This is the third installment of the New Jersey Speaker Series presented by Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Our third speaker was Steve Wozniak, inventor, electronics engineer and co-founder of Apple computers. As a contestant in Season 8 of "Dancing with the Stars" and appearing as himself on "The Big Bang Theory" Mr. Wozniak is a man who always wears many hats.
I thought that instead of writing an account of his speech I'd like to write an open letter to him.
Dear Mr. Wozniak,
I wanted to thank you for the fascinating talk you gave at the recent New Jersey Speaker Series at NJPAC. I have to be honest with you. I wasn't sure I'd be fascinated because I anticipated hearing a lot of technical engineering jargon that would go right over my head.
I confess that anything scientific sounds like a foreign language to me. Perhaps it's because my imagination was never sparked like yours at an early age, or maybe it has to do with the lack of passionate school teachers I happened to have in my formative years.
But I digress.
It's clear that as a child prodigy it was always about the engineering for you, applying your wealth of knowledge and creativity toward inventing something useful and clever for yourself and others.
I can't remember what I was working on when I was 26, but at that age you designed the hardware, circuit board designs and operating system for Apple I. The year before that you introduced to the world how a character displayed on a home screen could be generated from a home computer.
If I said that was amazing I'd be grossly understating those accomplishments.
I remember a world before Apple computers and I wouldn't want to go back. The brilliance of the computers you brought to all of us has helped me, and many others in the disability community, by making computers more user-friendly. For that I truly thank you.
I was excited about the opportunity for my husband, son and I to briefly chat with you at the "after party" while photographers snapped our photo. You endeared yourself to me when you answered our question, "Where are you going next?" by replying with great excitement, "Home, and I can't wait."
I admire how you lovingly speak about your parents. Your mother sounded like such a fun person, giving you your love of humor and pranks, which you had in common with Steve Jobs.
It was kind of naughty of you to build your own electronic metronome (tick, tick, tick) and place it in a school locker, rigging it to start faster when the locker opened.
But you more than made up for that prank later in life by proving that a successful entrepreneur can be generous. When Steve Jobs and the Board of Apple refused to give early employees stock options, you dug into your own pocket and gave them $10 million dollars of your own options because you felt, "It was the right thing to do."
You truly took your parents' lessons to heart.
As a Lockheed engineer your father stressed the importance of learning, but also taught you the importance of always being truthful. It was nice to hear that you made him a promise of always growing as an engineer but also to take time to teach others.
You fulfilled both promises.
Giving up your brilliant engineering career for awhile to teach fifth to eighth graders was a generous shift in careers and I, for one, applaud you for it.
I guess what I'm saying is there's so much more to "The Woz" than I ever knew, and it was fun getting to know you a little better. Seeing your highly energetic presentation in person, I enjoyed the last question from an audience member.
"Do you have some kind of oxygen tank attached to you, because you never seem to take a breath during your many stories?"
I marvel (and am a bit jealous!) at how much you accomplish in the course of a day, but I guess that's what catapulted you into the unprecedented career you've had. I can't wait to see what you'll be doing next.
Oh, one more thing. After I heard that you made a stop at Fairleigh Dickinson University before coming to NJPAC, I realized something special. Like our last speaker, Alan Alda (see my post about him here), you also dedicate yourself to teaching students about science. I thank you for encouraging them to aspire to be the next WOZ. Like your father, you are showing them by example to reach for the stars.
Sincerely yours,
Your newest fan, Cathy Chester
Photos: Fairleigh Dickinson University
He's always been someone I admired from back around 1980! Great work, Cathy!
I'm so glad that you got to meet the fabulous Woz. Now you know what I've known for decades, he's one of a kind.
I lived in Silicon Valley for almost half my life. I am a contemporary of the "Steves" and I actually crossed paths with them several times while I lived there. The fisrt time was at a local computer show (more like a computer swap meet) where the Steves had a card table set up with a computer in a wooden box. I have to admit we walked by these 2 scruffy looking guys and thought "What's with the wooden box?' Yeah we were not visionaries like those two! I used to run into Woz and other Apple engineers at MAC users group (MUG) meetings all the time. They were either handing out floppy disks with software for us to try or simply asking us for our wish lists.
The last time I ran into Woz was at a water park in San Jose. He was always involved with youth groups and that day he was chaperoning a bunch of Boy Scouts. He was having as much fun as they were in the water! I walked over and said hi to him and he was so nice. We just chatted about the park and the weather.
Everytime I met him he was enthusiastic about what ever he was doing. I think that is what I love most about him. His passion and enthusiasm.
In case you didn't guess, I'm a nerd from way back. It was probably in the Silicon Valley water.
Steve is much beloved out here in his home county, and quite the polar opposite of his former business partner, the other Steve. We run into him around town from time to time and last summer he sat in front of me at a benefit concert. A really great guy. Thanks for honoring him with your post.
I loved this article. I knew he was a nice guy but he is so much more than I thought. I would love to hear him speak. I'll have to look on Youtube to see if anything is on there. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Learned so much about this amazing man from your wonderful letter to him. How lucky that you got to hear him speak!
Inspiring! He sounds like a real mensch.
What a great way to honor Steve Wozniak, Cathy. It's so refreshing when engineers can relate to people in the ways he has. His passions for inventing, doing the right thing and teaching, are all very inspiring!
I enjoyed this installment as much as the other 2! The trait of having enthusiasm for anything one does is the mark of a great teacher, great inventor, and great person! I write this on my big desktop MAC!
So interesting to read your account, Cathy. I always enjoy hearing about the private persona that the public usually does not see. Wozniak's presentation sounds fascinating. I love this series you're reporting on. Such a variety of wonderful speakers.
Oh Cathy I love your format - what an incredible way to tell the story and this is a wonderful story! The world needs more respected scientists, more accomplished people talking about science, and more powerful, successful people inspiring kids to be scientists!! Loved every word!
This is beautifully written...very sharp, very clear. Very, very interesting. I loved this so much
What a great tribute to a really special man. How fun that you got to meet him! On top of everything else, I do give him tons of extra credit for appearing on Dancing with the Stars!
I learned so much new about Steve Wozniak. I knew he had a reputation for being gracious and generous, but you've further personalized him and endeared him to me.
P.S. Love that picture of you and the family!
What a great letter! I am so enjoying your series of bringing us such amazing people! Thank you for giving me an arm chair view!
What a lovely tribute! I never heard of him before and am about to read more about his life and accomplishments. Thanks much for sharing your story and giving me the opportunity to learn more about a great man and his mind!