International Internship 2025: Strengthening Vietnam - France Academic Cooperation in the Nuclear Field

Within the framework of the internship agreement between Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INST) and ENSICAEN University (France) for the academic year 2024-2025, INST hosted and supervised three student interns from ENSICAEN for a four-month placement (April-August 2025). This biennial program, developed in recent years, serves as a platform to foster academic exchange and enhance human resource capabilities in scientific research through international collaboration between Vietnam and France.

The interns were placed in two research units of the INST, under the supervision of Dr. Le Xuan Chung, Dr. Do Cong Cuong, and Dr. Pham Nhu Viet Ha - leading researchers in nuclear physics and nuclear energy.

At Nuclear Physics Center, Tarjus Aude Sarah Claire, supervised by Dr. Do Cong Cuong, worked on the subject entitled “Study of Direct Nuclear Reaction with Light Nuclei”. Genin Raphaël Vincent Mathieu, supervised by Dr. Le Xuan Chung, conducted a study on the topic “Working on Nuclear Reaction Experiments ¹¹B(p, α)⁸Be Performed with Proton Beam from an Accelerator”. Both the interns investigated the theoretical foundations of direct nuclear reactions, with a focus on the nuclear scattering theory. They also got hands-on experience with experimental data analysis software in nuclear physics.

Genin Raphaël Vincent Mathieu, together with the experimental nuclear physics research team, prepared for an experiment on the accelerator at VNU University of Science, Hanoi

At Nuclear Energy Center, Adrien Lefebure was supervised by Dr. Pham Nhu Viet Ha on the topic “Preliminary Safety Assessment of Advanced Nuclear Reactors using the IAEA INPRO Methodology and Use of Monte Carlo Simulation Tools for Nuclear Reactors”. At the end of the internship, the intern gained a basic understanding of the safety assessment methodology, with the international standard, and successfully applied simulation methods to complete the assigned research tasks.

The interns, Tarjus Aude Sarah Claire and Adrien Lefebure, together with the researchers from the Nuclear Energy Center, gathered for a group photo

During the work months, all the interns demonstrated their active participation in experimental data analysis, engaged with advanced computational models, and performed well in technical discussions with the INST researchers. Besides their academic and professional development, the interns enjoyed memorable experiences in exploring Vietnam and its people, culture, traditions, as well as cuisine.

Based on the various activities throughout the internship, the supervisors highly appreciated the students’ enthusiasm for learning and their strong sense of responsibility. The supervisors also expressed their expectations for expanding future cooperation, as well as for welcoming more international students to study and research at INST and other scientific institutions in Vietnam.

This internship program made a significant contribution to both enhancing the international students’ research competence and reinforcing the INST’s role as a key partner for international academic exchange and educational partnerships. The success of the program underscores the INST’s commitment to global integration and training highly qualified scientific and technical human resources in the nuclear sector, nationwide and worldwide.

The following photos were taken at the INST’s laboratories.

Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology