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The Last Word

A quick questionnaire with Luis von Ahn

  • Smithsonian.com, October 03, 2007, Subscribe
 

 
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    America's Young Innovators

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    • The Player

    1. Three words someone else would use to describe me are inventive, funny and mischievous.

    2. My greatest professional influence is my PhD advisor, Manuel Blum.

    3. My fondest memory is when I realized the person that now is my fiancée actually liked me.

    4. The last book I read was I don’t remember – I don’t like reading books.

    5. If I could have dinner with anyone living or dead it would be Alan Turing.

    6. Three things I can't live without are the Internet, my calendar and movies.

    7. The most pressing issue facing the world is that only a small fraction of the population has the resources and tools to innovate.

    8. The most important lesson I ever learned was that making good connections with people can benefit your work.

    9. My advice for those just starting out in this profession is be selective in everything – the people you associate with, the students you take, the papers you write -- and hold yourself to a high standard.

    10. My motto is: >"If you think a little harder, you’ll find a better solution."


    1. Three words someone else would use to describe me are inventive, funny and mischievous.

    2. My greatest professional influence is my PhD advisor, Manuel Blum.

    3. My fondest memory is when I realized the person that now is my fiancée actually liked me.

    4. The last book I read was I don’t remember – I don’t like reading books.

    5. If I could have dinner with anyone living or dead it would be Alan Turing.

    6. Three things I can't live without are the Internet, my calendar and movies.

    7. The most pressing issue facing the world is that only a small fraction of the population has the resources and tools to innovate.

    8. The most important lesson I ever learned was that making good connections with people can benefit your work.

    9. My advice for those just starting out in this profession is be selective in everything – the people you associate with, the students you take, the papers you write -- and hold yourself to a high standard.

    10. My motto is: >"If you think a little harder, you’ll find a better solution."

        Subscribe now for more of Smithsonian's coverage on history, science and nature.


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    Comments (1)

    Hello Dr. Ahn,

    Last night I saw a feature about you and your work on TV--WOW. I've had some of the same thoughts as you about the computer games taking up a lot of time that could be spent more constructively.

    Can you design a game that would help people learn or teach others to learn languages, math, astronomy, geography, history? Most of the games out there for free are extremely rudimentary. For example, I'd like to volunteer for VITA to teach adults to read, but time doesn't permit. If I could go online and help someone learn, that would be very satisfying to me.

    You're great! Go get 'em.

    Posted by Colleen McDaniel on July 1,2009 | 11:35 AM

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