'Last Lecture' Speaker Randy Pausch Dies at 47

A professor who dared to dream has died. Randy Pausch, a man known for his "Last Lecture" at Carnegie Mellon University, died on Friday due to complications from pancreatic cancer.

Pausch was 47. As a computer science professor and loving father, Pausch inspired many with his Last Lecture speech last year at CMU on September 18 after learning he had sixth months left to live.

His speech was videotaped and distributed online, which has drawn millions of viewers. Besides the video, the speech led to a published book called "The Last Lecture," co-written by CMU alumnus Jeff Zaslow of The Wall Street Journal. The book has been translated into several languages.

I watched clips of his speech at CMU months ago. I remember how he stood at a podium, dignified, and spoke candidly about his childhood dreams and aspirations. I was immediately drawn to him because my father is a professor and my stepfather was a teacher; I like to think that if either of them had to give a final lecture, then it would be similar to Pausch's monumental speech.

In his Last Lecture, called "Really achieving your childhood dreams," Pausch focused on the aspirations he had as a boy; these included experiencing zero gravity, writing a World Book Encyclopedia entry and creating Disney theme park attractions. Pausch achieved these aspirations during in his lifetime.

He said, "If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you."

When I was eight, my biggest dream - alongside becoming a magician and secret agent - was to become a cartoonist. The Sunday funnies inspired me (Jim Davis' "Garfield," primarily) and so did the television shows I used to watch. I figured it could never happen, despite the many compliments I received on my illustrations. I didn't believe I could do it.

Now, at 20, I have a weekly comic strip in my school newspaper. Pausch's speech taught me, even after I've "grown up," that dreams come true if you work at them. Anything is possible, no matter how silly a dream is.

Pausch also addressed his cancer during what was really known as his final lecture. He began the lecture with, "If I don't seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint you." It was so heartwarming to see a man with such courage, facing a terminal illness. I hope I could be as courageous as Pausch was, in front of millions of people, every day - with or without a lecture.

Pausch, despite being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2006, maintained a positive and often humorous attitude during his Last Lecture. His terminal illness did not deter him from delivering his message and telling hundreds of students, faculty and others about achieving goals and overcoming obstacles.

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just the way we play the hand," Pausch said.

The professor certainly succeeded, not only through his inspirational words, but his influence in scientific research. Pausch developed a teaching tool called Alice, which aims to instruct how to animate objects for programs, games and digital stories. He also co-founded the Entertainment Technology Center, an organization focused on creating and enhancing digital entertainment, speech recognition technology and robotics.

He is survived by his wife, Jai, and three young children: Chloe, Dylan and Logan. CMU's home Web page has featured an article about Pausch, honoring his memory and legacy at the university and beyond.