Thi Hoa Vu: A Resilient Path to One Health Excellence

“The SEAOHUN fellowship at ILRI is a precious opportunity, which has not only enhanced my knowledge and research skills in the One Health approach but also has connected me to the One Health network with leading scientists and experts all over the world.”

Thi Hoa Vu was one of SEAOHUN’s 2022 Fellows and previously lectured at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF) in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam. Her One Health journey began in 2016 while completing the Master of Environment postgraduate program at the University of Melbourne (UM). Hoa had high One Health career expectations after completing her master’s degree and was eager to pursue a PhD. Unfortunately, she was denied several PhD scholarship opportunities after a three-year gap due to maternity leave post-graduation. In her application to the 2022 SEAOHUN Fellowship Program, she explained her circumstances and expressed the desire to help advance the One Health agenda through her teachings at TUAF. After much anticipation, Hoa was selected and matched with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Vietnam, a worldwide leader in food and global health security.

Thi Hoa Vua was assigned to work on the CGIAR Initiative on Protecting Human Health through a One Health Approach and the ICT4Health project funded by the Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. She was a valuable team member and supported both projects across a broad spectrum of activities. Hoa assisted with launching the kick-off workshop to initiate the projects’ implementation and participated in a wildlife farm field site visit. Additionally, she performed data analysis on field surveys regarding COVID-19’s effect on animal consumption in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Through these activities, she gained practical experience and engaged with high-profile ILRI partners like the Vietnam One Health University Network (VOHUN), Thai Nguyen province Center for Disease Control (CDC), and her previous employer TUAF.

Hoa described her SEAOHUN Fellowship experience at ILRI as a “precious opportunity.” The fellowship enhanced her One Health knowledge base and research skills while expanding her global network of One Health peers and mentors. As a result of her hard work and dedication during the fellowship period, Thi Hoa Vu was finally awarded a scholarship to pursue a PhD and began her studies at Deakin University, Australia, in December 2022.