Inspiring Stories of Oversea Vietnamese 2025
By Hang Do
The Gala “The Return 2025 – Willpower and the Path” is a heroic symphony honoring those who dare to dream big, overcome challenges, and leave a lasting Vietnamese mark on the global map. The program conveys a profound message of willpower, aspiration, and love for the homeland through inspiring stories of overseas Vietnamese worldwide, presented by Vietnam Television. BiziVietnam summarizes the Inspiring Stories of Oversea Vietnameses 2025.
Dr. Loi Nguyen, Senior Vice President of Marvell Group
Dr. Loi Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American, studied in Ho Chi Minh City before moving to the U.S. He earned a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from UCLA. In 2000, he co-founded Inphi, a company specializing in high-speed optical and telecommunications semiconductor solutions. Despite initial struggles, Inphi gradually succeeded, reaching $680 million in revenue by 2020. In 2021, he sold Inphi to Marvell for over $10 billion and continued holding a leadership position in the corporation. Driven by a desire to contribute to his homeland, he helped establish a Semiconductor Design Center in Ho Chi Minh City and supported training semiconductor design engineers, contributing to Vietnam’s semiconductor industry development.
“Without willpower, success is impossible. Willpower is essential, but the path must be flexible.” – Dr. Loi Nguyen. “Ten or twenty years from now, Vietnam will be a semiconductor powerhouse” he said.
Dr. Loi Nguyen is a truly one of the Inspiring Stories of Oversea Vietnameses 2025.
Kiem Thanh Tai, Director of Innovative Medical Design, Boston, USA
He specializes in manufacturing cardiovascular medical devices. His medical device innovation won the Medical Design Excellence Awards in the U.S. and has been featured in 90 research papers and articles by American professors and doctors. Over more than 20 years, Tai has researched and developed over 30 medical technologies, many of which have been groundbreaking and beneficial to medicine. Additionally, Vietnamese employees are highly regarded for their diligence, meticulousness, and creativity—qualities that medical device companies highly value.
The Inspiring Stories of Oversea Vietnameses 2025 continue with more impressive stories.
Nick Shell, Vietnamese-British Agricultural Engineer.
Although born and raised in the UK, Nick Shell was determined to return to Vietnam with the ambition of cultivating Sea Jade, a rare plant that thrives in saline land but has rarely been successfully grown worldwide. Sea Jade is a unique plant with a naturally salty taste but low sodium content, reducing the risk of hypertension and rich in beneficial nutrients. However, it is extremely difficult to cultivate, mainly growing naturally in Western coastal saline lands. To overcome this, Nick developed a seawater-based cultivation technology in Hawaii and New York before successfully implementing it in Vietnam. Today, this plant is grown in abandoned shrimp ponds, helping to rehabilitate saline soil and create economic value. Given climate change and rising sea levels, Sea Jade promises to be a sustainable agricultural solution for the Mekong Delta. He hopes to help local farmers combat saline intrusion and climate change in Vietnam.
Professor, Dr. Thach Nguyen
A renowned Vietnamese-American cardiologist, he was the first Vietnamese-American elected to the Board of the American College of Cardiology and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. He has significantly contributed to the development of interventional cardiology (IC) in Vietnam, particularly by training doctors using a hands-on approach since 1997. He also teaches at Tan Tao University (TTU), providing Vietnamese students access to advanced medical education. Additionally, he collaborates with many international doctors and organizations, helping elevate Vietnam’s standing in interventional cardiology. Thanks to critical thinking and creativity from Vietnamese doctors, his research has continuously improved. He is deeply committed to medical ethics and disease prevention. Moreover, he has published valuable medical research and books and worked with international scientists to enhance coronary angiography techniques. His efforts improve cardiovascular treatment quality and train talented young doctors in Vietnam.
Nguyễn Văn Trung, Petroleum Engineer, Founder of Noumami AS Fish Sauce
In the cold Nordic land, Nguyễn Văn Trung longed for the taste of traditional Vietnamese fish sauce. Instead of merely reminiscing, he decided to produce fish sauce in Norway, a country known for its abundant seafood. Rather than using traditional anchovies, he innovated by using salmon, Norway’s iconic fish. The journey of producing salmon fish sauce faced many challenges due to differences in climate, technique, and culture, but with unwavering determination, he overcame them all. The result was rich, flavorful fish sauce that retained Vietnamese authenticity while catering to international tastes. His product quickly won over Norwegians and global food lovers, turning salmon fish sauce into a cultural bridge connecting Vietnam with the world.
His story exemplifies Vietnamese creativity and passion in bringing local cuisine to a global stage.
Thư Phạm Buser, Culinary Stylist, New York, USA
A talented young Vietnamese culinary stylist living in New York, Thư Phạm Buser transforms Vietnamese cuisine into stunning works of art. Her creations include a shimmering pearl-infused bánh chưng (sticky rice cake), vibrantly colorful bánh mì, and fresh spring rolls shaped into elegant wreaths—each maintaining traditional flavors while incorporating modern aesthetics.
Her work not only tantalizes the taste buds but also tells cultural stories through color and form. “Ăn Cỗ” is a series of limited-time events celebrating Vietnam’s lesser-known regional dishes and traditional culinary arts, with a new menu for each gathering.
Dr. Vân Trương, Former Deputy Director of Education, Portland Public Schools, USA
Thanks to Dr. Vân Trương’s advocacy and influence, a Vietnamese-English bilingual school was established in Oregon, USA, in 2012, attracting many American families who wanted their children to study there. Vietnam is an important trade partner for Oregon, and she has worked tirelessly to integrate Vietnamese into as many U.S. educational systems as possible.
The program also recognized several other Vietnamese-origin scientists, including Dr. Quang Lê, a scientist with over 250 patents at Western Digital; Dr. Trung Bùi, a senior technology expert at Adobe; Dr. Trần Anh Minh, Deputy Director of Research & Development at Nexus Photonics (USA). According to data from the Vietnamese Consulate in San Francisco, there are approximately 8,000 Vietnamese engineers and scientists working in Silicon Valley.
Other notable young talents include Fashion designer Phan Đăng Hoàng, Architect Khoa Vũ (USA), and Musician Hoàng Thu Trang (France)
All these stories are incredibly impressive and inspiring. Thanks VTV, for producing such a meaningful program, igniting national pride and spreading Vietnamese creativity worldwide. No matter where they are, Vietnamese people always carry the desire to contribute, preserve their cultural identity, and elevate Vietnam on the global stage.
Link to watch here.