Randy Pausch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Randy Pausch
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| Born |
Randolph Frederick Pausch
October 23, 1960 |
| Died | July 25, 2008 (aged 47) |
| Cause of death | Pancreatic cancer |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater | Brown University B.S.'82, Carnegie Mellon University PhD.'88 |
| Known for | Creator of Alice software project Cofounder of CMU's Entertainment Technology Center Virtual Reality Research with Disney Imagineers Inspirational speeches regarding life #1 best-selling book Battle with cancer |
| Spouse(s) | Jai Glasgow |
| Children | Dylan Pausch Logan Pausch Chloe Pausch |
| Awards | Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education Award for Outstanding Contributions to Computer Science Education Fellow of the ACM Time's Time 100 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer science Human Computer Interaction |
| Institutions | Carnegie Mellon University University of Virginia |
| Doctoral advisor | Alfred Spector |
Randolph Frederick Pausch (October 23, 1960 – July 25, 2008) was an American professor. He taught computer science and human–computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh. He became famous for his inspiring "Last Lecture" speech. This speech was about achieving your childhood dreams, even when facing tough challenges.
In 2006, Randy Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. By August 2007, doctors told him he had only a few months of good health left. Despite this, he gave an amazing lecture on September 18, 2007. This talk, called "The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", became very popular online. It also led to a best-selling book, The Last Lecture. Randy Pausch passed away from cancer on July 25, 2008, when he was 47 years old.
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Randy Pausch's Early Life
Randy Pausch was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in Columbia, Maryland. After finishing high school, he went to Brown University. There, he earned his bachelor's degree in computer science in 1982. He then continued his studies at Carnegie Mellon University. He received his Ph.D. in computer science in 1988. During his studies, he also worked briefly at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center and Adobe Systems.
Computer Science Career
From 1988 to 1997, Randy Pausch taught computer science. He was a professor at the University of Virginia. During this time, he also worked for a while at Walt Disney Imagineering and Electronic Arts. In 1997, he returned to Carnegie Mellon University. There, he became a professor of computer science and design.
In 1998, he helped start CMU's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). He also created a popular course called "Building Virtual Worlds." He taught this course for ten years. Randy Pausch also worked as a consultant for companies like Google. He helped them with how people use their computer programs. He also created the Alice software project. This program helps young people learn computer programming.
Randy Pausch received many awards for his work. In 2007, he got two awards from the ACM. These awards recognized his great contributions to computer science education. He was also named a Fellow of the ACM in 2007. He wrote or co-wrote five books and over 70 articles.
Randy Pausch's Health Journey
Randy Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006. He had surgery, but it did not stop the disease. In August 2007, doctors told him his health would decline. He then moved his family to Chesapeake, Virginia, to be near his wife's family.
In March 2008, he spoke to the U.S. Congress. He asked for more money to be spent on cancer research. He passed away from pancreatic cancer at his home on July 25, 2008. He was 47 years old. He is remembered by his wife, Jai, and their three children, Dylan, Logan, and Chloe.
The "Last Lecture" Speech
Randy Pausch gave his famous "Last Lecture" at CMU on September 18, 2007. The lecture was called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." He later gave a shorter version of this speech on The Oprah Winfrey Show. This type of lecture asks professors to share their most important life lessons. They imagine it's their last chance to speak.
A large crowd of over 400 people came to hear him speak. They gave him a long standing ovation. During his talk, Randy shared many inspiring life lessons. He even did push-ups on stage! After his lecture, Electronic Arts announced a scholarship in his honor. This scholarship helps women studying computer science.
The president of CMU, Jared Cohon, praised Randy's impact. He announced that CMU would build a pedestrian bridge named after Randy. This bridge connects the computer science building and the arts center. It symbolizes how Randy connected these two areas. The Randy Pausch Memorial Footbridge was opened on October 30, 2009.
The Last Lecture Book
Randy Pausch co-wrote a book based on his speech. It was called The Last Lecture. A reporter from The Wall Street Journal, Jeffrey Zaslow, helped him write it. The book became a New York Times best-seller in April 2008.
The book shares more stories and thoughts than the speech. Over 4.5 million copies have been sold in the U.S. alone. It has also been translated into 46 languages. Randy said he didn't want the book to become a movie. He felt the lecture already showed the story well.
Media Attention
Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture" quickly gained worldwide attention. It became a huge hit on the internet. Millions of people watched it in the first month. He was named "Person of the Week" by ABC News in September 2007. He also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2007.
In October 2007, Randy got to spend a day with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was a dream he had as a child, which he mentioned in his lecture. In April 2008, ABC aired a special TV show about him. It was called "The Last Lecture: A Love Story For Your Life."
Other Talks and Appearances
Randy Pausch gave other talks too. In November 2007, he spoke about time management at the University of Virginia. In March 2008, he appeared in a public service announcement. He also spoke to Congress to support cancer research.
In May 2008, he made a surprise return to Carnegie Mellon. He gave a speech at the graduation ceremony. He also appeared on the show Good Morning America. His "Last Lecture" was even nominated for a YouTube Video Award in 2007.
Randy was a big fan of Star Trek. The director, J. J. Abrams, invited him to be in the 2009 Star Trek movie. Randy accepted and filmed a small part. He even had a line of dialogue! He donated his paycheck from the movie to charity.
Honors and Tributes
- On November 19, 2007, the Pittsburgh City Council declared it "Dr. Randy Pausch Day."
- In May 2008, Time magazine listed Randy as one of the "World's Top-100 Most Influential People."
- He was named Pittsburgher of the Year in 2008.
- On May 30, 2008, he received a letter from then-President George W. Bush. The letter thanked him for inspiring young people.
- On February 4, 2009, The Walt Disney Company placed a tribute plaque at Walt Disney World. It has a quote from Randy: "Be good at something; It makes you valuable ... Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome."
- Disney also created the Disney Memorial Pausch Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University. This helps two graduate students each year.
- A pedestrian bridge at CMU is named after Randy Pausch. It connects the computer science building and the arts center. This shows how he connected these two different fields.
See also
In Spanish: Randy Pausch para niños
