I was just collecting the pieces

I have finally determined my research direction for my PhD: bio-integrated electronics.

Looking back, I realize that almost all of my research experiences have been connected in ways that I did not fully recognize at the time. Each experience has gradually helped me to become clearer about what I want to pursue during my PhD and, more importantly, what I want to devote myself to in the long term.

My journey has taken me from microfluidics as a research assistant during my Master’s program, to biosensors and biotechnology after graduation, and then to semiconductor devices and cleanroom-based fabrication, which is what I am currently working on. These may have seemed like different directions but now, I can finally see the connection between them.

And this story actually began much earlier with my very first job as a Technical Support Engineer at MED-EL Hearlife Hearing Aid Center, where I worked with cochlear implants.

This is the paragraph I prepared for my PhD applications in a Cover Letter:

"My passion for addressing the engineering needs of patients stemmed from my undergraduate studies in Biomedical Engineering at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam, where I cultivated a growing fascination in bio-inspired technologies and medical instruments. This passion evolved into a lasting commitment to designing miniaturized, integrated biomedical devices when I had the privilege of gaining early industry exposure prior to my Master’s program. For ten months, as a Technical Engineer at MED-EL Hearlife Hearing Aid Center, I worked closely with cochlear implants, assisting a variety of children with hearing loss and accompanying them as they learned to hear and speak. It was truly eye-opening as I witnessed firsthand how engineering solutions can transform lives, where technical solution and human emotion intersect in a profound connection. This experience solidified my aspiration to apply technical knowledge, empathy and perseverance to develop innovative tools that bridge scientific advancement with real-world therapeutic applications, while ensuring accessibility and affordability, especially for people in developing countries. I am particularly drawn to your research on system-level solutions of sensors and actuators to monitor in-vivo performance which demonstrates both scientific excellence and strong translational impact by your track record of publication in prestigious journals. Contributing to your on-going efforts to science and society would provide an ideal opportunity to align my career goals and I sincerely yearn to follow in your footsteps in pushing boundaries and shaping the future of wearable and implantable electronics."

At the time, I did not know that my first job would eventually influence the direction of my research career so deeply and even become one of the highlights of my PhD application. But I knew that the experience had left a lasting impression on me, and I carried that feeling with me throughout my journey as I continued to develop medical devices.

Now, after years of moving through different areas of biomedical engineering, I feel that I have excactly found the direction where all those experiences can come together - implantable and wearable bioelectronics, where materials, devices, fabrication, sensing, biology, and ultimately human needs meet. 

Maybe I was not changing directions all those years.

Maybe I was simply collecting the pieces.

I am genuinely happy to have refined my research direction. All the patience, persistence, and willingness to explore new areas have finally paid off. Little by little, all those years are beginning to make sense. I found the path I had been searching for. I am grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I have been fortunate to build upon, from my undergraduate studies to where I am today.

One of my strengths, I think, is knowing what skills I need to learn and develop next. Rather than simply following one fixed path, I have always tried to identify the gaps in my knowledge and find the next skill or experience that could help me move forward. Now that I have a clearer vision of my PhD direction, I can also imagine the skills I want to develop during those years. 

Another strength is patience. I have never let time, speed, or pace define me. I have learned not to measure my progress by how quickly others seem to be moving. What I envision for myself, I try to act on. Truly, I am brave enough to find my own way. I have also learned to receive whatever happens along the way with a positive perspective. Not everything turns out as expected, but I try to find something meaningful in each experience and carry it forward.

Recently, I have had some encouraging research results. They may not be something big, but they are meaningful to me and certainly favorable for my PhD applications.

Sometimes, you quietly become better in ways that are difficult to recognize while they are happening. I think that is what I am beginning to realize now.

Perhaps the skills you patiently developed when you were younger do not always show their value immediately. You keep learning, trying, failing, and moving forward. And then, one day, you realize that the things you have been cultivating for years are beginning to flourish. Perhaps now is simply their time to bloom.

My university held a career fair some time ago, and they had a lucky draw where everyone had a chance to win a gift. Guess what? I was the very first number they called - and I won a pair of Bluetooth wireless earphones!

I honestly couldn't believe it because I have never won anything from this kind of event before. I had to walk up onto the stage and receive them myself. LOL.

It was such a small and random thing, but somehow it made me smile. After all the years of working, trying, failing, and waiting for things to come together, I couldn't help but wonder: maybe the universe is sending me a little message "Maybe things are finally beginning to bloom"

Hanoi, September 09, 2026