18-Year-Old From the US Sets New Record as Youngest Male Professor in 306 Years
Nathan Thomas has made history by becoming the world’s youngest male professor at just 18 years and 346 days. His remarkable academic journey saw him earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees before most students begin college.
At an age when many teenagers are just beginning college, Nathan Thomas from the United States has already made history. At just 18 years and 346 days old, he became the world’s youngest male professor, breaking a record that had stood for an incredible 306 years.
According to Guinness World Records (GWR), Nathan accepted an engineering teaching position at Miami Dade College in August 2023. He began teaching COP 2270: C for Engineers, often instructing students who were the same age as him.
Previous Record Holder
The previous record was held by Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin, who became a professor at the age of 19 more than three centuries ago. Nathan also became a professor 16 days younger than Alia Sabur, who set the record for the world’s youngest female professor in 2008.
Nathan’s academic journey has been extraordinary from the very beginning. He enrolled at Miami Dade College through a dual-enrolment programme when he was just 10 years old. By the age of 14, he had transferred to Florida International University, where he completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering with honours before turning 19.
Despite his young age, Nathan says teaching has never felt unusual once he steps into the classroom.
“Once you’re in that setting, everyone’s there for the same reason, which is to learn. Age doesn’t really factor into that,” he told Guinness World Records.
He added that his main goal is to help students succeed, regardless of their backgrounds or experience.
Nathan’s interest in STEM began early. With both of his parents working as engineers, he grew up surrounded by problem-solving and analytical thinking. He credits his mother for making complex concepts easier to understand, something that has influenced his own teaching style.
One of the most rewarding parts of teaching, Nathan says, is watching students finally understand a difficult concept.
Nathan Teaches, While Pursuing Law
Today, Nathan continues to teach online engineering courses while pursuing a law degree, which he expects to complete in 2028. He hopes to build a career in intellectual property law with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), combining his passion for engineering with the legal field.
Nathan’s achievement is a reminder that age is not always a measure of ability. His record-breaking journey has inspired many by showing what dedication, curiosity and a love for learning can accomplish.
Sahil Behl is an education journalist at Jagran with over a year of experience in journalism. Prior to joining Jagran, he worked as a Sub-Editor in NDTV's Education department, where he was responsible for writing and editing education-related content as well as managing the department's social media presence. At Jagran, he covers a wide range of education topics, including board examinations, school updates, admissions, and job notifications, while leveraging his editorial expertise and strong understanding of digital content strategy.
Sahil holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and has also completed an eight-month certification program in Data Science. Passionate about emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, he closely tracks their growing role in journalism and explores how they are transforming shaping the future of the media industry.
