May 2005

Memorable Mentors

Four alumni share memories of professors who influenced their lives.

By MIT Staff

Professors are the soul of a university. Their scholarship is the cornerstone of its reputation, their skill in the classroom the key to its success. Professors impart their knowledge and wisdom, of course, but they also inspire their students, sometimes opening doors on possibilities that would otherwise have gone unrecognized. These are the stories of four alumni who became writers and editors and the memorable professors who helped shape their lives. We would like to hear stories about your most memorable mentors. Please e-mail us at MITNews@technologyreview.com.

Robin Becker
Voice Maker

Sometimes, when I visit a bookstore that’s new to me, I’ll stop by the poetry section. If I find one of Robin Becker’s books, I’ll know the store is serious about good writers.
I can imagine her tweed jacket and jeans, her satchel full of books and notes, her mischievous grin, her occasional use of the “F” word in public. I can still see Robin, moving around a circle of students, encouraging us to be honest and write about the things we know.

In 1982, I was a freshman at MIT. Even though I planned to become a computer engineer, I had always loved to write. And so, in my first semester, I took a class that Robin taught on reading and writing the short story.

We read our drafts aloud. We revealed our struggles. We talked about what worked and what didn’t. We learned about plot, theme, and character, and the use of metaphors and telling details. Through warm praise and gentle criticism, Robin made it safe for us to develop our own voices.

I will always remember how hard that first semester was. I was far from home, and the Cambridge winter was harsh, and I was failing 8.012, a class that students called “physics for masochists.” The corridors at the Institute seemed to grow longer and more confusing.

But writing gave me a sense of direction. I enrolled in MIT’s Writing Program and studied fiction; I became a reporter at the Tech. And early on, Robin planted in me the idea that I could make a life as a writer. Or maybe what she offered was something more fundamental: a challenge to tune out other competing voices and follow my heart.

I have been a journalist for the past 17 years. I have gotten to meet people at their best and at their worst and have traveled to places I once only imagined. Whether I’m writing or editing, I push for deeper, more human stories that get beyond the news of the day. I encourage the writers on my staff to find their own voices. Because of Robin’s influence, I see the poetry in ordinary things.

Robin is now a professor of English and women’s studies at Pennsylvania State University. The last time I saw her was in 1993. She gave a public reading in Norfolk, VA, where I worked as a reporter. Afterwards, she and I drove to the beach. In the dark of night, we stood by the water. I wanted to thank her for helping me find my voice and my calling. But in that quiet moment, it seemed enough to watch the surf and listen to the ocean.

By Thomas Huang ’86, SM ’88, editor of “Texas Living,” the lifestyle section of the Dallas Morning News.