Beginning in July 2025, a new young face has joined the laboratories of the Reliability Engineering Research Center. At first glance, it was clear he was not a local student. In fact, he is Associate Professor Nguyen Trung Du from the School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Vietnam.

Professor Nguyen has long-standing ties with Ming Chi University of Technology (MCUT). Two to three years ago, he first met Professor Jing-Wei Liang, Director of the Reliability Engineering Research Center, during a visit by Professor Liang to HUST. As Professor Nguyen’s laboratory specializes in fault diagnosis of mechanical systems based on vibration signals, a field closely aligned with several of the Center’s research areas, both sides quickly found common ground for potential collaboration.

In 2024, to encourage outstanding graduates from HUST to pursue graduate studies at MCUT, Professor Liang invited Professor Nguyen to visit Ming Chi University. During that visit, discussions on possible cooperation between the two institutions took place. Deeply impressed by the strong research atmosphere on campus, Professor Nguyen expressed his interest in returning to MCUT in the future as a visiting scholar.

Thanks to the support of funding from MCUT’s Higher Education Sprout Project, Professor Nguyen’s wish was soon realized in July 2025. Although his stay at MCUT lasted only two months, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to strengthening the research collaboration between MCUT and HUST. During his visit, he worked closely with Chair Professor Shih-Chin Huang and Director Jing-Wei Liang of the Reliability Engineering Research Center, resulting in the joint publication of two conference papers and the submission of two journal papers.

In addition to his own research, Professor Nguyen actively engaged in the academic life of the university. He participated in oral defense sessions for master’s students in the Department of Electronic Engineering, visited the laboratory of Professor Chia-Hsuan Shen at Chang Gung University to discuss joint supervision of graduate students and cross-institutional collaboration, and met with Professor Yu-Jen Chiu to follow up on the progress of a HUST graduate currently pursuing doctoral studies at CGU. He also collaborated with Chair Professor Huang to review the academic development of another HUST graduate studying at MCUT, contributing to their supervision and academic guidance.

Beyond bilateral exchanges, Professor Nguyen played a pivotal role in planning tripartite cooperation among MCUT, HUST, and KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). Through his active coordination, it has been confirmed that in mid-December 2025, Professor Yong-Hwa Park of KAIST and Professor Nguyen Phong Dien, Vice President of HUST, will visit MCUT to explore the establishment of a long-term trilateral partnership. Notably, both visiting scholars are recognized experts in vibration-based mechanical diagnostics, further enhancing the potential of this collaboration.

The Reliability Engineering Research Center expresses its deep gratitude to Associate Professor Nguyen Trung Du for his outstanding contributions. Within only two months, he not only advanced joint research but also laid a solid foundation for long-term cooperation between MCUT and HUST, and more broadly, among MCUT, HUST, and KAIST. His efforts have greatly enriched the Center’s academic environment and strengthened its role as a hub for international collaboration.