Advancing Magnetic Science: Prof. Phan Mạnh Hưởng Elected APS Fellow 2025

VinUniversity proudly celebrates the election of Professor Phan Mạnh Hưởng, Director of the Center for Materials Innovation and Technology (CMIT), as a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), one of the most prestigious recognitions in the global physics community. Also recognized among the world’s top 2% most cited scientists (Elsevier, 2021–present), Professor Hưởng’s achievement reflects a lifelong dedication to research excellence, mentorship, and scientific collaboration across borders.

The APS Fellowship honors members who have made exceptional contributions to physics through research, application, leadership, and service. Each year, fewer than 0.5% of APS’s over 50,000 members are elected as Fellows, underscoring the rarity and international prestige of this recognition. In 2025, Professor Hưởng was nominated by the Topical Group on Magnetism and its Applications (GMAG) and officially elected by the APS Council of Representatives. His citation reads:

“For pioneering contributions to 2D magnetism, including the realization of tunable room-temperature ferromagnetism in van der Waals materials down to the monolayer limit, and for excellence in mentorship and international scientific cooperation.”

As the first Vietnamese physicist in the field of magnetism to receive this distinction, Professor Hưởng has made groundbreaking contributions that have reshaped our understanding of magnetic order in low-dimensional systems, one of the most profound frontiers in modern condensed matter physics.

One of his landmark studies, published in Advanced Science (Wiley), demonstrated for the first time tunable room-temperature ferromagnetism in van der Waals materials down to the monolayer limit, a discovery long pursued by the global scientific community. This breakthrough provides a missing piece to a decades-long puzzle: proving that magnetism can persist, and even be controlled, at the ultimate atomic thickness.

The implications of this work extend far beyond a single experiment. It unlocks a new design pathway for spintronics*, quantum computing, and next-generation energy-efficient devices. In conventional electronics, electrons are used for their electric charge, which creates current and powers circuits. Yet each electron also has another property: its “spin”, which can be thought of as a “tiny arrow” pointing up or down, representing two distinct states. By learning how to control these spin orientations, scientists can process and store information much faster, with minimal energy loss and heat generation. By demonstrating how to control magnetism at room temperature in two-dimensional materials, Professor Hưởng’s research paves the way for a new class of materials that power greener, smarter, and more sustainable technologies, advancing both quantum innovation and the global green transition.

At VinUniversity, Professor Hưởng leads the Center for Materials Innovation and Technology (CMIT), a research hub dedicated to quantum materials, spintronics, and sustainable technologies, including rare-earth innovations critical to the green transition. His vision is to build CMIT into a catalyst for scientific discovery, where global research meets local impact, and where young talents are empowered to advance materials science for a greener future.

Beyond research, Professor Hưởng embodies a profound belief in the power of science to transform nations. His vision aligns with VinUni’s mission to build a university of excellence in Vietnam; one that not only learns from the world but contributes to it, turning scientific curiosity into breakthroughs that contribute to the nation’s future.

“Being named an APS Fellow is not only a personal honor but also a reflection of the collaborative spirit and global engagement that drive modern physics,” shared Professor Hưởng.

Professor Hưởng’s election as an APS Fellow is a testament his dedication to modern physics and Vietnam’s growing voice in global science. It also reflects VinUni’s commitment to bring leading scientists and creating an environment where talents can thrive and contribute to building a lasting legacy of innovation for future generations.

Congratulations, Professor Phan Mạnh Hưởng. Your pioneering work has expanded the frontiers of magnetism. And now, your leadership at VinUni continues to inspire a new generation of scientists in Vietnam to pursue excellence and global impact.

*Spintronics: an advanced field of electronics that harnesses the spin (the intrinsic angular momentum) of electrons to store and process information, enabling faster, more energy-efficient devices and paving the way for quantum technologies.