STATE CHAPTER PRESIDENTS

Dr. Hien Pham is a Senior Research Scientist within the Innovation Economics team at Data61, part of CSIRO. She also serves as the Chapter President (Queensland) of the Vietnam-Australia Scholars & Experts Association (VASEA), underscoring her dedication to enhancing academic and professional linkages between Vietnam and Australia. Additionally, her expertise in macro-economic modeling, econometrics, and natural language processing (NLP) plays a crucial role in advancing the research objectives of the Humans & Machines Group at Data61.
Dr. Pham completed her Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Queensland in 2016, following a Master’s degree in International Economics from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan. She has previously served as a lecturer at the UQ School of Economics and has extensive experience in the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, specializing in Official Development Assistance (ODA) management and strategic development.
Her research focuses on benchmarking innovation practices, exploring the causal relationships between technological advancements and economic outcomes, and conducting strategic foresight. Dr. Pham’s work has significantly influenced digital transformation policies in Vietnam, including the Digital Transformation Plan through 2025. Beyond her research, she led the development of the innovative platform VNConnect.info, which utilizes AI to identify and connect Vietnamese AI experts globally, highlighting her commitment to fostering international collaboration and advancing digital technology adoption.

Associate Professor Quan Vuong is the Program Director of Food Science and Technology at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). He is a leading expert in Food Preservation and Processing (ranked among the top 2% of scientists worldwide in the field). A/Prof Vuong’s research expertise spans a broad range of areas, including:

• Teas and herbs:development, characterisation, and application of high-value tea and herbal products.
• Essential oils and bioactives: extraction and characterisation of essential oils, phytochemical-rich extracts, and bioactive compounds from native fruits, medicinal plants, algae, seagrasses, and marine sponges for use as functional ingredients.
• Product formulation: development of novel food, cosmetic, and health-related products using natural and sustainable ingredients.
• Advanced preservation technologies: application of innovative techniques to enhance the shelf life and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Food waste valorisation: transforming food industry by-products into functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pet products.

His research has been widely recognised through high-impact journal publications, national and international conference presentations, and strong engagement across industry and professional networks. Several of his research outcomes have been successfully translated into industrial applications, demonstrating the practical impact of his work.

As the NSW Chapter President of VASEA, A/Prof Vuong is committed to strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange between scientists and scholars in Australia and Vietnam.

Dr. Tuan Nghia Nguyen (PhD, FIEAust, CPEng, NER, IntPE) is the Founder, CEO and CTO of ANSCENTER, an Australian company at the forefront of computer vision, edge AI and industrial automation, and an NVIDIA Metropolis member. He earned his PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, where he later held a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellowship as a Data Scientist, and brings industry experience as a Certified LabVIEW Architect with Finisar/II-VI Group. He also serves on the Board of Directors of SaoBacDau Technologies Group, one of Vietnam’s leading ICT companies.

As a Fellow of Engineers Australia and a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng, NER) registered on the APEC Engineering Register (IntPE), he combines deep technical expertise across AI and engineering with cross-border business leadership spanning Australia and Vietnam. He is actively engaged in the Vietnamese-Australian community and a committed advocate for stronger Vietnam–Australia collaboration in technology and innovation.

As Co-President, VASEA NSW Chapter, in charge Industry and Entrepreneurship, he contributes to advancing VASEA’s mission by connecting scholars, industry experts, entrepreneurs and innovators; fostering strategic partnerships between academia and industry; supporting innovation-driven initiatives; and strengthening the exchange of knowledge, technology and opportunities between Australia and Vietnam.

Dr. Nam Nghiep Tran is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Chemical Engineering at The University of Adelaide. He is also the Chapter President (South Australia) of the Vietnam-Australia Scholars & Experts Association (VASEA), demonstrating his commitment to fostering academic and professional ties between Vietnam and Australia. Additionally, he serves as the Associate Dean of Internationalisation (Southeast Asia) within the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (SET), reflecting his role in promoting international collaborations and educational opportunities.

Born in Can Tho City, located in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, Nam Tran earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering from Can Tho University. He then pursued a Master of Engineering in Chemical System Engineering at The University of Tokyo, supported by the Panasonic Scholarship. Following his master’s, he completed his Ph.D. at The University of Adelaide through the Australian Awards Scholarship.

Nam Tran co-founded the Adelaide University Vietnamese Students Association and served as its second president until July 2015. He is currently the Associate Editor-in-Chief of Green Processing and Synthesis (GREENPs).

His research interests include process control and instrumentation, process design and optimisation, renewable energy, reaction engineering, thermal and non-thermal plasma, ESG, and life cycle assessment.

Dr Nhat Mai Nguyen is a Research Fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. She currently serves as Chapter President (ACT) of the Vietnam–Australia Scholars & Experts Association (VASEA), where she is committed to strengthening collaboration and connections between academics and policymakers in Australia and Vietnam.

At ANU, she also serves as Deputy Director of the Hub for Vietnam Policy Studies and Manager of the Water Justice Hub. Since their establishment, she has contributed to a range of key initiatives across both hubs. She is also Co-convenor of the Just Water Alliance, a global collective of custodians, researchers, advocates, and practitioners working to ensure equitable access to water for all communities.

Her research focuses on international trade, economic growth, computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling, environmental economics, environmental justice, water justice, and food security. She also works as a consultant to UNDP on projects related to non-tariff measures, regional economic integration, and sustainable development in ASEAN+6 countries.

Before joining the Crawford School, Mai spent a decade as an economist and policymaker at Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance (formerly the Ministry of Planning and Investment), where she developed deep expertise in international and domestic trade policy and applied economic research.

Mai holds a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University (ANU).

Ha Tran was awarded a full scholarship by the Vietnamese Government in 2008 to pursue studies in Australia, following her achievement as a Gold Medalist in national English competitions. Ha Tran completed undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Finance, Business Management, Accounting, and Auditing in Melbourne before returning to Vietnam to work as a lecturer at Vietnam National University. With over 15 years of professional experience in international education, Ha Tran has been working as the Country Head for TET Education Group Australia since 2014. In this role, she leads a team in Vietnam that collaborates with the Vietnamese government, large enterprises and top universities. Her responsibilities include consulting, facilitating, and coordinating executive training programs for over 30,000 Vietnamese government leaders from various sectors, including public administration, law, politics, international relations, national security, defence, digital transformation, industry and trade (such as energy, logistics, ports development, customs, and taxation), health and hospital management, and agriculture and rural development, etc. TET Education Group is a distinguished international education advisory organization with a solid foundation with the Vietnamese government and a network of experts across 15 countries on six continents. Additionally, Ha Tran leads efforts to position international education institutions as market leaders in Vietnam and to enhance Vietnam’s prominence as a key market with a long-term development focus. She is actively involved in facilitating access for Vietnamese-sponsored students and those from high-quality backgrounds to premier Australian programs. 

Hoang Anh DO is a distinguished legal and external affairs executive with over 20 years of leadership experience across the Asia Pacific region. She currently serves as Cluster Head of Sustainability, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at British American Tobacco, where she drives strategic initiatives at the intersection of law, policy, and responsible business.

Throughout her career, Hoang Anh has blended deep legal expertise with regulatory foresight and stakeholder engagement to deliver business-aligned solutions in highly regulated industries. Her leadership spans diverse functions, including legal, compliance, ESG, government affairs, anti-illicit trade, and corporate communications—where she has consistently shaped policy environments, safeguarded corporate reputation, and championed ethical conducts.

From advising boards and negotiating joint ventures to steering complex audits and leading excise reform, Hoang Anh brings a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset to every challenge. As a board member and chief representative, she has cultivated strong partnerships with government bodies, industry associations, and commercial stakeholders to ensure governance, compliance, and sustainable growth.

Her contributions have earned recognition for excellence in ESG leadership, regulatory innovation, and anti-illicit trade efforts, including Top 10 CSI honors by VCCI and Merit Certificate from Central Committee 127 for her role in advancing anti-illicit trade progress.

Driven by a passion for building resilient organizations and high-performing teams, Hoang Anh is known for delivering results under pressure and navigating complexity with clarity and conviction. Whether leading public policy engagement or advising on cross-border transactions, she operates where law meets strategy and where impact is made.