ICMIT 2026: Over 100 Leading Materials Scientists Convene at VinUniversity

More than 100 scientists from over 20 countries came together to discuss the latest ideas and solutions in materials technology, connecting interdisciplinary perspectives on some of today’s most pressing topics – including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, energy, and healthcare.

Hanoi, Vietnam – From June 10 to 12, 2026, the Center for Materials Innovation and Technology (CMIT) at VinUniversity, the Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VinIF), the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), and VinFast co-organized the 1st International Conference on Materials Innovation and Technology (ICMIT 2026). Held at VinUniversity, the conference brought together more than 100 leading materials scientists from around the world alongside representatives from pioneering technology companies at home and abroad. Through ICMIT 2026, VinUniversity reaffirms its commitment to serving as a venue for high-level academic exchange, building global collaboration networks, and developing an ecosystem to address challenges shaping the development of both Vietnam and the world.

ICMIT 2026 was co-chaired by Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov (National University of Singapore – NUS), recipient of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics and Co-Founder and Director of the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (i-FIM) at NUS, and Professor Phan Manh Huong (Director of CMIT, VinUniversity), a Top 1% scientist worldwide in materials science who has long carried the aspiration of serving as a strong bridge bringing world-class scientific expertise back to contribute to his homeland.

The conference offered a multidisciplinary academic space spanning materials science, engineering, physics, chemistry, and biology, featuring more than 100 scientific presentations and discussion sessions, alongside exhibition spaces where businesses and researchers exchanged solutions to market-facing challenges directly. The program also included an in-depth “Meeting with Editors” session, giving Vietnamese scientists and students the opportunity to engage with editors from highly regarded international journals, with the aim of elevating the country’s international publication record.

Notably, the conference featured seven in-depth presentations on the latest development trends in applied materials science across fields including healthcare, energy, artificial intelligence, and the green transition:

• Professor Seeram Ramakrishna (Tsinghua University, China) opened the plenary session series with “Towards Intelligent Wearables and Systems.” Framing the science within the context of major contemporary challenges, he discussed a new era of preventive healthcare technology, in which wearable devices will become closely integrated with the body to monitor health and forecast disease signals.
• Professor Laura Lewis (Northeastern University, USA) examined global technology supply chains in her presentation “Rare-Earth Materials: Research Trends and External Drivers.” The talk situated magnetic materials research within the broader context of shifting global supply chains and the prospects for Vietnam to become an innovation hub for the green transition.
• Professor Gyeng Chul Kim (VINA Tech Energy Solutions, South Korea) presented “Korea’s Escape from the Middle-Income Trap and Implications for Vietnam.” Having held key roles in public service in South Korea, he shared valuable experience on innovation-driven economic development and the cultivation of core technologies.
• Professor Kuan-Neng Chen (ICST – National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan) addressed core challenges facing the semiconductor industry in “From Talent Cultivation to Advanced Packaging: Enabling AI and Semiconductor Innovations through 3D IC and Heterogeneous Integration.” Drawing on more than 20 years dedicated to 3D IC technology, Professor Chen recommended that Vietnam prioritize investment in talent development while expanding research and training collaboration with Taiwan in advanced semiconductor fields such as 3D IC, chiplets, and next-generation packaging technologies.
• Professor Nguyen Nam Trung (Griffith University) presented “Flexible Microfluidics and Electronics for Wearable Preventive-Care and Wellness Applications,” helping to map out current research as well as future development trends in advanced biomedical materials and AI-integrated smart sensors for critical applications in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
• Dr. Sami Mitra (American Physical Society, USA) closed the plenary session series with a practical talk, “Changing Landscape of Science Dissemination.” A veteran editor of Physical Review Letters, he shared candid insights into research publishing and how a piece of research can reach an audience and generate impact in the digital era.
• Professor Xiaodong Xu (University of Washington, USA) presented his research “Electron Fractionalization in Quantum Flatland: From Fundamentals of Physics to Future Computing,” which opens up new prospects for quantum computing.

Over the course of two working days, ICMIT 2026 generated numerous discussion spaces on the next breakthroughs in materials technology, with far-reaching impact across multiple fields:

• Semiconductors: Advancing research in advanced packaging and 3D IC heterogeneous integration to push past the physical limits of Moore’s Law and support the accelerated computing infrastructure of the new era.
• AI-Driven Technologies: Applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate the discovery of new materials (AI-driven materials discovery) and optimize complex material structures.
• Batteries & Clean Energy (Energy & Sustainable Materials): Advancing next-generation energy storage solutions; flexible ceramic (ribbon ceramic) separator technology for solid-state batteries that helps overcome the energy density and safety limitations of conventional lithium-ion batteries; along with advanced catalytic materials research for environmental applications.
• Rare Metals, Rare-Earth Materials, and Recycling Technologies: Discussions explored the role of precious metals and rare-earth materials in current and future technologies. Advances and challenges in synthesizing tetrataenite magnets as a rare-earth alternative were actively debated, alongside Vietnam’s significant potential in heavy rare-earth reserves for future technologies. Recycling technologies and solutions for precious metals and rare-earth elements used in battery materials and permanent magnets were also presented. This work helps inform Vietnam’s foundational research in rare-earth materials, as the country ranks 6th in the world for rare-earth reserves.
• Quantum Technology & Intelligent Materials: Exploring 2D quantum material structures and intelligent wearable device systems for preventive healthcare and human health protection.

Notably, outstanding papers from the conference will have the opportunity to undergo peer review and be published in the Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices (IF: 6.8) and Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (IF: 6.9). This also serves as a platform for advancing international training partnerships, preparing a workforce ready for the wave of high-tech investment, and shaping the development pathway for Vietnam’s strategic materials supply chain.

VinUniversity hopes that ICMIT 2026 will be the first building block of a sustainable academic community – one that continues to grow and deliver practical value. The university remains committed to building direct bridges between researchers in Vietnam and major global scientific centers, creating opportunities for joint research and the formation of reputable international projects, thereby helping to raise Vietnam’s profile on the world map of materials technology.