Small wins, big steps: My journey as an early career researcher with SUMERNET

Phan Thanh Thanh, a researcher at the Institute for Human, Family and Gender Studies (IHFGS), shares her inspiring journey as SUMERNET's Steering Committee and an advisor to the SUMERNET Young Professionals (SYP).

By Phan Thanh - Jul 7, 2025

Small wins, big steps: My journey as an early career researcher with SUMERNET

Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh / Unsplash.

Hello! My name is Phan Thanh Thanh, a researcher at the Institute for Human, Family and Gender Studies (IHFGS), under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS). I completed my Ph.D. in Human Rights and Peace Studies at Mahidol University, Thailand, in 2023.

My research focuses on issues that deeply affect people’s lives: women’s rights, the right to a healthy environment, water rights, land rights, climate change adaptation from a gender perspective, and, most recently, nature-based solutions. I’m passionate about understanding and advocating for these interconnected topics, especially through collaborative, regional research.

Phan Thanh Thanh at SYP Vietnam event "Water Security in the Mekong Region: Looking to the Future". Photo: Variya Plungwatana / SEI Asia.

Finding my footing with SUMERNET and SYP

Since 2020, I’ve been involved with SUMERNET (Sustainable Mekong Research Network). In 2022, I was honored to join the Steering Committee as a young member and serve as an advisor to the SUMERNET Young Professionals (SYP). These platforms have been transformative for my early career.

Through SYP and SUMERNET, I’ve had the opportunity to:

Engage in insightful discussions with experts from diverse academic and professional backgrounds across the Mekong Region.
Participate in training sessions on publishing in international journals, proposal writing, and applying key research frameworks such as the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion).
Connect with researchers and practitioners from countries including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and China.

These experiences have not only strengthened my academic skills but also kept me updated on emerging research trends and donor expectations, essential for an early career researcher like me.

SUMERNET Annual General Meeting 2022. Photo: SEI Asia.

From training to action: Collaborating and learning

After returning to Vietnam in 2022, I continued collaborating with the SUMERNET network while resuming my work in Hanoi. In 2023 and 2024, I helped coordinate training events in Hanoi focused on environmental communication and water security, linking my institute with SUMERNET and SYP.

In 2024, I participated in the Mekong Think Tanks Program of SEI Asia, where I teamed up with a Cambodian organization to work on a research project exploring the water-energy-food-climate nexus. This project was a valuable learning experience and a great example of regional cooperation in action.

SYP Vietnam event "Water Security in the Mekong Region: Looking to the Future". Photo: Variya Plungwatana / SEI Asia.

A “small win” that means a lot

Collaboration has been central to my research journey. I regularly exchange grant opportunities with colleagues and former research partners, especially those I met through SUMERNET. One of these partnerships recently led to a meaningful milestone.

Together with partners from Thailand and Cambodia, I submitted a research proposal, and we secured the funding. I’m excited to share that we were awarded the 2024 Priority Social Science Research Grant by the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC).

For me, this grant is more than just financial support. It is a sign that small, consistent steps can lead to real progress. I see this as a “small win” that reflects years of learning, networking, and trying. I believe that my journey with SUMERNET has played a big role in making it possible

Final thoughts

If you're an early career researcher like me, my advice is simple: stay curious, keep building connections, and don’t be afraid to start small. The networks you build and the skills you develop today can open unexpected opportunities tomorrow.

Let’s keep learning and growing together!

Tags: research network, research, stories of change, young women, youth

Info

This story is part of the following project

SUMERNET 4 All: Engaging with water insecurity in the Mekong Region

Country

Vietnam

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