Owning 42 scientific research works with high applicability, the Labor Hero, Dr. Hoang Duc Thao, the General Director of BUSADCO become the incumbent person who has owned 3 records: “the person who has the most award-winning works in the field of scientific and echnological innovation”; the first Vietnamese who won the most awards of scientific and echnological innovation organizations over the world”; “the leader of the scientific and echnological enterprise who won the most awards of the scientific and echnological innovation organization in the country and over the world”. On the spring of Binh Than year, the reporter of the Construction magazine has a conversation with the Labor Her, Dr. Hoang Duc Thao about the life and science research career of a businessman.

The Labor Hero, Dr. Hoang Duc Thao (second person from the right) is receiving the certificate of top scientific and technological event of 2015 (December 2015).

Hello Dr. Hoang Duc Thao! Which predestination leads you to the road of scientific research?

I was born in 1960, in a poor family at Vu Thang Commune, Kien Xuong District (Thai Binh). Not being able to afford for going to college, so after graduated from the Technical School (Bac Thai), at the age of 19, I became the worker of Ha Tien Cement Factory (Kien Giang). Experienced through many positions, in 2003, I was appointed as the Director of Urban Drainage Company of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province (the forerunner of BUSADCO today). Feeling the hardships of the workers who had to dip in the black, stinky, toxic sewage urged me to research the theme: “Sewer Cleaning Winch Machine”. In the first trial, watching the workers standing on the manhole and smoothly control the machine, where the winch cable coming, all the rubbish and stagnated sludge was peeled off, I shout out and my ribcage seemed to smash in to pieces for being happy! From now on, instead of dipping in the sewer, directly facing with the hazardous waste, sludge and high risk of infection, the workers are free and their work efficiency was increased 20 times. By this works, I won the Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation Award in 2004. This is the first scientific works of mine. The unsolved pressing environmental problems and the workers' hardship has urged, inspired, motivated and strengthened my passion of scientific research.

My second scientific works was evaluated as one of the top scientific and technological events in 2015, it was assembled reinforced concrete components for protection of riverbanks, lakes and dykes. The product is used for preventing land slide, erosion and coping with climate change. This is one of the works that make me feel the most satisfied. In the current situation of climate change, this solution has a special meaning and superiority for the coastal areas where using dykes to encroach the sea for extending the area of cultivated land, aquaculture, afforest for protecting ecological environment, creating anchorage shore for boats. Previously, a group of my scientific & technological works has also been evaluated as the top scientific & technological event in 2012.

Experienced on the road of scientific research, have you faced many hardships?

Fairly talking, I have met many difficulties (he smiled), but all has been gone. However, the most difficulties for me are arranging the time and managing the people. How to complete well the tasks of a manager and still have time for scientific research. I have many sleeplessness nights because I cannot get rid of the thought about the products. To me, life is the greatest school that everyone must go through and grow up from there. From the knowledge that I have accumulated during the period of self-learning, self-study, actual observing, practical learning, self-tinkering, creating and working ... and with the idea in mind, I started to research, create each specific product. I haven’t used the State's money for scientific research, so that I had to self-control and self-reliant. Therefore, the research must come from the demands of reality and solve the most practical pressing, i.e., that means the product must be applied to practical and make profit, then the cost can be recovered and the research can be continued.

My fulcrum is the family, a gentle wife who always sympathies, shares with me and wonderful children. There are sometimes I had to use my wife's money to invest in scientific research. I have never thought of getting awards when researching, so that it was always surprised me when being honored.

Please could you tell us which is the imprint on the road of scientific research and building BUSADCO’s brand?

My imprint is the scientific researching products. After the successful application of the sewer cleaning winch machine is the technical trenches, precast reinforced concrete with thin wall manufacture, the new system for rainwater collection and odor-control, septic tanks for urban area, tidal gates (for regulating, diluting and scouring contaminated water bodies to reduce environmental pollution), precast reinforced concrete manholes with thin walls in conjunction with joints, septic tanks for poor person at rural area … all of these works are derived from the requirements of life. Because of have to solve the problems in urban technical infrastructure and environmental protection, I grew up from the working class so I have understood thoroughly the hardships of the workers, that was why inside me, it have been always burning a desire of improving the technology and innovating the equipment for replacing the labor, therefore, every research of mine is always come into practical application.

I had owned 42 invention works, 23 patents and utility solutions, 13 Vietnamese standards, 5 certificates of appropriate technology, 7 Vietnam scientific and technological innovation awards, 11 international awards ... In 2011, I was awarded the title of Labor Hero, and 2 years later, BUSADCO was awarded this noble title. In August 2015, BUSADCO was awarded the Certificate of Vietnam Record, be the first scientific and technological businiess of the construction industry and environmental protection in Vietnam. At the IX Nationwide Patriotic Emulation Congress which took place in December 2015, a colleague in BUSADCO and I were the typical advance and excellent delegates of the whole country.

In your opinion, what is the distinction of BUSADCO when becoming the leading scientific and technological business of the Country?

The most distinction of BUSADCO is the effective applications in practical life. While Vietnam has not yet been highly appreciated in the application of research into the life, our researched works are concretized by the useful products for life. That is solidarity, strong attachment of BUSADCO workers. I have had really enthusiastic colleagues who contributed devotedly their effort and brain power to the company. It was the desire to contribute, to overcome the difficulties during labor and production. The spirit of never give up and always find ways to overcome difficulties that always urge me to work and innovate.

After 12 years of establishment, from a company that just had over 30 employees, mainly unskilled workers, and small amount of capital, up to now, BUSADCO has more than 800 staffs, engineers and skilled workers who are experienced, enthusiastic and professional. BUSADCO has invested to expand, develop the technological factories in Hoa Lac (Hanoi), Kien Xuong (Thai Binh), Yen Lac (Vinh Phuc), Vinh City (Nghe An), Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa), Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province ... Every year, turnover from scientific and technology activities accounts for more than 80-85% of total turnover of BUSADCO.

BUSADCO has had more than 30 scientific and technological products. Of which, 23 products have been widely applied, 21 products have been issued the patent inventions and utility solutions, 18 products have been recognized and issued the national standards (TCVN) by the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Ministry of Construction has issued 9 national technological standards. BUSADCO’s products serve in synchronization of the infrastructure structure of urban and rural areas, transportation, irrigation; coping with climate change and environmental protection. From the effective research and application in environmental protection, currently, BUSADCO's products have "covered" 48 provinces and cities nationwide, there are 14 provinces and cities have applied BUSADCO’s technological products.

With responsibility of a "Captain", How have you promoted the role of the Party organization in BUSADCO?
I have realized that the Communist Party Organization is the political nuclear of BUSADCO. So, I always have created a democratic environment to promote the role of Party organization and Party members. In order to evoke their pioneering and exemplary, I always assign specific tasks to the committees’ member and party members especially the leaders of unions, launch the production labor emulation movement and supervise the company activities. Therefore, it helped to improve the leadership capacity and combativeness of the Party members. At the present, 75 Party members of BUSADCO Party Committee have been being the positive factors who lead and guide the company staffs to fulfill the company’s production plan.

In your opinion, what are the difficulties and challenges for yourself and BUSADCO?
The biggest challenge is to bring BUSADCO scientific & technological products into practical life, make them becoming the products for coping with the climate change, environmental protection and being able to compete with products of other countries when Vietnam is in integration period. Besides, the human factor is always a difficult problem for me, how to retain the talents and attract many enthusiastic people for BUSADCO and for the national scientific research. I always desire that I have more brainpower and be stronger to have more useful scientific researching works.

Do you have any advices to the young scientists today?

I usually share with my colleagues in the company that whatever we do and research, we have to think of people who directly benefit from your products. Only when putting people at the center, we can create the truly useful products. That's what I also would like to advise the young scientists. I also really hope that their scientific researching works to be acknowledged by the people and applied in practice. The young scientists should brave, be confident in themselves and know how to inflame their passion. Since only then, they are able to be successful on the road of scientific research which is naturally very arduous.

 Thank Dr. Hoang Duc Thao for the sincere conversation. On the occasion of New Year, I wish you forever as a spring water source, as forever drifting river and continuing to have many scientific researching works useful for people.