Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh, People’s Teacher, a distinguished mathematician and a model educator.

In the history of modern Vietnamese mathematics, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh is honored above all as the “founding father” of the specialized mathematics system and as a devoted mentor who nurtured generations of gifted students.

Assoc. Prof. Dr., People’s Teacher Phan Duc Chinh. Source: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Tien.

It was he who first brought Vietnamese mathematics problems into the International Mathematical Olympiad, thereby affirming the intellectual stature of Vietnam on the global academic map. In addition, his numerous works in translation, teaching, and research have become invaluable assets, nurturing the aspiration to pursue knowledge in countless generations of students.

THE FOUNDER OF VIETNAM’S SPECIALIZED MATHEMATICS SYSTEM

Returning to Vietnam in 1965 after successfully defending his doctoral thesis at Lomonosov University in the Soviet Union, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh continued teaching at the Faculty of Mathematics, Hanoi University. It was a time when the nation was engulfed in the flames of war, with schools evacuated and scarcity felt in every aspect of life.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh with Prof. Le Hai Chau and the Vietnamese team at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 1974. Photo: Archive.

Yet it was precisely amid such hardship that he, together with senior scholars such as Prof. Le Van Thiem and Dr. Hoang Tuy, pioneered the establishment of “special mathematics classes” for talented high school students, under the direct guidance of Prime Minister Pham Van Dong. These classes, conducted in the midst of war, not only nurtured a passion for knowledge but also laid the foundation for the system of specialized mathematics schools, a distinctive educational model later expanded nationwide.

In 1965 itself, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh directly trained the mathematics team of Hanoi University’s gifted students. The result was a resounding triumph: the team won 9 out of 10 prizes at the National Competition for Excellent Students, affirming the right direction of this specialized training model.

Throughout his years dedicated to the specialized mathematics track, he nurtured countless outstanding students, many of whom became distinguished scientists, educators, and leaders such as Prof. Tran Van Nhung, Prof. Dr. Dao Trong Thi, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Le Minh, Prof. Nguyen Dong Anh, Dr. Hoang Ngoc Ha, among others…

Beyond his teaching in the lecture hall, he also left a profound legacy through the translation and authorship of academic materials. His classical translations, including Theory of Functions of a Real Variable (Natanson), Foundations of Modern Analysis (Dieudonné, She-Tzen Hu), Topological Vector Spaces (Robertson), and Higher Algebra (Kurosh), became invaluable scholarly resources for generations of students. In particular, his book Inequalities (University and Secondary Education Publishing House, 1973) has long been regarded as a “bedside companion” for both specialized mathematics students and teachers over the decades.

THE 1977 IMO PROBLEM – A MILESTONE AFFIRMING VIETNAM’S PLACE IN MATHEMATICS

In 1977, the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) was held in Yugoslavia (now Serbia). For the first time in history, a problem authored by a Vietnamese mathematician was selected for the official exam. That problem, created by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh, marked a historic milestone affirming the standing of Vietnamese mathematics on the international stage.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh’s problem in the IMO 1977 examination. Source: Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics.

The problem was stated as follows:

“In a finite sequence of real numbers, the sum of any seven successive terms is negative, and the sum of any eleven successive terms is positive. Determine the maximum number of terms in the sequence”.

Translation:

In a finite sequence of real numbers, the sum of any 7 consecutive terms is always negative, and the sum of any 11 consecutive terms is positive. Determine the maximum possible number of terms in the sequence.

A special prize was awarded to contestant Martin Čadek (Czech Republic), whose solution was considered even more elegant than the official one. Interestingly, Čadek only received a bronze medal that year, yet his solution has often been recalled as a testament to the vitality of a problem originating from Vietnam.

The 1977 problem opened a distinct “Vietnam chapter” in the history of the IMO. Following the pioneering contribution of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh, three other Vietnamese mathematicians also had their problems selected for the official exam: Prof. Van Nhu Cuong (IMO 1982), Dr. Nguyen Minh Duc (IMO 1987), and most recently, Dr. Tran Quang Hung (IMO 2025).

The problem authored by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh stands as the first cornerstone, inaugurating a proud new chapter for Vietnamese mathematics on its journey of international integration.

A TEACHER OF INSPIRATION AND GREAT CHARACTER

If the research and scholarly contributions of Assoc. Prof. Dr., People’s Teacher Phan Duc Chinh have left an indelible mark on the history of Vietnamese mathematics, it was his simplicity, devotion, and deep affection for his students that created his lasting influence. For many generations, he was not only a profound scholar but also an inspiring mentor who instilled faith in the pursuit of knowledge.

Former students recall that his lectures were often likened to “a magic show,” rigorous and scientific yet engaging and easy to grasp. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Nhung once referred to him as “a mathematician of infinite dimensions,” not only because of his research in infinite-dimensional function spaces but also for his boundless heart devoted to education. Generations of students who achieved success both in Vietnam and abroad continue to honor him as a shining example of academic spirit and human integrity.

One memory that Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh himself cherished was the summer of 1974, when he led the Vietnamese team to the International Mathematical Olympiad in the German Democratic Republic. The team won a remarkable set of medals including gold, silver, and bronze. Overcome with emotion, he confessed, “Tears kept flowing, I simply could not hold them back”. They were the tears of happiness of a teacher who had dedicated his life to his students and his country.

Even after leaving the lecture halls to settle in Ho Chi Minh City, he never ceased mentoring younger teachers and continued coaching the national IMO team. His greatness lay in the fact that, wherever he was and whatever the circumstances, his passion for mathematics and dedication to his students remained an undying flame.

The profound respect held by colleagues, students, and society at large for Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Duc Chinh stems not only from his brilliance as a mathematician but also from his role as an inspiring teacher and a man of exceptional character, rare in the history of Vietnamese education.