Nathan Thomas has been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the youngest-ever male professor after accepting an engineering teaching post at Miami Dade College. He set the record at 18 years and 346 days old when he began teaching COP 2270: C for Engineers in August 2023, surpassing Colin Maclaurin’s 306-year-old mark. Thomas was dual-enrolled at age 10, earned a bachelor’s and master’s in electrical engineering by 18, and is now studying law with plans to pursue intellectual property work in STEM.
Nathan Thomas Named World's Youngest Male Professor After Joining Miami Dade College
Teen breaks world record as youngest-ever male professor
Guinness World Records confirmed on July 23 that Nathan Thomas has been officially recognized as the world’s youngest male professor after accepting a teaching position at Miami Dade College.
Now 21, Thomas actually set the record at 18 years and 346 days old when he began teaching the college-level course COP 2270: C for Engineers in August 2023. His appointment broke a 306-year-old benchmark set by Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin, who became a professor at age 19 in 1717.
Thomas is also 16 days younger than the world’s youngest female professor, Alia Sabur, who earned her title at 18 years and 362 days old in 2008.
Nathan Thomas has been named the world's youngest male professor (CBS Miami/Youtube)
Early Academic Acceleration
Thomas’s academic path is extraordinary: he was dual-enrolled at Miami Dade College at age 10, transferred to Florida International University at 14, and by 18 had earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in electrical engineering, graduating with honors.
Why He Teaches
"Once you're in that setting, everyone's there for the same reason, which is to learn. Age doesn't really factor into that," Thomas told Guinness World Records.
He added, "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." Thomas says his favorite part of teaching is watching a student’s understanding click into place and that explaining concepts helps deepen his own mastery.
Current Plans
Thomas is currently teaching college classes online while pursuing a law degree at the University of Miami School of Law, where he intends to graduate in 2028. He plans to specialize in intellectual property law with a focus on STEM-related issues.
Why this matters: Thomas’s record highlights how accelerated learning pathways and early college programs can create unusual opportunities, and his move into law suggests an interest in bridging technical expertise with legal protection for innovation.
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