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| The virtual museum, showcasing Champa relics and artifacts, is designed by the team to be compatible with multiple devices. Photo: Provided by the character |
Nurturing the love for culture
Growing up in the land of the Ancient Capital, Minh Thu has been nurturing her passion on national culture and local heritage since her young age. Even during her high school years, she began turning that passion into reality through creative research projects with practical values. Among them, the standout project “Preserving and Promoting the Values of Champa Culture for High School Students in Thua Thien Hue Province” (now Hue City) earned Minh Thu and her co-author, Phuong Anh, the Fourth Prize at the National Science and Engineering Fair for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Sharing about her inspiration for research, Thu said that most of her ideas stem from real-life experiences with cultural heritage. During a visit to an ancient ancestral temple of a Cham family in Hue, she was amazed by the exquisitely carved stone artifacts that not only reflected artistic craftsmanship but also embodied the unique spiritual beliefs of the Champa people. That experience inspired Thu to choose Champa culture as the focus of her first research project.
Building on that success, Minh Thu and her classmate Ngoc Thien launched a research project on the Nine Urns of the Nguyen Dynasty. Recalling her first time seeing the Nine Urns in Hue Imperial Citadel, Thu shared: “I was truly amazed to see how each carving felt so familiar to Vietnamese life, yet carried such deep meanings. Before, I had only learned about the Nine Urns and the Nguyen Dynasty through books, but seeing them in person brought an entirely different and unforgettable feeling. To me, this work not only reflects the artistic beauty of an era but also evokes a sense of national pride, revealing the harmony between Vietnam’s history, people, and nature”.
Telling stories of heritage with technology
While the project on Champa culture allowed the team to uncover rich historical values, Minh Thư’s group took a new approach with the Nine Urns project: Digitalizing heritage. The success of their previous work demonstrated how technology can powerfully amplify the presence and accessibility of cultural heritage. Beyond producing a booklet, website, and virtual exhibition, the team also experimented with innovative formats such as interactive maps, STEM-based artifact models, and historical comic books. These initiatives not only enhanced their abilities in content design, data management, and interface development but also laid the foundation for future advancements in 3D heritage digitization.
In their new project, the team expanded into multimedia products such as videos, podcasts, and infographics. Notably, the entire set of the Nine Urn, featuring 162 embossed designs, was digitized using detailed 3D scanning technology. This, became the foundation for creating a virtual exhibition space and developing interactive educational applications. Thanks to this effort, the Nine Urns are no longer static bronze structures but have become a “living heritage” - more accessible to the community and allowing even students in remote areas to experience and explore.
Thanks to the experience gained from the Champa project, the team was able to quickly develop a plan and prepare all necessary documents, ensuring an efficient research process. The biggest challenge they faced was data collection. To complete the 3D scanning of the entire Nine Urns, Minh Thu and Ngoc Thien had to visit Hue Imperial Citadel several times, dealing with a massive amount of data and high technical requirements. Fortunately, the team received professional support from Hue Monuments Conservation Center, from research materials to technical guidance, which helped the project proceed smoothly and accurately.
“After visiting the heritage sites many times for research, our team gradually became familiar faces to the staff there. Perhaps seeing our passion for research and our desire to preserve and promote cultural values, we always received enthusiastic support. Previously, our team had also demonstrated our capability and serious work ethic through various research products. Therefore, when we started this project, the organizations trusted us and were willing to support and accompany us,” Thu said.
During the project, the team also proactively collaborated with specialized organizations to receive feedback, adjust content, and refine their products. They received dedicated guidance from Mr. Tran Minh Duc, a teacher at Hai Ba Trung High School, who has accompanied Minh Thu through both projects. He closely monitored the team’s progress, providing timely feedback and adjustments. He guided, prompted, and encouraged the team to actively implement their ideas, while motivating each member to cultivate discipline and unleash their creativity at every stage of the project.
“Preserving and promoting cultural values is not only the responsibility of authorities and experts; young people like us can also contribute through fresh perspectives, creativity, and technology,” Thu shared.