Who was he?

Randy Pausch was a pioneer of computing and virtual reality. He was an Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and taught computer science, human-computer interaction, and design.

What is he known for?

Professor Pausch was a co-founder of the Entertainment Technology Centre at Carnegie Mellon, and led the team that created Alice, a brilliant programming tool which aimed to assist young children in learning Computer Science. In September 2007, just a month after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, he gave a pivotal public talk on overcoming obstacles and achieving one's childhood dreams. This session, nicknamed 'The Last Lecture', was viewed by millions online.

Five points I admire about his talk on time management.

• Covey's quadrants: I think that this technique is essential for turning a basic to-do list into one that actually defines when and how tasks should be done.
• Time-logging: I find the idea of bringing purpose into each hour in a day fascinating; this is one of the best ways to reflect on what hollow factors take up our time, and how we can fill those interstices by doing something meaningful.
• Setting deadlines: Procrastination appears to be an inevitable form of human weakness, and by creating a façade of urgency it becomes easier to realise the significance of the time lost in procrastination and get quicker at starting tasks
• Thank-you notes: As STEM students it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking like machines - thank-you notes are a beautiful way to tie back to the subtle acts of humanity, and to make the world a little sweeter for the people around us.
• His engaging way of communicating: The humorous and enthusiastic way in which he delivered his talk made certain that not only was the message delivered, but it also left a lasting impact on the minds of the listeners.