From college at 10 to professor at 18: Nathan Thomas broke a 306-year-old record to become the world's youngest male professor

Most teenagers spend their 18th year choosing a college or adjusting to campus life. Nathan Thomas, meanwhile, was standing in front of a classroom, teaching engineering students almost his own age.

The Florida teen has now earned a place in the Guinness World Records after becoming the world's youngest male professor at the age of 18 years and 346 days, breaking a record that had stood for 306 years, according to a report by India Today.

Nathan joined Miami Dade College as an engineering instructor, where he teaches COP 2270: C for Engineers, a course that introduces engineering students to C programming and computational problem-solving. His achievement surpassed the record set by Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin, who became a professor at the age of 19 in 1717.

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Nathan's academic journey began long before most children even think about college. At just 10 years old, he enrolled at Miami Dade College through a dual-enrolment programme while continuing his school education.

By the age of 14, he had moved to Florida International University, where he completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Electrical Engineering with honours. Years later, he returned to the very college where he had once attended classes as a child, this time as a faculty member.

Teaching students

Teaching students who are only a few years younger than him has never been an issue for Nathan. He believes that learning is not determined by age but by curiosity and commitment. According to him, everyone enters the classroom for the same reason, to learn, improve and grow.

For Nathan, the most rewarding part of teaching is seeing students finally understand concepts they once found difficult.

Engineering runs in his family, and he has often credited his mother for making mathematics enjoyable and helping him build a strong foundation in science from an early age.

Engineering today, law tomorrow

Even after making history, Nathan's ambitions continue to grow. Alongside teaching, he is pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Miami School of Law and is expected to graduate in 2028.

He hopes to specialise in intellectual property law, combining his engineering background with legal expertise to help protect innovations in science and technology. He also believes the logical thinking and problem-solving skills developed through engineering have proved equally valuable in studying law.

For Nathan Thomas, the Guinness World Record is only one milestone in a journey that has already seen him enter college at 10, earn two engineering degrees, become the world's youngest male professor and now prepare for a future that bridges both engineering and law.