18-year-old becomes youngest professor ever, teaches engineering to students his own age
The students were teenagers – but then again, so was the professor.
As Nathan Thomas (USA, b. 9 September 2004) walked into COP 2270: C for Engineers at Miami Dade College in August 2023, he was met with a sea of faces roughly the same age as his own. Nevertheless undeterred, he commanded the room while guiding them through complex computing and programming lessons, teaching the class material that he learned when he was… well… younger than them.
Still, Nathan is a qualified teacher. He dual-enrolled in the very same college when he was 10 years old, before transferring to Florida International University when he was 14.
By 18 – the age in which most students would start their secondary education – he had already claimed his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Electrical Engineering, both of which (of course) were obtained with Honours.
Yet at a time in which most kids his age would be preparing to finally fly the nest, Nathan was actually starting his career. Returning to Miami Dade University at the age of 18 years and 346 days old, he officially became the youngest professor (male) ever, taking a title that was held for 306 years by 19-year-old Colin Maclaurin (1698-1746).
He was also 16 days younger than Alia Sabur (USA, b. 22 February 1989) when she claimed her title for the youngest professor (female) in 2008, at the incredible age of 18 years and 362 days.
“Once you’re in that setting, everyone’s there for the same reason, which is to learn,” said Nathan to GWR. “Age doesn’t really factor into that.
“I just focus on trying to do my job well and helping students in whatever way I can. If someone’s willing to put in the effort, that’s really all that matters to me.”
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Nathan has always loved learning, but he was particularly drawn to the field of STEM because maths was always the subject that “clicked.”
His parents are engineers, and he says he grew up around that way of thinking without even understanding how it was shaping him.
“[My mom] had a way of making things feel simple even when they weren’t, and I think some of that stuck with me more than I realized at the time,” he explained.
“Now, the part about teaching that I like most is watching something click for a student. You can kind of see it happen in real time, when a concept that felt impossible a few minutes ago suddenly makes sense.
“It’s a different kind of satisfaction than solving a problem yourself, almost like getting to relive that feeling through someone else,” he continued. “Teaching something forces you to understand it on a whole other level – so I end up learning just as much from it as the students do, if not more.”
This genuine love for learning has carried him far in life – particularly as he returns to higher education to obtain a juris doctor degree at the University of Miami School of Law.
With an eternal thirst for knowledge, Nathan is currently teaching online courses, while concurrently preparing to graduate with a law degree in 2028. He told The Reporter at Miami Dade College that he plans to work in the field of intellectual property law, with a focus on STEM.
“Engineering taught me how to break down complex problems in a structured way, and that’s carried over into how I approach law school now,” he said to GWR.
That said, Nathan is still a regular 21-year-old – and outside of school, he unwinds with sports and music like any other young adult. He loves playing basketball, tennis, and golf, and enjoys rooting for the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots. He also plays classical piano, yet prefers to turn his headphones on to Drake or EDM/house music when looking to unwind.
And despite his own impressive accomplishments, he will also be the first to encourage you to go at your own pace.
“Everyone’s path looks different, even if the goal looks similar from the outside,” he said. “It’s easy to fall into comparing your timeline to someone else’s, but really all that does is slow you down and get in your head.
“In my opinion, it’s better to figure out what actually works for you and stick with it, even when it feels slow. The results might not show up right away, but I truly believe they come with time if you keep showing up and putting in the work.”