LSU PhD Candidate Phong Dang selected as a 2025 Quad Fellow
The Institute of International Education (IIE) Quad Fellowship announced that LSU PhD candidate Phong Dang is one of 37 students selected as a 2025 Quad Fellow. Now in its third year, the Quad Fellowship supports exceptional master's and doctoral students pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the United States and, for the first time, in Japan.
“We are extremely proud of Phong for being awarded this prestigious fellowship,” said LSU Roy P. Daniels Professor Jerry Draayer and 2021 LSU PhD alumnus David Kekejian, Founder and COO at Quantum CodeX. “This recognition highlights his dedication and creativity to science as a young researcher and an individual who is well-poised to make major game changing impacts across the fields of low-energy nuclear physics. Phong is brilliant, self-driven and an inspiring leader. His achievements to date clearly reflect on his individual excellence, exceptional scholarship, perseverance and international vision for advancing scientific knowledge worldwide. Congrats Phong!”
Dang, originally from Vietnam and 2023 BS in physics alumnus from the University of Debrecen, is part of the Nuclear Theory and Computational Physics group at LSU. His research explores one of nature’s most fundamental questions: how the strong nuclear force binds protons and neutrons to form atomic nuclei—the essential building blocks of matter. He is particularly interested in how symmetry principles, when combined with cutting-edge computational tools, can reveal deep, underlying patterns in the structure of nuclei across the nuclear chart.
Dang is currently leading the development of a next-generation interactive platform designed to make large-scale nuclear structure models more accessible, efficient, and transparent. This project pushes the frontiers of theoretical nuclear physics by combining group-theoretical methods, high-performance computing, and modern numerical techniques. His goal is to provide a tool that not only advances our understanding of nuclear systems but also connects theoretical outputs to open questions in nuclear astrophysics—such as how heavy elements are synthesized in stars and other astrophysical sites.
“I would like to acknowledge my advisor Dr. Jerry Draayer, Dr. William Shelton, Dr.
Michela Negro, Dr. Catherine Deibel from LSU, Dr. David Kekejian from Quantum CodeX
and Dr. József Cseh from Institute for Nuclear Research in Hungary for their support
and help during my application,” said Dang.
As an early-career researcher, Dang is deeply committed to international collaboration.
He has co-authored publications with scientists across the United States, Europe,
and Asia, and believes strongly in the power of open, interdisciplinary research to
drive scientific discovery and innovation.
In addition, Dang is currently president of Astronomy on Tap-Baton Rouge, and a student
ambassador of the American Physical Society, plus he initiated the APS chapter at
LSU in 2024.
Dang has recently been elected the International Student Affairs Officer of the APS
Forum on Graduate Student Affairs. Stepping into this new role, he is working with
colleagues across the APS to advocate for international students in the US and strengthen
their representation in the physics community.
The Quad Fellowship, an initiative of the governments of the Quad countries and administered by IIE, continues to strengthen connections among the next generation of scientists and technologists. Designed to support academic excellence and promote academic collaboration, the program brings together talented students from the Quad and Southeast Asian countries to form a dynamic network of innovators equipped to tackle global challenges and drive scientific progress. Administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) — a global not-for-profit organization that manages many of the world’s most prestigious scholarship and fellowship programs — the Fellowship remains a cornerstone initiative for advancing international cooperation in STEM.
Initially supporting students from the four Quad countries, Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, the program expanded in 2024 to include students from ten Southeast Asian countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. This year the Fellowship has further broadened its reach by welcoming its inaugural Japan-based cohort — 12 Fellows who will undertake graduate studies at renowned universities in Japan. These 12 Fellows will join 25 U.S.-based Fellows studying at leading universities across the United States. This expansion reflects the Quad countries’ deepening commitment to academic collaboration and cross-cultural exchange in STEM across all Quad countries.
Each 2025 Quad Fellow will receive a stipend to assist with their academic expenses. Throughout the Fellowship year, Fellows will participate in curated programming and networking opportunities with leaders in STEM, public policy, and civil society. Upon completing the Fellowship, they will join the growing community of Quad Senior Fellows — a global network dedicated to advancing scientific collaboration and innovation and driving positive global impact.
The complete list of selected Quad Fellows is available on the program website at: www.quadfellowship.org.
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Mimi LaValle
Louisiana State University
Department of Physics & Astronomy
225-439-5633
mlavall@lsu.edu