Biography

"Hello, my name is Phuong Nguyen and I'm currently studying Physics at Stony Brook University. I flew half way around the world from Vietnam to New York for school by myself when I was 15. I attended the Academy of St. Joseph (I was one of their last graduates) from 10th to 11th grade. Upon high school graduation, I ended up in Nazareth College of Rochester for my freshman and sophomore year as a math and chemistry major. And now Im here at Stony Brook studying physics.

Why studying abroad at such a young age? Why Physics? When I was finishing 9th grade in a small town called Chau Doc, southern Vietnam; I asked my parents to let me get my high school education in Ho Chi Minh City where my brother was studying. I love my older brother and always brag to others how smart and good-looking he is. He was my role model and I wanted to be going to the same high school that he had gone to. Surprisingly, my parents did not agree to it for some reasons that any parent would not want them to be made known to their children; because it will worry us even more. I now understand but I couldn't understand them 6 years ago. I was very stubborn and persistent. I wanted to get a better education elsewhere. I didn't want to be stuck and limited in my small town any longer. Please dont get me wrong! I love my hometown, especially the food!

I called my aunt and her husband who are living in New York to ask them about attending high school in the US. My dad spoiled me when I was young. Therefore, I saved up quite an amount of money from him. I used my savings to get my transcripts officially translated into English and sent to a few high schools in Long Island. Everybody was literally against it at the beginning. I was talked to wait until I finished high school. My grandma even asked her friend to read my palm to tell me that Im not going to make it through the embassy visa interview. My mom later confessed to me that she was praying for the US Embassy to deny my visa so that I could not go to the States. I was very angry and determined; therefore, I had to make sure to walk out the US Embassy door with my visa in my hand! I did and it required so many international callings, and begging. I was so excited to leave for NY that the fear of traveling alone disappeared. And I did not shred a single teardrop.

I had known that I do better in math and science courses; but I wasnt sure that I would be loving Physics this much. As I mentioned earlier, I was a math and chemistry major for 2 years. I spent 1.5 years doing research in Biodiesel. I took a few physics courses during that time, my middle school, high school and I realized that I like Physics so much and I would like to do this kind of research but for Physics instead. What do I like about Physics? I got this question asked a few times. Besides the common answers you would get from asking this question, I dont mind making time for Physics and its challenge. I would never write my History or Art paper a week in advance. But Ive been spending every day (Wait! When school is in session ^_____^) studying Physics so far since I came to Stony Brook. I don't consider myself brilliant and I believe in hard work. I want to be well educated in Physics. I want to make my parents, my aunt, my uncle, and my siblings proud of me. I want to be a role model for my younger brother like how my brother is a role model for me. And last but not least, I will work hard to make sure that I will be friend with physics for my job in a few years and til when I get much much older. What's better than having a job that you love? (Maybe irresistible Viet food J.maybe.ijk!) "