Entomologist from Vietnam gains global perspective at Virginia Tech

Tran Thi My Hanh and Muni Muniappan host a booth at Hokie BugFest.

Tran Thi My Hanh hoped the semester she is spending in Blacksburg improving her English at the Language and Culture Institute's Intensive English Program and studying entomology would help her combat the pests and pesticides that keep her native Vietnam from thriving in global markets.

She is finding, however, that her semesterlong stay is teaching her even more.

“Coming from Vietnam, I can really say that Virginia Tech is known around the world,” said Hahn, who is the deputy head of plant protection at the Southern Horticultural Research Institute in Vietnam. “While here, I have improved my listening, speaking, and writing skills. I have also gained access to new books and can read entomology articles much easier now, which will benefit my work helping smallholder farmers manage their crop threats.”

Read more about Hanh's journey.