Photo: MOST’s delegation and some US counterpart agencies took pictures
The main objective of this mission was to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and some related counterparts on the signing of Treaty on using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The mission paid a visit and worked with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Fund (NSF), US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Westinghouse Company,…
In the working session with Westinghouse Company, the delegation has been briefed about AP1000 factory technology by the Westinghouse’s representative. Accordingly, Westinghouse is the agency which provides fuels, services, technology, factory design and equipment for the commercialized nuclear power industry. Westinghouse’s nuclear technology helps to generate reliable, clean and safe power source in the future. AP1000 is the generation 3+, which can produce 1,000 Megawatt power with the safest advantage as compared with current power plants. With the passive safety system, AP1000 can stand dual disasters as those in Fukusima, Japan. Currently, Japan’s Toshiba Company has bought Westinghouse and would focus on manufacturing products relating to nuclear technology.
The delegation \had working sessions with the National Institute of Health (NIH). This is a national institute which operates as a Scientific Fund to sponsor themes relating to health. NIH has 27 research institutes and centers. The annual budget for research is UDS 30.9 billion for research projects in health. NIH has Fogarty International Center to support global health research programs which are conducted by US scientists and foreign scientists. Minister of Science and Technology Nguyễn Quân and Doctor Roger Glass, Deputy Director of NIH in charge of International Research and concurrently Director of Fogarty International Center discussed cooperation methods between MOST and NIH through NIH’s international research projects.
In the meeting between MOST with Mr. Margolis, Assistant Secretary of State in charge of Science, Health and Space, the two parties discussed about science fields Vietnam and the US can corporate. Minister Nguyễn Quân also suggested Mr. Margolis to propose with the US Government about the duration of Vietnam Education Fund (VEF) for continuing S&T staff for Vietnam.
Within the framework of the mission, Minister Nguyễn Quân with NASA’s Director Charles Frank Bolden had a courtesy meeting. Here the two parties discussed about cooperation activities NASA is implementing as GLOBE and SERVIR projects for education on environmental protection, weather forecast and issues of responding to climate change.
It is known that NASA is a management agency and also implementing agency of US projects relating to cosmography and space technology as well. This agency was established after Soviet Union launched Sputnik spacecraft to the universe. NASA has been operated as a scientific fund and provided funds for US space research projects. In December 2011, NASA signed the Statement of Intent for Cooperation with Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
Minister Nguyễn Quân also worked with Mr. Eliot Kang, Assistant Secretary of State for Nuclear issues. It is known that after around 1 year of studying in order to find common policies on international cooperation in nuclear field, the US proposed to start the first negotiation round in January 11 and 12, 2012. When this negotiation round, many contents were agreed by the two parties, including the approval of Additional Protocol (AP) for the Inspection Agreement. However, there were still pending issues, which were material enriching and recycling.
In the working session with Dr. Subra Suresh, Director of the National Science Fund (NSF), the two parties discussed about cooperation methods as exchanging staff for training, supporting Vietnam to understand the organization of the Fund’s management and reviewing process of projects. This is a pure Science Fund which hasn’t go Research Institutes. The Fund has sponsored cooperation projects between the US and Vietnam over the past time.
On the occasion of this visit and working trip, Rear Admiral Matthew Klunder, Office of Naval Research (ONR) had a meeting with Minister of Science and Technology Nguyễn Quân. Rear-admiral Matthew Klunder said that he has informed the US party of the fact that US research ships are allowed to land at Cam Ranh Port, Vietnam. The US party is very pleased to know that US research ships are allowed to land at Đà Nẵng Port, carry out training for Vietnamese scientists to get used to research equipment on US ships. This visit was organized from June 22 to 27, 2012 at Đà Nẵng Port, Vietnam.
In the working session with Doctor Patrick Gallagher, Deputy Minister of Trade in charge of Standards, and Technology, Director of US National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), the two parties have focused on discussions about cooperation over the past time and discussed about new cooperation directions on supporting to exchange experience on technology transfer for small and medium enterprises.
Within the framework of the mission, Minister of Science and Technology attended and delivered a speech at the Discussion between Vietnam and the US on S&T Cooperation with the topic on “S&T Renovation: Cooperation for Vietnam and the US”. This was the opportunity for the two parties to share policies on S&T renovation of each country and good examples, then experience and lessons learnt in the S&T development of each nation should be withdrawn.
Delivering a speech at the Discussion, Minister Nguyễn Quân briefed about some Vietnam’s S&T achievements over the past time. Vietnam’s Government has invested in S&T with the rate of 2% of the total national budget expenditure and increasingly mobilized social investment, it is strived that by 2020 Vietnam’s total investment in S&T would reach the rate of 2% of the total national GDP.
Vietnam’s S&T development strategy by 2020 will be focused on promoting basic application-oriented research; developing S&T potentials in priority fields as information technology; biology technology; advanced material technology; mechanics and automation; energy; developing scientific services in fields of intellectual property and standards, metrology and quality; establishing national programs on S&T; renovating strongly and comprehensively the financial mechanisms of S&T activities,…
According to the assessment of Minister Nguyễn Quân, the working agenda between MOST and US related agencies for the period from June 17 to 23, 2012 had useful results, which promised to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in fields of S&T, nuclear safety, marine and space research as well as training high-quality human resource for Vietnam,…