Meet MIT professor Gilbert Strang, who lays mathematical foundation for tools used by millions of AI engineers

For more than 60 years, Professor Gilbert Strang has turned a linear algebra classroom at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) into a launching pad for millions of people pursuing artificial intelligence around the world.

Linear algebra has long been regarded as an abstract and difficult subject. Yet, through Strang's lectures, the numbers came alive.

Rarely appearing in the media, the veteran MIT professor made his mark through his clarity and wisdom, helping learners grasp some of the most fundamental concepts of modern mathematics.

Professor Gilbert Strang in 2023. Photo courtesy of MIT

Early brilliance

Strang, who is now 91, demonstrated his academic prowess early on. He was named a William Barton Rogers Scholar during his undergraduate studies at MIT. Named after the institute's founder, this prestigious scholarship supported him from 1952 to 1955, as the young Strang famously managed to complete his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in just three years instead of the usual four.

He then became a Rhodes Scholar, one of the world's most prestigious international scholarships, studying at the University of Oxford in the U.K. He received a BA and MA there in 1957 before earning a PhD in 1959 from the University of California at Los Angeles.

He returned to MIT in 1962 and remained there until his retirement. Over more than six decades, he taught 18.06 Linear Algebra, one of the institute's core courses for students in engineering, computer science, economics, and the natural sciences.

Reshaping the subject

Strang began to shift his teaching approach in the 1970s, a time when engineers and scientists were developing large-scale software based on the finite element method to tackle structural mechanics problems.

Recognizing a need for a different approach, he redesigned the course to present linear algebra as a constructive subject connected to fields ranging from pure mathematics to the internet.

"We needed to explain the ideas in concrete language that students could follow and understand and use," he said, as quoted by MIT in a 2023 report.

The 18.06 class soon became popular with science and engineering students, both at MIT and around the world. Strang's textbook, "Introduction to Linear Algebra", has been translated into French, German, Greek, Japanese, and Portuguese. More than 40 years later, about a third of MIT students take this course.

The OpenCourseWare revolution

His influence expanded dramatically in 2002 when MIT launched its OpenCourseWare (OCW) platform.

While many academics were still hesitant about putting their lectures online, Strang chose to publish his entire course, including lecture videos, notes, assignments, and solutions. What began as a university course became an open educational resource freely accessible to learners worldwide.

"OCW transformed my life," he said, as quoted by MIT. "It was my good fortune to be teaching when President [Charles] Vest approved the creation of OpenCourseWare, opening the way for lectures to reach far beyond MIT."

Over time, the course became one of the most widely accessed offerings on OpenCourseWare, with several videos garnering more than 10 million views. Some educational institutions even adopted his videos as primary reference materials.

A unique teaching style

What set Strang apart was his teaching method. Rather than beginning with abstract concepts, he started with concrete examples, such as matrix multiplication. He would then move to more advanced topics like singular value decomposition (SVD), a mathematical technique used to break down complex data matrices.

This approach helped students build intuition and understand the essence of a problem before tackling formal proofs.

In the classroom, Strang avoided using dismissive phrases. He frequently paused to check students' understanding and encouraged questions, creating a more open learning environment, especially for beginners.

His lessons became a valuable and free resource for educators and students alike. One high school teacher on the OCW platform noted that Strang's lessons are "clear, interesting, and nonthreatening," adding: "I watch his linear algebra lessons and wish I could tell him how terrific he is."

Other educators admit to watching him just for entertainment. "This teacher would be fun to sit down with and have a cup of coffee and conversation," said another commenter.

A lasting legacy

According to university documents, Strang taught his last class on May 15, 2023, concluding 66 years of teaching at MIT.

In a YouTube video capturing that day, students are seen flocking to the class to witness the end of an era. After delivering his final lecture, Strang received a standing ovation. The video has since attracted more than 3.1 million views and over 2,100 comments.

Even after retirement, his lectures continue to be widely used, serving as a starting point for countless learners entering data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

"Teaching has been a wonderful life," the veteran professor wrote in the comments section of the YouTube video.

"This is my chance to thank everyone for such generous messages about my last lecture at MIT. I am almost tempted to have second thoughts about retirement....... but it is the right time."

"And I am so grateful to everyone who likes linear algebra and sees its importance. So many universities (and even high schools) now appreciate how beautiful it is and how valuable it is. That movement will continue because it is right," he wrote.