Owen Astrachan
Professor of the Practice
Duke
Durham, NC USA
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Wanted to change the world by teaching high school math.
Discovered that teaching is a tough job, very rewarding but tough.
Learned that computer science has lots to offer, spent a summer at CMU learning this.
Went to graduate school to merge my vocation and my avocation.
Figured out that teaching is teaching, but teaching college is a little different.
Was very fortunate: right place at the right time for being a teaching professor.
Became comfortable teaching a room of 20 and a room of 200 students.
Started working on CS Principles in 2008.
Keep following my journey
Education
Career
Professor of the Practice
I work to change what computer science education means.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Technology
Teaching / Mentoring
Day to Day
I get to my office and go through email to see if there are any "must answer now" messages. I look particularly for email from students who might need a quick response. I make sure I connect to anyone I haven't met before, so that unsolicited email from people is answered more quickly than email from those down the hall. I think about what I'll be teaching in my next class and whether I have to develop anything for that. I make sure I have room to read new stuff online.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Push yourself to go further than you think you can. Value reading and do that widely, don't think that what you're doing now makes a difference in terms of what you study --- but how you study and what you do outside of school makes a huge difference. Get better at talking in groups, pay attention to what those around you are doing and saying.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Friends:
"You are capable of much more than you're doing now, you can do more."
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
