Why did I become a professor? Why do I create so much accessible educational content? Why do I give everything away for free? Because I’m #FirstGen — and my entire path began with a single, unexpected moment at a gas station in Canada. I was a high school kid with no direction when an engineering student struck up a conversation on a freezing evening. They reached out, traced the Carnot cycle PV diagram in the frost on my windshield, and explained engine efficiency right there in the cold. That simple act — a stranger sharing knowledge freely — changed my life. It lit the spark that set me on the road to becoming an engineer, and eventually a professor. Education transformed my world, and it’s been my north star ever since. You can read more of my story here: michaelpyrcz.com/my-story #WhatStartsHere #FirstGenWeek