Dr. Fayna Mammeri, from Paris Cité University, France has been familiar with USTH for many years, but this year, she visited the university for the first time as a lecturer in the Master’s program in Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. She had an interesting discussion with us about her experience in Vietnam and with students at USTH.
Touched by Vietnamese people
Dr. Fayna Mammeri said that her decision to come to teach at USTH didn’t happen overnight, but rather a result of her fondness and respect for Vietnam and Vietnamese people. Before coming to USTH as a lecturer, Dr. Fayna Mammeri visited Vietnam twice with her husband who is her colleague at the same department at the Paris Cité University and has also taught in the Master’s program in Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology at USTH.
The more she explores Vietnam, the more she falls in love with the beauty of the country and its rich culture. She visited different cities from the North to the South of Vietnam and was captivated by the vibrant atmosphere, warm hospitality, and stunning sceneries. The hustle and bustle of the big cities like Hanoi and HCM City fascinated her, but the peaceful ambiance of the small towns calmed her down. Ancient towns like Hue and Hoi An offered her a unique glimpse into Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage with their well-preserved architecture and traditional customs. She was drawn to the temples as well as the different rituals that took place there.
She also loved the experience of visiting the floating markets in the South of Vietnam and witnessing with her own eyes the vibrant colors of the fruits and vegetables displayed in unique and creative ways. The sights, smells, and sounds of the bustling markets left her awestruck.
But it wasn’t just the scenery of Vietnam that captured the heart of Dr. Fayna Mammeri. She was touched by the hospitality of the Vietnamese people. During her stay, she encountered many acts of kindness from the locals, which made her feel welcomed and connected to Vietnam. “6 years ago, my family went on a spring trip with the USTH staff. We had to stand in a very long line to wait for our boat, surrounded by total Vietnamese strangers. At that time, our daughter was still small, they offered us candies, smiled at us, talked to us, and tried to make us feel comfortable. As only foreigners there, I really appreciated their actions and companionship.”
Connected with USTH
Dr. Fayna Mammeri stated that the prior positive supervising experiences with USTH students inspired her to accept the offer to teach in the Master’s program in Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. She had worked with 01 alumni, 2 master’s students, and 01 bachelor’s student from the Department of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology of USTH. She highly regarded their hard work, eagerness to learn, and willingness to adapt to the new environment. That’s why when the Deputy of the Department of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology of USTH asked if she was interested in teaching at USTH in 2022, she agreed without any hesitation. Although the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for her to teach in person, she found teaching online to be a rewarding experience.
In February 2023, it was the first time she had taught offline at USTH. Dr. Fayna Mammeri said that one of the advantages of USTH students was that they started their lab work early in their studies, which allowed them to develop a new approach to knowledge and a new way of thinking. They made her recall the memories of when she supervised Phuong, a bachelor USTH student in her lab in France. Phuong was able to not only work independently but also have a level of skills to assist PhD French students and provide new ideas for the topics they were working on.
According to Dr. Fayna Mammeri, engaging students in lab work early is very important to increase students’ motivation and help them connect what they learn in class to real-world applications. She expressed her appreciation for the teaching methodology of USTH, which focuses on developing practical skills and improving critical thinking for students.
What really struck Dr. Fayna Mammeri about the USTH students was their kindness and caring attitude to her. “When I teach, I value the human interaction between me and my students. I like to bond with them and learn from them. My students at USTH were very sweet and nice. When they learned that I loved crocheting, they brought me a crochet set kit as a gift.” Dr. Fayna Mammeri hoped to welcome more USTH students to her lab in the future and establish research collaboration with the lecturers here.
As an experienced researcher in the field of Nanotechnology, Dr. Fayna Mammeri advised students to treasure every opportunity to gain valuable experience and identify their interests if they wanted to go further in their research career: asking lecturers to join their research project, taking internships abroad, enjoying your student life…
She emphasized the importance of choosing a friendly and supportive environment to work in and not being afraid to follow the path no one else takes. “Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Take time to learn from your mistakes. Everything comes with patience and perseverance.” Dr. Fayna Mammeri said.
Thanks, Dr. Fayna Mammeri for the meaningful sharing. We wish you many more beautiful memories with Vietnam and USTH.
| Paris Cité University, France is a member of the USTH Consortium and is also an important partner of the Department of Advanced Materials Science and Nanotechnology. For years, many lecturers and researchers from Paris Cité University have come to USTH to teach and conduct research. A lot of USTH students have also chosen Paris Cité University as a destination for internships and continuing their studies for master’s and doctoral degrees. In 2023, 5 students from the Department of Advanced Materials Science and Nanotechnology have been awarded scholarships to do internships at Paris Cité University. |