Trinh Xuan Thuan
Encyclopedia
Trịnh Xuân Thuận is a Vietnam
ese-American
astrophysicist.
Thuận was born in Hanoi
, Vietnam
. He completed his B.S. at the California Institute of Technology
, and his Ph.D. at Princeton University
. He has taught astronomy
at the University of Virginia
since 1976, and is a Research Associate at the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris. He was a founding member of the International Society for Science and Religion
.
He was the recipient of UNESCO
's Kalinga Prize
in 2009 for his work in popularizing science.
Thuận's areas of interest are extragalactic astronomy
and galaxy
formation. His research has focused on the evolution of galaxies and the chemical composition of the universe
, and on compact blue dwarf galaxies.
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astrophysicist.
Thuận was born in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. He completed his B.S. at the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, and his Ph.D. at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. He has taught astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
since 1976, and is a Research Associate at the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris. He was a founding member of the International Society for Science and Religion
International Society for Science and Religion
The International Society for Science and Religion is a learned society established in 2001 for the purpose of the promotion of education through the support of inter-disciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion conducted where possible in an international and...
.
He was the recipient of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's Kalinga Prize
Kalinga Prize
The Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science is an award given by UNESCO for exceptional skill in presenting scientific ideas to lay people...
in 2009 for his work in popularizing science.
Thuận's areas of interest are extragalactic astronomy
Extragalactic astronomy
Extragalactic astronomy is the branch of astronomy concerned with objects outside our own Milky Way Galaxy. In other words, it is the study of all astronomical objects which are not covered by galactic astronomy, the next level of galactic astronomy....
and galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
formation. His research has focused on the evolution of galaxies and the chemical composition of the universe
Nucleosynthesis
Nucleosynthesis is the process of creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons . It is thought that the primordial nucleons themselves were formed from the quark–gluon plasma from the Big Bang as it cooled below two trillion degrees...
, and on compact blue dwarf galaxies.
Books for general readers
- 1993. The Birth of the Universe.
- 1994. The Secret Melody.
- 2000. Chaos and Harmony.