grants, volunteered as a STEM ambassador and worked as a Teaching Assistant).
Oct 2019
Inspirational Bristol Scientist. This Award recognised my research contributions to the university and to the wider community. I have been an inspiration to others by being distinguished for academic excellence (contributed to 8 peer-reviewed publications as a result of my PhD work, led on 3 first-author publications in high impact journals, submitted the PhD thesis by publication - a rare occurrence in Engineering), outreach activities (received numerous awards for presenting my research at national and international conferences, successfully applied for several research and travel grants to support my research goals, which is rarely seen in PhD students) and promotion of STEM subjects (reached the semi-finals of the 3-Minute Thesis 2017 competition and was selected to present my work in prestigious STEM for BRITAIN 2019 competition).
Jun 2017
POSTER PRIZES
Sep 2019
Poster Prize for the presentation of Defective macroporous metal-organic frameworks with improved catalytic performance at the Second Joint NSFC-RSC Symposium on Sustainable Chemistry and Processes in York, UK.
Nov 2018
Materials Horizons Prize by Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for the poster presentation of Tailorable porous metal-organic frameworks at the Emerging Material Technologies Summit (EMTS) in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Feb 2017
Runner-up Prize for the poster presentation of A hierarchical porous material synthesised in a green solvent system at the 8th International Conference on Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (AMN8) in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Mar 2016
Dalton Transactions Prize by Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for the best poster presentation of Synthesis of hierarchical metal-organic frameworks in CO2 expanded solvent systems at the 39th British Zeolite Association Meeting in Bath, UK.
RESEARCH GRANTS
Jul 2018
International Strategic Fund (ISF) by Research and Enterprise Development (RED), University of Bristol (Co-PI).
A grant of ~£3000 for the project Testing of novel hierarchical metal-organic frameworks for innovative catalyst technologies, to establish a new scientific collaboration with researchers in RMIT, Melbourne, Australia.
Jun 2012
Project research funding by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (PI).
Funding 85M VND for the project Regeneration of spent reforming catalysts from Dung Quat Refinery and using the synthesized catalyst in the selective oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO).
TRAVEL GRANTS
Oct 2019
Colston Research Society Travel Award by Bristol Doctoral College (BDC). A travel grant of £500 towards attending the 3rd International Conference on Metal-Organic Frameworks and Porous Polymers (EuroMOF 2019) in Paris, France.
Jul 2019
Travel Grant of £1200 by Royal Society of Chemistry towards attending the IUPAC Congress 2019 in Paris, France.
Jun 2019
Student Funding by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council. A travel grant of £1000 towards attending the European Conference on Neutron Scattering (ECNS 2019) in St Petersburg, Russia.
Nov 2018
Travel Bursaries for PhD students by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). A travel grant of $200 towards attending the Emerging Material Technologies Summit (EMTS) in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Oct 2018
Travel Grants for PhD Students and Early Career Scientists by the Royal Society of Chemistry. A travel grant of £380 towards attending the 85th IUVSTA Workshop on Nanoporous Materials for Green Energy Conversion and Storage in Graz, Austria.
May 2018
Research Student Conference Fund by Institute of Physics (IOP). A travel grant of £275 towards attending the 8th International Workshop in Characterization of Porous Materials (CPM8) in Florida, USA.
Feb 2017
Alumni Foundation Conference Travel Award. A travel grant of £500 towards attending the 11th International Symposium on the Characterization of Porous Solids (COPS-XI) in Avignon, France.