This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with leading professionals.

In this blog series, we talk with Nuo Yan a leading technology authority and Microsoft Most Valuable Professional.

Thank you and Enjoy!
Stephen Ibaraki, FCIPS, I.S.P., MVP
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Stephen: Nuo, at the young age of 20, you are making many significant contributions to the industry and profession. We thank you for taking the time to share your talent, deep insights, and experiences with our audience.

Nuo: You are welcome. With great passion for computer technology, it's my pleasure to do what I've done so far in the industry.

Stephen: There's an estimated 200 million ICT professionals worldwide, more than 3500 are nominated and selected for their outstanding technology/community contributions as Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) from 90+ countries and in more than 90 technologies. MVPs are an independent body of leading, top-ranking global experts and much like "Fellows" found in many organizations recognized for their excellence. From this initial 200 million, five MVPs were specially chosen to be profiled with Chairman Gates, VP Kaplan, and GM O'Driscoll in the MVP virtual pressroom, for the invitation-only 2007 MVP Global Summit. You are the youngest from this group of five, and though currently resident in the US, the only one originally from the EMEA and Asia region. Congratulations on this unique honour!

Nuo: Thanks a lot! It's really my honor to be profiled in the virtual pressroom. I will keep doing what I have done and keep contributing to the computer industry as much as I can.

Stephen: In 2003, you were the youngest MVP in China at 16. Can you describe your work at that time and what prompted your interest in Microsoft technologies?

Nuo: When I was 9 years old, my parents bought a computer for me. It was the first time I had ever used a computer and I really enjoyed it. I began studying by buying and reading books. Within a few years years, I not only learned how to be a power user, but I also tried to learn computer programming. As an elementary school student (and later as a middle school student), I encountered many problems in the learning process but there was no one around me who could help (because no people in my family are in the computer industry). I began looking on the internet for someone to help me, and finally I found the Microsoft online community. I asked a lot of questions there and some people, (who marked themselves as MVPs), answered and really helped me a lot in my learning process. So I thought, if at some time I had the ability to help others, I would do so. In 2002, (when I was a high school student), I thought I was ready to help others, so I began answering others' questions on the Microsoft newsgroup. In 2003, I was awarded to be an MVP.

Stephen: You are now a student at the University of Washington in Seattle. What do you hope to achieve and where do you want to make your contributions?

Nuo: First of all, as an MVP, IT Pro or developer, I've done a lot of applications with computer technology, so here I want to learn more about computer (and computational) theory. Then I will try to represent Microsoft technologies on campus. I'm an officer of the Microsoft Student User Group in our school. We sometimes hold events to present new technologies. When I complete my study here, I want to continue to contribute to the software industry. I think I will continue to improve.

Stephen: What do you hope to accomplish with the nonprofit technical community, Diyinside?

Nuo: Diyinside is a non-profit user group or community in China. We have some MVPs who are enthusiastic for Microsoft technologies. We don't have a formal website at this time (though some years ago we hosted a technical site). What we would do is to author books together, to share our knowledge.
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Look for more with Nuo in the next blog.

I also encourage you to share your thoughts here on these interviews or send me an e-mail at sibaraki@cips.ca.
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