YouTube's star lecturer dies at 47

Calvin · 07-25-2008, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Randy Pausch, the professor whose "last lecture" became a runaway phenomenon on the Internet and was turned into a best-selling book, died Friday of pancreatic cancer, Carnegie Mellon University announced on its Web site.

Pausch, 47, a computer science professor, delivered the lecture, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007, a month after being told he had three to six months to live because his cancer had returned.

The lanky, energetic Pausch talked about goals he had accomplished, like experiencing zero gravity and creating Disney attractions, and those he had not, including becoming a professional football player.

He used rejections he was handed when he applied for jobs at Disney to comment on the importance of persistence.

"The brick walls are there for a reason ... to show us how badly we want something," he said. "Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people." Video Watch what Pausch did for his wife »

Starting with a joke about "a deathbed conversion" -- "I just bought a Macintosh" computer -- the educator went on to say that one of his childhood dreams was to write an entry in the World Book Encyclopedia.

"I guess you can tell the nerds early," he added.

An expert in virtual reality, Pausch did go on to write an encyclopedia entry on the subject.

He discussed his fondness for winning stuffed animals at fairs, showed a slide of them, then -- pretending to be concerned his audience would think the image had been digitally manipulated -- produced them onstage.

Donning silly costume items like a vest with arrows sticking out of it and a Mad Hatter's hat, he described working with students as a way to help other people achieve their dreams.

He also played down his own importance, saying that after he got a Ph.D., his mother took to introducing him as "a doctor, but not the kind who helps people."

The lecture has been viewed more than 3.2 million times since it was posted on YouTube in December.

Pausch co-founded the university's Entertainment Technology Center and was known for developing interdisciplinary courses and research projects that attracted new students to the field of computer science. He also spent his career encouraging computer scientists to collaborate with artists, dramatists and designers, Carnegie Mellon said.

The university's president, Jared Cohon, described Pausch as "a brilliant researcher and gifted teacher."

"His love of teaching, his sense of fun and his brilliance came together in the Alice project, which teaches students computer programming while enabling them to do something fun -- making animated movies and games," Cohon added. "Carnegie Mellon -- and the world -- are better places for having had Randy Pausch in them."

Pausch describes Cohon urging him to talk about having fun in his lecture, and telling him it's difficult because it's like asking a fish to talk about water.
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"I don't know how not to have fun," he said. "I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left."

Pausch is survived by his wife, Jai, and three children.

YouTube's star lecturer dies at 47 - CNN.com

He sure is a fighter and gave lectures on educations on YouTube. Bless him and RIP.

Phillips · 07-25-2008, 05:13 PM

umm i do not know who he is but scare with pancreatic cancer

Peace Rip!

GarnetTigerMom · 07-25-2008, 06:07 PM

yes, I know who he is. He well knowing about his work and wrote book. He is very inspring man about his life. Seen him also on Oprah.

Oceanblue7 · 07-25-2008, 06:12 PM

Yes, I heard about the news today. He had an illness so young too. RIP

Grummer · 07-25-2008, 10:26 PM

phillips, i like your signature animated picture, pretty cool LOL

Dixie · 07-27-2008, 02:29 AM

Ah another Emily Dickinson or Edgar Allen Poe.

Didn't become 'famous' until they were on their deathbed or already dead.

07-25-2008, 05:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
Phillips Lets ride horses! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Spaceship Posts: 7,192 Blog Entries: 3	umm i do not know who he is but scare with pancreatic cancer Peace Rip! __________________ *Enjoy life today, Yesterday has past and Tomorrow may never come.*

07-25-2008, 06:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
GarnetTigerMom Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,862	yes, I know who he is. He well knowing about his work and wrote book. He is very inspring man about his life. Seen him also on Oprah. __________________ GarnetTigerMom "The rain may be falling hard outside, But your smile makes it all alright. I'm so glad that you're my friend. I know our friendship will never end." -- Robert Alan

07-25-2008, 06:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Oceanblue7 Patriots Rock! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gillette Stadium Posts: 4,411 Blog Entries: 8	Yes, I heard about the news today. He had an illness so young too. RIP __________________ Ps.103:12 He washes our sins away into the ocean

07-25-2008, 10:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
Grummer Burn fat off your soul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: North Island in the South Posts: 1,045	phillips, i like your signature animated picture, pretty cool LOL __________________ It's like you go to the beach. It's a little cold. You're not sure you want to go in. There's a pretty girl standing next to you. She doesn't want to go in either. She sees you, and you know that if you just asked her her name, you would leave with her. Forget your life, whoever you came with, and leave the beach with her. And after that day, you remember. Not every day, every week... she comes back to you. It's the memory of another life you could have had. Today is that girl.

07-27-2008, 02:29 AM	#6 (permalink)
Dixie Hooray its November! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 4,199	Ah another Emily Dickinson or Edgar Allen Poe. Didn't become 'famous' until they were on their deathbed or already dead. __________________ Visit my Deaf Blog Signature banner created by me, please do not steal!

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