Read about Jiayue Zeng

What brought you to a career in technology at the United Nations?

I used to serve as a data mining analyst in a technology company, where I found that data science could be applied in many different fields. Driven by a desire to leverage my data skills to contribute to positive social impact, I participated in the UN Young Professionals Programme, and eventually joined the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).

What has been your favorite technology project or initiative at the United Nations and why? What was your contribution?

I have been involved in many IT projects. I used R, SQL, and Python to process data and analyze data. Among these, my favorite project is the UN Datathon (https://unstats.un.org/bigdata/events/2023/un-datathon/), which aims at calling data professionals around the world to develop data-driven solutions to address the challenges associated with the Sustainable Development Goals. And I hope that more and more people can participate in the UN Datathon.

What advice would you give women interested in pursuing a field in technology?

Go and explore! Technology can be used in many different fields and industries. Pursue your interests and passions, and find the specific area that you want to devote to. Technology is for everyone. Have confidence in your abilities and believe that you can excel in it.