On December 15, 2025, PhD candidate Tran Thanh Huyen, majoring in Water – Environment – Oceanography, successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled:
“Characterization of submesoscale dynamics in coastal regions of Vietnam using high-frequency radars & numerical modelling”.
Tran Thanh Huyen is a doctoral candidate participating in the co-supervision (co-tutelle) program between the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) and the Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale (ULCO).
The thesis was scientifically supervised by Prof. Alexei Sentchev, Lecturer at ULCO (France), and Dr. Sylvain Ouillon, Chief Representative of IRD in Vietnam.
The defense ceremony was attended by 06 members of the Examination Committee, including: Dr. Jochen Horstmann (Hereon, Germany); Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Minh Huan, Lecturer at the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU–HUS, Vietnam); Assoc. Prof. Tran Van Anh, Lecturer at Hanoi University of Mining and Geology (HUMG, Vietnam); Assoc. Prof. Stefano Berti, Lecturer at Polytech (France); Dr. François Schmitt, Scientist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS, France);
Prof. Alexis Chaigneau, Scientist at the French Research Institute for Development (IRD, France). The ceremony was also attended by the supervisors and friends of the doctoral candidate.
The Examination Committee reviewed and approved the academic profile, research achievements, training process, and scientific outcomes of PhD candidate Tran Thanh Huyen throughout the course of her doctoral studies. The Committee highly appreciated her academic performance, research results, and sustained efforts.
PhD candidate Tran Thanh Huyen first presented an overview of her dissertation to the Committee, followed by a detailed presentation of the research findings. Vietnamese coastal waters in the East Sea have significant economic and social value but remain insufficiently studied, which affects the effectiveness of coastal zone management. In nature, submesoscale (SMS) processes play a crucial role in enhancing vertical mixing and strongly influence ecosystems and biodiversity by facilitating the transport of nutrients and plankton.
Her research focused on the dynamics of SMS currents in two Vietnamese coastal regions: the deep coastal waters of Central–Southern Vietnam and the shallow waters around the Red River estuary in the Gulf of Tonkin. In the Red River estuary area, the research team employed high-frequency (HF) radar and advanced processing techniques to collect high-quality surface current data. These data helped clarify seasonal and intra-seasonal variations of SMS processes, as well as the impacts of small-scale dynamics on the dispersion of suspended and dissolved materials in coastal waters. Overall, the study demonstrates that HF radar is highly effective for monitoring coastal currents and significantly enhances understanding of submesoscale current variability and material transport processes in different Vietnamese coastal regions.
According to the Committee’s assessment, the dissertation reflects a rigorous and serious academic and research process. The research outcomes possess strong scientific value and high practical applicability. After deliberation and a closed voting session, the Committee unanimously approved the dissertation with 6/6 votes in favor. The Committee congratulated PhD candidate Tran Thanh Huyen on her successful defense and congratulated the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environment on having an additional doctoral graduate.
Before the conclusion of the ceremony, PhD candidate Tran Thanh Huyen delivered a speech expressing her sincere gratitude to the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environment, her supervisors, colleagues, friends, and especially her family for their constant support, encouragement, and motivation, which enabled her to successfully defend her dissertation and obtain the doctoral degree.
