Hello everyone, I've been working on my personal statement and recently completed the latest draft. I would greatly appreciate any feedback or suggestions. Thank you for your time.
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On a spring day in my 11th grade of high school, I attended several career-orientations organized by my online teacher collaborative with Hanoi University of Science and Technology. At the time, I did not realize on my way to an experience that shaped my future path to becoming an engineer. The talk was given by Dr. Nguyen Thanh Nam, Physics Lecturer at Military Technical Academy. He discussed the importance of mechanical, electronics and electrical systems in the manufacturing and automotive industry. His insight captured my attention and I could not stop thinking about the engineering challenges to modern vehicles. Research and exploring mechanical and electronic systems of intelligent automotive systems has become my passion.
As an undergraduate at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, my research journey began in my second year at the Automotive Dynamics Laboratory. During this period, I developed foundational skills in 3D design such as SolidWorks and Fusion 360. One of my notable projects involved the design of a three-axis 3D printer, where I contributed to the mechanical structure and system layout. In another project, I worked on developing a steering wheel-clamping mechanism inspired by the Kistler system. Through these experiences, I realized that functional mechanical systems depend on electronic integration and control, which motivated me to learn more programming with electronics and electrical systems.
In my later undergraduate years, I became a member of the Simulation and Control Laboratory (SiCo Lab), where I participated in the development of an autonomous vehicle project with a team of two members to prepare our graduation thesis. We built the vehicle entirely from the ground up, beginning with the selection of electronic components and the design of the mechanical frame, followed by 3D printing of structural parts and map development for navigation, and the electrical system. The system was developed across both hardware and software platforms, utilizing STM32 Nucleo microcontrollers and a Raspberry Pi 4 for high-level processing along with laptop control decision-making vehicle with intensive tasks according to traffic sign recognition. Working with teammates and professors, I learned how to collaborate effectively among members, manage complex challenges, research related information sources and apply several algorithms to real-world projects.
Following the successful defense of our graduation thesis, the project was accepted to attend the 8th International Conference on Engineering Research and Applications (ICERA) 2025 in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam and present in Automotive Engineering track. This experience marked my first opportunity to contribute to an international research publication. During the paper preparation process, I learned how to structure and communicate research effectively, from documenting system design and experimental results through multiple revisions to give a technical presentation to an audience of researchers and professors.
If I had any doubts about my decision to pursue a MS, they vanished after attending ICERA. Being surrounded by the vast global community of robotics and electronics researchers sharing ideas, having discussions, and meeting the people behind the papers I had read was phenomenal experience.
Shortly after ICERA, I began exploring challenges in safe driving, particularly the increasing public attention on driver drowsiness during long-distance travel. To further investigate this topic, I worked with four undergraduate students on a research project focused on driver behavior analysis with integrating eye behavior analysis, hand posture recognition, capacitive touch sensing, and head pose estimation. We presented this project at the Student Forum 2025: Energy and Applications for Net Zero at Thuyloi University, Vietnam, within the Green Construction and Transportation track. With this project, I gained hands-on insight into the full research development process, from conducting literature reviews and analyzing different approaches and identifying areas for innovation, and finally design, iteration, and testing.
Through these projects, I increased greater responsibility and ownership of my research, working with increasing independence and collaborating closely with peers rather than relying solely on mentor guidance. These projects reaffirmed my research interests in robotics, mechatronics, and embedded systems, shaping a clear direction for my future graduate-level research.
Besides academic and research activities, I also participated in volunteer activities distributing meals to low-income, homeless people and families of patients in Hanoi. Although many of them worked extremely hard, their daily lives remained challenging. Small acts of support could become meaningful sources of encouragement. These experiences reminded me that coming from a rural background, my parents consistently made every effort to support my education, which motivated me to pursue my studies with discipline and determination.
I have experienced the powerful impact that a strong instructor and colleagues at Yura Corporation in Korea can make on both my decisions to pursue further studies and continued involvement in research. In graduate school, I plan to focus on developing intelligent and reliable vehicle technologies that enhance road safety and contribute to safer mobility systems. By choosing a research direction in automotive engineering and embedded electronic systems, I hope to contribute to the development of devices that will improve the everyday quality of life by enabling applications in safe and assistive technologies. My goal is to build a career in industry R&D and apply research outcomes to practical solutions that bring positive benefits to society.
I believe that DGIST would be an ideal environment for me to further develop my research interest at an advanced level. The first step in graduate school is achieving this goal and following through with my research plan, which I have designed to include a mix of theoretical and experimental work and opportunities to develop new skills. While my research background is closer to the autonomous vehicle and safe driving systems, I am willing to broaden my knowledge and explore other related areas. I am particularly interested in the research conducted by Professor Seong Min Lee in the Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics and Control Laboratory, especially his recent work on designing and control of robotics and mechatronics for the future society.
Furthermore, I really hope that I aspire to contribute greatly to the field through publishing our findings in top journals from our progress at DGIST. At the same time, I would like to improve my Korean communications skill to strengthen the academic and research relationship between DGIST and Hanoi University of Science and Technology, as well as Korea-Vietnam relationships in reinforcing engineering and research ties.
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On a spring day in my 11th grade of high school, I attended several career-orientations organized by my online teacher collaborative with Hanoi University of Science and Technology. At the time, I did not realize on my way to an experience that shaped my future path to becoming an engineer. The talk was given by Dr. Nguyen Thanh Nam, Physics Lecturer at Military Technical Academy. He discussed the importance of mechanical, electronics and electrical systems in the manufacturing and automotive industry. His insight captured my attention and I could not stop thinking about the engineering challenges to modern vehicles. Research and exploring mechanical and electronic systems of intelligent automotive systems has become my passion.
As an undergraduate at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, my research journey began in my second year at the Automotive Dynamics Laboratory. During this period, I developed foundational skills in 3D design such as SolidWorks and Fusion 360. One of my notable projects involved the design of a three-axis 3D printer, where I contributed to the mechanical structure and system layout. In another project, I worked on developing a steering wheel-clamping mechanism inspired by the Kistler system. Through these experiences, I realized that functional mechanical systems depend on electronic integration and control, which motivated me to learn more programming with electronics and electrical systems.
In my later undergraduate years, I became a member of the Simulation and Control Laboratory (SiCo Lab), where I participated in the development of an autonomous vehicle project with a team of two members to prepare our graduation thesis. We built the vehicle entirely from the ground up, beginning with the selection of electronic components and the design of the mechanical frame, followed by 3D printing of structural parts and map development for navigation, and the electrical system. The system was developed across both hardware and software platforms, utilizing STM32 Nucleo microcontrollers and a Raspberry Pi 4 for high-level processing along with laptop control decision-making vehicle with intensive tasks according to traffic sign recognition. Working with teammates and professors, I learned how to collaborate effectively among members, manage complex challenges, research related information sources and apply several algorithms to real-world projects.
Following the successful defense of our graduation thesis, the project was accepted to attend the 8th International Conference on Engineering Research and Applications (ICERA) 2025 in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam and present in Automotive Engineering track. This experience marked my first opportunity to contribute to an international research publication. During the paper preparation process, I learned how to structure and communicate research effectively, from documenting system design and experimental results through multiple revisions to give a technical presentation to an audience of researchers and professors.
If I had any doubts about my decision to pursue a MS, they vanished after attending ICERA. Being surrounded by the vast global community of robotics and electronics researchers sharing ideas, having discussions, and meeting the people behind the papers I had read was phenomenal experience.
Shortly after ICERA, I began exploring challenges in safe driving, particularly the increasing public attention on driver drowsiness during long-distance travel. To further investigate this topic, I worked with four undergraduate students on a research project focused on driver behavior analysis with integrating eye behavior analysis, hand posture recognition, capacitive touch sensing, and head pose estimation. We presented this project at the Student Forum 2025: Energy and Applications for Net Zero at Thuyloi University, Vietnam, within the Green Construction and Transportation track. With this project, I gained hands-on insight into the full research development process, from conducting literature reviews and analyzing different approaches and identifying areas for innovation, and finally design, iteration, and testing.
Through these projects, I increased greater responsibility and ownership of my research, working with increasing independence and collaborating closely with peers rather than relying solely on mentor guidance. These projects reaffirmed my research interests in robotics, mechatronics, and embedded systems, shaping a clear direction for my future graduate-level research.
Besides academic and research activities, I also participated in volunteer activities distributing meals to low-income, homeless people and families of patients in Hanoi. Although many of them worked extremely hard, their daily lives remained challenging. Small acts of support could become meaningful sources of encouragement. These experiences reminded me that coming from a rural background, my parents consistently made every effort to support my education, which motivated me to pursue my studies with discipline and determination.
I have experienced the powerful impact that a strong instructor and colleagues at Yura Corporation in Korea can make on both my decisions to pursue further studies and continued involvement in research. In graduate school, I plan to focus on developing intelligent and reliable vehicle technologies that enhance road safety and contribute to safer mobility systems. By choosing a research direction in automotive engineering and embedded electronic systems, I hope to contribute to the development of devices that will improve the everyday quality of life by enabling applications in safe and assistive technologies. My goal is to build a career in industry R&D and apply research outcomes to practical solutions that bring positive benefits to society.
I believe that DGIST would be an ideal environment for me to further develop my research interest at an advanced level. The first step in graduate school is achieving this goal and following through with my research plan, which I have designed to include a mix of theoretical and experimental work and opportunities to develop new skills. While my research background is closer to the autonomous vehicle and safe driving systems, I am willing to broaden my knowledge and explore other related areas. I am particularly interested in the research conducted by Professor Seong Min Lee in the Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics and Control Laboratory, especially his recent work on designing and control of robotics and mechatronics for the future society.
Furthermore, I really hope that I aspire to contribute greatly to the field through publishing our findings in top journals from our progress at DGIST. At the same time, I would like to improve my Korean communications skill to strengthen the academic and research relationship between DGIST and Hanoi University of Science and Technology, as well as Korea-Vietnam relationships in reinforcing engineering and research ties.
