Who is Nathan Thomas, the world’s youngest professor at age 18?

He earned the title after joining U.S.'s Miami Dade College as an adjunct engineering professor in August 2023.

The previous record belonged to Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin (1698–1746), who became a professor at age 19. Thomas was also 16 days younger than Alia Sabur when she became the world's youngest female professor in 2008 at 18 years and 362 days old, according to the Guinness World Record.

Thomas now 21, teaches engineering courses at Miami Dade College's Kendall Campus School of Engineering, Technology & Design.

"I am proud to have him as part of our staff," Manny Perez, dean of the School of Engineering, Technology & Design, told the college newspaper The Reporter. "I think anytime you have the opportunity to meet a person like Nathan, you realize that there is someone special...someone who can serve as an inspiration to our students."

Thomas said teaching classmates close to his own age never proved to be a challenge because everyone shared the same goal of learning.

"Once you're in that setting, everyone's there for the same reason, which is to learn," he told Guinness World Records. "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."

Nathan Thomas, became the youngest professor ever at the age of 18 years and 346 days old. Photo from Thomas's LinkedIn

Born to engineer parents, Thomas developed an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics from an early age. He said his mother played a key role in shaping the way he thinks about complex subjects.

"[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."

After earning a perfect score on his kindergarten readiness assessment, he was homeschooled from age five. His family transformed trips to more than 20 countries into learning opportunities, using museums, historical landmarks and everyday places as classrooms.

Thomas said mathematics was the subject that first "clicked," sparking his passion for STEM.

At age 10, he enrolled in dual-enrollment classes at Miami Dade College. Four years later, he earned an associate degree in mathematics, becoming the college's youngest graduate at the time. The record stood until April 2025, when his younger brother, Noah, broke it by graduating three months earlier.

He then completed bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering with honors at Florida International University before turning 19. In August 2023, he returned to Miami Dade College as an adjunct engineering professor, becoming the youngest professor in the institution's history.

He said he had long hoped to return to teach at the college, although he imagined it would happen much later in life. "I always thought about coming back and teaching one day," he said. "But when I said one day, I thought I meant when I was older...like a lot older."

His age continues to surprise many students. Perez said younger students are often amazed that their professor is about the same age as they are, while older students sometimes joked that he is young enough to be their son.

Thomas structures his classes around collaborative, project-based learning instead of relying heavily on lectures and homework, an approach inspired by the hands-on education his mother created for him.

He said the most rewarding part of teaching is seeing students understand concepts they had initially found difficult. Teaching, he added, also deepens his own understanding because explaining a subject requires mastering it more thoroughly.

Thomas is currently teaching online while pursuing a juris doctor degree at the University of Miami School of Law. He plans to specialize in intellectual property law with a focus on STEM-related fields, saying his engineering background has shaped the analytical approach he brings to legal studies.

Outside the classroom, he enjoys basketball, tennis and golf. He also plays classical piano and relaxes by listening to Canadian rapper Drake or electronic dance music.

Despite his record-breaking achievement, he encourages others to focus on their own journey rather than comparing themselves with others.

"Everyone's path looks different, even if the goal looks similar from the outside," he said.

"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."