Remembering Professor Tony: The Story of How He Changed Me

When I first met him, I felt his energy. He was serious, direct, and fully engaged. Even small things mattered to him. I still remember him telling me that I should use my Carleton email instead of my own email. At that time, it sounded like a small correction. Later, I understood it better. He was telling me to take myself seriously and to really step into this new environment.

I still remember orientation too. What stayed with me was not only his wisdom, but his dedication. Even in his late seventies, he was still pushing students to face the AI world directly. That mattered to me. I wanted a program that embraced new opportunities. Professor Tony made TIM feel like that kind of place.

I still remember what he emphasized: want success, be ready for uncertainty, have enough willingness, and stay healthy. At that time, I just thought those were good points. Looking back, I think that was also how he lived.

He did not encourage me by making everything easy. He helped me unleash my potential gradually. Each time, he pushed me a little further than I was ready to go myself.

I still remember asking him about the Wes Nicol startup funding. I was interested in the opportunity, but I did not want to start a business at that moment. Professor Tony answered quickly and told me to send my questions by email because he would reply right away. But his bigger point was even clearer: focus on entrepreneurial skills and on doing something real. I was not ready for that, so I stepped back. Now I see that moment differently. He was not discouraging me. He was pushing my boundaries before I knew I needed it.

I also remember the Perplexity promotion campaign clearly. That campaign came from me. I wanted to push it forward. At first, I hesitated to reach out to him. But once I did, he immediately treated it as important to TIM. He wrote that Perplexity was an important AI tool for TIM. That made a big difference to me because his support helped me keep pushing and actually make it happen. He made me feel that what I wanted to do was worth doing.

I still remember the workshops. Professor Tony helped me realize that I had a kind of superpower: I could share how I use AI tools in a way that was useful to other people. He did not just say a few nice words and disappear. He wrote that he was very proud of me. He asked how he could help with the workshop. He said TIM was supporting my efforts "1,000%." That support gave me confidence, but it also touched me emotionally. It made me realize I could actually stand in front of people, lead something, and do useful work.

He did not just make me feel good. He gave me chances to do things that made me stronger.

I also remember how excited he would get when I shared new AI developments with him. At one point, he wrote back, "Very excited about this!" He wanted students to move early, not late. He trusted me with more real work. He gave me opportunities to contribute, not just to watch. He also gave me chances to show up publicly instead of staying invisible. That kind of trust is hard to forget.

I still remember when our interaction became more personal through my research. This was the first time I felt the one-on-one side of his guidance. When we started shaping TIMG 5104, he wrote to me, "This is YOUR course." I remember that line because it showed how he treated students. He did not want me to do a generic assignment. He wanted me to build something that fit my own direction.

With his guidance, I did much better research. He helped me take my work seriously. He pushed me to think more clearly, strengthen the methodology, and do a strong scoping review. Later, when he reviewed my work, he said it showed depth, structure, and originality. But even then, he was not only guiding me as a student. He was still pushing me to think like a builder. He encouraged me to think about how this work could become something real in the world.

Somewhere in that period, with his guidance and encouragement, and with AI becoming much more powerful, I started to believe that I could build my own thing. Not just study. Not just present. Not just complete a project. Build.

By the end, that path became very clear. My project was becoming a real product and a real company. When I told him I registered my first company, he replied, "Joe, congratulations! Make it happen." That was Professor Tony. Simple, direct, and still pushing me forward.

Professor Tony helped me become more bold. He significantly increased my confidence. He gave me opportunities, guided my research, and encouraged me to build my own venture. If I had not met him, I would not be the person you see today.

For in-person interaction, Professor Tony was the best teacher I have ever met. He was my professor, but he was also more than that. He was someone who made building something real feel possible.

I also cannot forget the line he wrote to me: "Your project will be the last project I supervise at Carleton since I joined the university in 1979." That line stays with me. It makes me want to try my best to make this into a great product.

The best way I can remember him is not only with words. It is by continuing to build in the spirit he gave me. For me, that means continuing to build my own product and company, starting from JoeSpeaking.com.

Thank you, Professor Tony.