The French Academy of Sciences is one of the five academies under the French Institute founded in 1666 by Louis XIV to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. The Academy now has 350 members.

Born in Hanoi in 1937, Duong went to France in 1955 and studied at École Polytechnique (School of Polytechnic). He received the doctor of science diploma at École des mines (French School of Mines) in 1969.

He was elected to the Académie des sciences in 1995 and granted the Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur (the National Order of the Legion of Honour) by the French government in 2008.

Prof. Duong has assisted many Vietnamese to continue studies in France and is providing support for Vietnam’s project to build nuclear powerplant.