Dr Phan Thi Van of Vietnam to receive the Danida Alumni Prize 2019

In 2019 the Danida Alumni Prize is awarded to an alum who, based on his or her Danida funded studies, has contributed to positive change in their home country or area of employment, as a result of research-based achievements.

The recipient of the Danida Alumni Prize 2019 is Associate Professor Dr Phan Thi Van. She earned her PhD in Epidemiology and Food Safety in Aquaculture from the University of Copenhagen in 2010 as a Danida Fellow.

Dr Phan Thi Van will receive the prize at a festive award ceremony on 27 June, 5 – 6pm at Copenhagen Business School, Dalgas Have 15, 2000 Frederiksberg. The ceremony forms part of a larger event, please see the full programme here. Attendance is free of charge and everyone is welcome.

The motivation for awarding Dr Phan Thi Van the Danida Alumni Prize is her ambition, drive and tireless promotion of scientific research in the sustainable development of aquaculture, both within Vietnam and internationally.

Since 2013 Dr Phan Thi Van has been the first female Director of the more than 55-year old Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 1, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam. She leads around 200 staff situated in eight different localities in Vietnam. Dr Phan Thi Van has played a significant role in making Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 1 one of Vietnam's foremost suppliers of research, technology and expertise in a sector that not only provides millions of rural families with a livelihood but also adds substantial value to the country's emerging economy by generating revenue from exports.

Knowledge is not knowledge unless we share it
The driving force of Dr Phan Thi Van's career has been the motto “knowledge is not knowledge unless we share it”. She has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the international community by sharing knowledge with other countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and South America through training, technology transfer and support in the field of aquaculture development. This has resulted in Vietnam increasingly being recognized as a leader in its sector, particularly in the Global South. The research institute’s linkages with developing countries such as Liberia, Namibia, Cuba and Venezuela, have supported their aquaculture development, in the process creating livelihoods across many communities.

Dr Phan Thi Van is also highly respected for her role as National Project Director of the Danida-funded multi-sector project Fish-borne Zoonotic Parasite II. During this project, its team published more than 40 peer-reviewed papers, 27 oral presentations and posters were presented at international conferences and more than 7 PhD and 23 MSc degrees were awarded.