19 Feb Interview with the Rector, Prof. Ninoslav Marina and Manh Nguyen Duc
NM:
- You are the Rector of the University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle”, Ohrid and mentor of the master thesis of your student Manh Nguyen Duc. Why is his thesis authentic and how did the process went?
The master thesis of Manh Nguyen Duc has a great interest in the future technologies which will come with the fifth generation of technological standards for mobile networks, well-known as 5G. The concept is known as edge computing. In the frame of 5G standards, for the first time, we are not speaking only for one type of terminals as in 2G (mobile phone), 3G (internet mobile phone), and 4G (smartphone). This fifth generation of mobile networks connects more terminals, devices, sensors, autonomous machines, vehicles, aircraft, and submarines. All of them are part of the so-called Internet-of-Things (IoT). The idea of all devices to be connected and to create smart environments as smart cities, apartments, factories, etc. With so many devices, communication and big searches are hard for calculation in real-time, even impossible. In that way, instead of communicating with central servers that cover a specific area with a lot of devices and sensors, the idea is a bigger part of calculation and signal and data processing to be done by devices from the periphery. This concept is known as edge computing and in a big part speeds up processing and makes the multi-node network much faster and more efficient. Manh’s master thesis researches all aspects of the collaboration of these devices for more efficient calculation, with the help of small computers with a size of a credit card, called Raspberry Pi. The student was independent and motivated during the preparation of the thesis, though he worked on it in difficult conditions for communication due to the situation with today’s pandemic.
- How the University of Information Science and Technology works on creating this kind of students and what can you tell to all who are interested in studying at UIST?
Manh’s story is a good example that still lasts. He came from the distant, 100-million populated country of Vietnam and a city with approximately 10 million citizens to our beautiful Macedonia and our beautiful Ohrid, in a small university such as UIST. After finishing the master thesis Manh, has continued on doctoral studies at the Technical University of Berlin with Prof. Manfred Hauswirth, Head of the Department for Open Distributive Systems and Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS.
My message always refers to the fact that everyone who is motivated to learn new things and to succeed has no obstacles to pursue that. So, I encourage our talents to enroll at our university, where with the studies in English language will be immediately ready for the global labor market in developed countries. The advantage is that studies in English combined with IT skills, will make them competitive and able to work wherever they want in the world, as well as in every company in Macedonia that is in demand of their skills. Moreover, due to the nature of our area, UIST offers distance learning so that most of the courses can be followed online, without any difficulties. In addition to Manh’s success story, we have many other success stories of students who are now in different countries on almost every continent.
MND:
- Dear Duc, explain your experience, your education, expertise and career?
I am Manh Nguyen Duc, I come from Vietnam. I have graduated in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle” Ohrid, Macedonia in 2016. During my undergraduate studies, I had the privilege to explore the areas of Database Systems and Web Technology, and I also had the opportunity to perform an in-depth study on Semantic Web including the study of several related research papers. After graduating, I continued to pursue my Master studies in Information Science and Technology at the same university at the Faculty of Communication Networks and Security.
During the work on my Master thesis, I had the opportunity to research and accomplish three standard ranked publications in peer-reviewed international conferences. My first author publication is “Autonomous RDF Stream Processing for IoT Edge Devices” published in the Joint International Semantic Technology Conference. This publication also won the best paper runner up award, which I am most proud of in my research career. The other two co-author publications I have written are: the “RDF stream processing with CQELS framework for real-time analysis” published in the Proceedings of the 9th ACM International Conference on Distributed Event-Based Systems and the “Platform-Agnostic Execution Framework Towards RDF Stream Processing” published in the RDF Stream Processing Workshop at ESWC2015. Apart from that, I have also achieved many projects by this time and won many awards in respective fields.
During my Bachelor and Master studies at UIST, aside from the research and study, I also joined many IT hackathon contests and won the 2nd prize at the Codefest hackathon 2014 and 2nd prize at Codefest hackathon 2017 too.
In my research career, I had a great chance to work as an intern at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, NUI Galway, Ireland in 2014. The two co-author papers mentioned above are achieved on both individual and team-based research during the time I worked there. In 2019, along with the hard work and little luck, I got a full scholarship from Germany to work as a researcher at the Technical University of Berlin where I currently am.
- You have finished your master studies at the University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle”, Ohrid. How did you come there? Was that a difficult decision? What can you say about the experience there?
After graduating from high school, by some luck, I got the announcement about government scholarship from Macedonia via a friend. I found that this was a great opportunity for me to explore a new professional environment and also a good chance to get new experience in a new country, so I did not hesitate to apply for this scholarship. By the end of 2012 I got a letter of award from Macedonia for a full scholarship. Two weeks after that I traveled to Ohrid, Macedonia, and that is how I got there.
Living and studying in Ohrid is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The place with a peaceful landscape and full of historical background. People are friendly, and that made me feel like home. Moreover, the UIST is located near the Ohrid Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, so there is no reason to not love Ohrid.
- Compare Macedonia and your education in the field of science and technology?
The UIST is the first international university in Macedonia where English is the official language of instruction. Along with the innovative contemporary study programmes based on best practices of instruction used in some of the leading universities in Europe and the USA, so there is no doubt about the quality of education at UIST. All the knowledge along with the achievements that I’ve accomplished during my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at UIST, has brought me a great opportunity to work as a PhD Researcher at the Technical University of Berlin, the top-ranked university in Europe for Information Technology.
- What do you work on at the moment and how is UIST included?
I am currently working as a PhD Researcher at the Technical University of Berlin, my field of research is related to the Internet of Things. All the knowledge gained from the UIST has many applications in my research.
- Your future plans?
Currently, I am focusing on my research career to gain more knowledge and accomplish more achievements in my research career.
- What will you say to motivate other students similar to you?
“Use all your efforts, even when the possibilities play against you” – my favorite motivation quote from Arnold Palmer.
- What is your most valuable impression from Macedonia?
I have been in many places in Macedonia, but my most valuable impression is always Ohrid. The peaceful place with friendly people that made me feel like home from the first day I was there.
- You are the Rector of the University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle”, Ohrid and mentor of the master thesis of your student Manh Nguyen Duc. Why is his thesis authentic and how did the process went?
The master thesis of Manh Nguyen Duc has a great interest in the future technologies which will come with the fifth generation of technological standards for mobile networks, well-known as 5G. The concept is known as edge computing. In the frame of 5G standards, for the first time, we are not speaking only for one type of terminals as in 2G (mobile phone), 3G (internet mobile phone), and 4G (smartphone). This fifth generation of mobile networks connects more terminals, devices, sensors, autonomous machines, vehicles, aircraft, and submarines. All of them are part of the so-called Internet-of-Things (IoT). The idea of all devices to be connected and to create smart environments as smart cities, apartments, factories, etc. With so many devices, communication and big searches are hard for calculation in real-time, even impossible. In that way, instead of communicating with central servers that cover a specific area with a lot of devices and sensors, the idea is a bigger part of calculation and signal and data processing to be done by devices from the periphery. This concept is known as edge computing and in a big part speeds up processing and makes the multi-node network much faster and more efficient. Manh’s master thesis researches all aspects of the collaboration of these devices for more efficient calculation, with the help of small computers with a size of a credit card, called Raspberry Pi. The student was independent and motivated during the preparation of the thesis, though he worked on it in difficult conditions for communication due to the situation with today’s pandemic.
- How the University of Information Science and Technology works on creating this kind of students and what can you tell to all who are interested in studying at UIST?
Manh’s story is a good example that still lasts. He came from the distant, 100-million populated country of Vietnam and a city with approximately 10 million citizens to our beautiful Macedonia and our beautiful Ohrid, in a small university such as UIST. After finishing the master thesis Manh, has continued on doctoral studies at the Technical University of Berlin with Prof. Manfred Hauswirth, Head of the Department for Open Distributive Systems and Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS.
My message always refers to the fact that everyone who is motivated to learn new things and to succeed has no obstacles to pursue that. So, I encourage our talents to enroll at our university, where with the studies in English language will be immediately ready for the global labor market in developed countries. The advantage is that studies in English combined with IT skills, will make them competitive and able to work wherever they want in the world, as well as in every company in Macedonia that is in demand of their skills. Moreover, due to the nature of our area, UIST offers distance learning so that most of the courses can be followed online, without any difficulties. In addition to Manh’s success story, we have many other success stories of students who are now in different countries on almost every continent.
MND:
- Dear Duc, explain your experience, your education, expertise and career?
I am Manh Nguyen Duc, I come from Vietnam. I have graduated in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle” Ohrid, Macedonia in 2016. During my undergraduate studies, I had the privilege to explore the areas of Database Systems and Web Technology, and I also had the opportunity to perform an in-depth study on Semantic Web including the study of several related research papers. After graduating, I continued to pursue my Master studies in Information Science and Technology at the same university at the Faculty of Communication Networks and Security.
During the work on my Master thesis, I had the opportunity to research and accomplish three standard ranked publications in peer-reviewed international conferences. My first author publication is “Autonomous RDF Stream Processing for IoT Edge Devices” published in the Joint International Semantic Technology Conference. This publication also won the best paper runner up award, which I am most proud of in my research career. The other two co-author publications I have written are: the “RDF stream processing with CQELS framework for real-time analysis” published in the Proceedings of the 9th ACM International Conference on Distributed Event-Based Systems and the “Platform-Agnostic Execution Framework Towards RDF Stream Processing” published in the RDF Stream Processing Workshop at ESWC2015. Apart from that, I have also achieved many projects by this time and won many awards in respective fields.
During my Bachelor and Master studies at UIST, aside from the research and study, I also joined many IT hackathon contests and won the 2nd prize at the Codefest hackathon 2014 and 2nd prize at Codefest hackathon 2017 too.
In my research career, I had a great chance to work as an intern at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, NUI Galway, Ireland in 2014. The two co-author papers mentioned above are achieved on both individual and team-based research during the time I worked there. In 2019, along with the hard work and little luck, I got a full scholarship from Germany to work as a researcher at the Technical University of Berlin where I currently am.
- You have finished your master studies at the University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle”, Ohrid. How did you come there? Was that a difficult decision? What can you say about the experience there?
After graduating from high school, by some luck, I got the announcement about government scholarship from Macedonia via a friend. I found that this was a great opportunity for me to explore a new professional environment and also a good chance to get new experience in a new country, so I did not hesitate to apply for this scholarship. By the end of 2012 I got a letter of award from Macedonia for a full scholarship. Two weeks after that I traveled to Ohrid, Macedonia, and that is how I got there.
Living and studying in Ohrid is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The place with a peaceful landscape and full of historical background. People are friendly, and that made me feel like home. Moreover, the UIST is located near the Ohrid Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, so there is no reason to not love Ohrid.
- Compare Macedonia and your education in the field of science and technology?
The UIST is the first international university in Macedonia where English is the official language of instruction. Along with the innovative contemporary study programmes based on best practices of instruction used in some of the leading universities in Europe and the USA, so there is no doubt about the quality of education at UIST. All the knowledge along with the achievements that I’ve accomplished during my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at UIST, has brought me a great opportunity to work as a PhD Researcher at the Technical University of Berlin, the top-ranked university in Europe for Information Technology.
- What do you work on at the moment and how is UIST included?
I am currently working as a PhD Researcher at the Technical University of Berlin, my field of research is related to the Internet of Things. All the knowledge gained from the UIST has many applications in my research.
- Your future plans?
Currently, I am focusing on my research career to gain more knowledge and accomplish more achievements in my research career.
- What will you say to motivate other students similar to you?
“Use all your efforts, even when the possibilities play against you” – my favorite motivation quote from Arnold Palmer.
- What is your most valuable impression from Macedonia?
I have been in many places in Macedonia, but my most valuable impression is always Ohrid. The peaceful place with friendly people that made me feel like home from the first day I was there.
