Grid people

 
Uthayopas, Putchong

Putchong Uthayopas

Name: Putchong Uthayopas

Age: 44

Project: Thai National Grid

Position: Director

Institution: Thai National Grid Center, SIPA/MICT, Thailand

Nationality: Thai

First computer: I start programming in BASIC on CASIO FX702P. Then, Apple II Plus with Applesoft basic. I had a lot of fun hacking Appl

Favourite IT technology: Distributed and parallel computing. I am fascinated by computers and people far, far away can really talk.

   
  I am trying to bring Thailand into the grid and HPC realm. I learned that moving the whole nation is a very challenging job.
 
  I have been in HPC since 1997. Grid seems to be a natural evolution. The idea of having a single large system that serve the whole humanity is interesting. Isaac Asimov used to imaging one machine called “Multivac” to do it. I guess we are building multivac again, in a distributed way. I really want to be part of it.
 
I started by being an electrical engineer. When my dad purchased our first computer (Apple II Plus), I fell in love. I did programming all the time and flunked two classes because of that. Therefore, I decided to go for my Masters and PhD in computer engineering.
 
I just wanted to have fun and hoped to go to a good university. Luckily, I ended up in the best engineering school in my country. That’s where the dream started.
 
With grid and HPC, I help getting people to tap into the power of computing they never imagined could exist. It is really great to see people producing much greater work, faster. I dream that, through these people, I can help to make our world and life around us a little bit better.
 
Seeing people doing fun and innovative things around me, while I am doing Powerpoint.
 
I like history, literature, watching movies, listening to soft music. I am really interested in understanding people. Through history, you can see the greatness in humanity. It is amazing how nations rise to glory and decline quickly. In Asia, you have a few thousand years of history from many great nations to study.
 
Life is a long journey. So, I hope to be a little better person next year. For my project, we are in an expansion phase. I see a lot of exciting things coming, especially in ways to empower local industry with grid and HPC technology.
 
My mom wanted me to be a medical doctor; I ended up being a computer scientist because of my choice. So, the choice for my child is not mine to make. All I hope for my child is that he becomes what he wants to be and makes enough money to live a comfortable life.
 
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a scientist. I am now a computer scientist. When I grow up 10-12 years from now, I want to have a small bookshop, sipping tea and selling books. I also want to write a children’s book on culture, history and technology. When we are older, all we can contribute to the next generation is our life experiences.
 
 
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