Nathan Thomas, an American engineer and educator, has made history after being recognised by Guinness World Records as the youngest male professor ever, ending a record that had stood for more than three centuries.
According to Guinness World Records, Thomas achieved the feat when he joined the faculty of Miami Dade College in August 2023 at the age of 18 years and 346 days. The organisation officially announced the record on its website on July 23, 2026.
Thomas’ first teaching assignment was COP 2270: C for Engineers, where many of the students he taught were fellow teenagers.
Born on September 9, 2004, Thomas surpassed the previous record held by Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin, who became a professor at 19 years old in 1717 and held the title for 306 years.
He also reached the milestone 16 days younger than American engineer Alia Sabur, who became the world’s youngest female professor in 2008.
Below are nine key facts about Nathan Thomas and his record-breaking achievement:
