Held in Vietnam, it was a successful week of collaboration among students

The IEEE NPSS School on Advanced Topics in Medical Imaging was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from 12-19 August 2025. The school was hosted at the University of Science, Vietnam National University–Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM).

It was a resounding success, bringing together talented students for an immersive week of learning, collaboration, and hands-on exercises.

The school was jointly organized by the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS) and VNU-HCM University of Science, featuring a program designed to integrate lectures and hands-on exercises on hybrid PET/CT and PET/MR imaging.

Almost 100 applications were received through the NPSS School webpage (link below). Each application was carefully reviewed and scored by the school organizers, resulting in the selection of 35 students (female/male ratio of 12/23). The evaluation considered the applicants’ academic background, personal motivation, and future career plans in medical imaging.

“The school was an invaluable experience for me. Not only did I gain precious knowledge from outstanding lectures and hands-on sessions, but I also had the chance to connect with inspiring professors and friends from different countries. These days have given me motivation, encouragement, and unforgettable memories.” ~Bui Thi Hong (Student)

The selected participants represented a diverse academic spectrum, including undergraduate and graduate (master’s and PhD levels) students, as well as medical physicists. They came from Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, and Taiwan, reflecting the school’s regional reach and its mission to foster capacity building in medical imaging.

Lectures and Topical Overviews

The school offered a well-balanced combination of lectures and topical overviews, providing participants with both fundamental knowledge and insights into the latest developments in medical imaging. In particular, the lectures covered a broad range of topics, including hybrid PET and SPECT imaging, image reconstruction, kinetic modeling, artificial intelligence applications, radiopharmaceutical dosimetry, computed tomography, and emerging total-body PET technologies.

Each topic was accompanied by practical hands-on exercise sessions, allowing students to connect theory with application. The complete School program is available at: https://indico.global/event/6870/

“In my many years of involvement in education and training of medical physicists, this is the first time that in only 6 short days, the students and teachers bonded so closely. There was a welcoming and warm atmosphere all around.” ~Prof. Agnette Peralta

The school featured a multidisciplinary team of nine-member international faculty from 7 different countries, namely: Simon Cherry, Roger Fulton, Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Martin Grossmann, Steve Meikle, Masaharu Nomachi, Andrew Reader, and Youngho Seo, with remote support by Patrick Le Du.

Instructors (from left) top row: Simon Cherry, Youngho Seo, Martin Grossmann; bottom row: Roger Fulton, Andrew Reader and Steve Melkle

We want to acknowledge the great support received by the local team from VNU-HCM University of Science. The team, led by Dr. Hoang Thi Kieu Trang made sure everything was running smoothly and provided all the necessary material. Also, their involvement in the organization of the school made it possible with the result of an outstanding week.

“Eight days, including arrival and departure, may not seem long, but it was more than enough to revive my spirit. Before this, there were too many things that drained my motivation, and I lost my passion for many things… until I met everyone. Getting to know the teachers, friends, and colleagues who are on the same journey as me was incredible. They are all so talented, having worked hard to reach their positions today. I truly realized and regained so much, especially the energy and motivation everyone brought into my life, which strengthened my resolve for everything I am currently doing and will do in the future.” ~ Lê Tuấn Anh, 4th-year Medical Physics student at the University of Science, VNU-HCM

In terms of exercises, each day offered dedicated sessions that allowed students to practice and reinforce the concepts introduced in the lectures. These sessions included:

• Individual laptop work: participants used materials prepared by the lecturers to complete exercises, including kinetic modeling for PET, basic radiopharmaceutical dosimetry, and AI-based image reconstruction using Python programs. These sessions provided an excellent opportunity for students to apply their newly learned skills and strengthen their understanding through hands-on problem solving.
• Two hands-on experiments: Participants were divided into groups to perform photon-counting measurements with SiPMs and to carry out practical sessions using the EasyPET system, gaining valuable experience in detector operation and data acquisition. These hands-on activities were a highlight of the school, allowing students to deepen their understanding of the physics behind medical imaging. By connecting theoretical knowledge with practical applications, the students greatly enjoyed the experiments, which enhanced both their technical skills and enthusiasm for the subject.

Visit to the Hospital

Teachers and participants had the opportunity to enjoy a full-day visit to the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, the largest oncology hospital in southern Vietnam, where participants gained valuable first-hand exposure to real-world clinical imaging practice. The instructors demonstrated various validation tests and QA procedures for the Linac, PET/CT, and SPECT systems. These sessions gave students a clearer picture of how the technologies are used in real hospital settings.

To wrap up the visit, the hospital staff organized a small contest for the students. The top three scorers received small gifts, and everyone had a great time!

Student Presentation

On the final day, students took the stage to give short presentations—sharing their research, highlights from their eventful week at the school, and the results of their hands-on exercises. The session was filled with enthusiasm and creativity, reflecting how much everyone had gained from the program.

As the final part of the program, we had a joyful farewell party. Each participant received a certificate in recognition of their effort and active participation throughout the school. We also held a fun photo contest, awarding students who captured the best moments. It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter, celebration, and lasting memories.

We are also pleased to highlight that one of the participants, Andrea Alipio (Medical Physicist from San Juan de Dios Hospital, the Philippines), was awarded the IEEE NPSS “School to Conference Initiative Travel Grant” for her outstanding participation during the school. This grant will support her attendance at the upcoming 2026 IEEE NSS/MIC Conference in Granada, Spain. This is a unique opportunity for her as it will allow her to build collaborations and learn from leading researchers in the field, while boosting her motivation to pursue a career in the field.

“It is often said that a great teacher or speaker is one who can present complex issues in a way that non-specialists can grasp. I was fortunate to meet you all and to be able to follow your impressive presentations. I felt truly encouraged by the professors’ warmth and generosity – from sharing expertise to even offering support with equipment and funding. Even though my field is different, I still felt connected, especially during the evening full of laughter with professors and students. Meeting is fate, but keeping the bond depends on our hearts. So, I believe this spirit will keep us moving forward together in education and dedication.” ~ Phan Nguyen Ai Nhi

In summary, the NPSS School on Advanced Topics in Medical Imaging was a great opportunity to strengthen the connection between IEEE NPSS and Vietnam, while encouraging young participants to explore exciting career paths in medical imaging and radiation sciences.

The school also featured an IEEE Women in Engineering event, see the separate article by Andrea González-Montoro and Hoang Thi Kieu Trang in this Newsletter.

Late-breaking News

Participants and teachers from 4 EduCom schools met at NSS-MIC-RTSD in Yokohama. The conference attendance of Vepy Asyana (Indonesia) and Giulia Giulia Tosetti (Italy) was sponsored by the “School To Conference” award.

“I had the honor of participating in the IEEE NSS MIC RTSD conference in Yokohama, thanks to the award I received at the IEEE NPSS Prague EduCom International Summer School. These two opportunities gave me the chance to expand my knowledge not only in my own research field but also in other interesting areas, to meet and to discuss with outstanding researchers, and to make new friends! They also inspired me to continue pursuing my research career with motivation and taught me the value and the importance of being part of an international scientific community.” ~Giulia Tosetti

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to join this wonderful conference. I feel very fortunate to have participated in such a great event. Thank you to the entire IEEE NPSS committee for providing this valuable travel award. I truly enjoyed the conference and learned so many new things that I didn’t know before. It has been a great experience and, I hope, the beginning of my journey to further develop my career in medical imaging, especially in PET scan and AI.” ~Vepy Asyana

Tzu-Hsiang Lin, PhD student at National Tsing Hua University, can be reached by email at [email protected]

Martin Grossmann, NPSS EduCom Chair, can be reached by E-mail at [email protected]