Vietnamese students took home mathematics and science awards at theSearch for SEAMEO Young Scientists (SSYS) contest held in Penang,Malaysia from March 3-7.

Le Ngoc Thu Thao and Ngo Quang Thai from the Hanoi Experimental Secondary School won the second prize with the mathematical project “ Making atropical storm & tropical depression calendar for northern andcentral provinces in Vietnam”.

Meanwhile, MaiDieu Quynh and Nguyen Hoang Tung from Viet Duc High School in Hanoi wereawarded the third prize with the scientific project “A study of laccaseenzyme for application towards sustainable development”.

Thaoand Thai’s project was made based on statistics of storms and tropicalpressures that hit the north and central regions in Vietnam from2004-2013, thus predicting the most risky months and localities for badweather throughout the year.

According to Do Duc Lan fromthe Vietnam Academy of Science and Education, the project is expected tohelp outline plans to deal with storms and tropical pressure in Vietnamin the future .

Meanwhile, Quynh and Tung presented theirstudy on laccase enzyme, which is discharged from mushrooms planted onrotten straw. The enzyme is an important active element inpollution treatment, especially for agricultural wasted materials andwaste water.

The ninth event of its kind, the contest, themed“Reducing risks of disasters for sustainable development”, attracted 40entries from students from all ASEAN member countries, exceptingMyanmar.

Organised every two years since 1997, the contest aimsto discover bright young scientists from Southeast Asian countries. Italso contributes to promoting the science research movement at schoolin the countries.-VNA