My Name is Florence Nightingale: Pioneer of Modern Nursing and Data Reporting I was born in 1820, in the quiet town of Florence, Italy, during a family tour that inspired my name. From a young age, I sensed a calling toward service, one that defied the expectations placed upon a woman of my education and social standing. While others saw my future in polite society, I felt drawn toward work that required discipline, order, and a sharp mind. Numbers fascinated me. Patterns whi

Chapter 9: Writing with AI: Essays, Articles, and ReportsMy Name is George Orwell: The Master of Clear Thought and Ethical Language I was born Eric Arthur Blair in 1903, in British India, where my father served in the colonial civil service. My childhood was marked by quiet observation — the kind that breeds both curiosity and discomfort. I was educated in England, where the ideals of empire and class superiority were taught as unquestionable truths. Yet, I could never shake

My Name is John von Neumann: The Architect of Modern Computing From the time I was a child in Budapest, I saw the world as a system waiting to be understood through numbers and logic. My father hoped I would go into business, but my fascination with mathematics overruled every other path. By the time I was eight, I could divide eight-digit numbers in my head. Mathematics was not a subject to me—it was the very language of the universe.   Crossing Disciplines When I moved thro

My Name is René Descartes: The Philosopher of Doubt I was born in 1596 in La Haye, France, a quiet village that would one day bear my name. From my earliest years, I was frail in body but restless in mind. My father sent me to the Jesuit college at La Flèche, one of the finest schools in Europe, where I learned philosophy, mathematics, and the sciences of the time. Yet, as I absorbed all that was taught, I could not silence a growing unease—how much of this knowledge was trul

My Name is Grace Hopper: The Systems Architect and Educator I was born in 1906 in New York City, a time when few could imagine a world run by machines that understood our words. As a child, I was insatiably curious—once taking apart every alarm clock in our house just to see how they worked. My mother encouraged my curiosity, telling me that questions were the beginning of wisdom. That lesson would guide me for the rest of my life.   A Woman in a Man’s World When I joined Yal

My Name is Carl Jung: The Psychologist of the Human Mind I was born in Switzerland in 1875, a land of quiet lakes and reflective mountains — an appropriate home for one who would spend his life studying reflection of another kind: the reflection of the soul. From my earliest years, I was aware of two worlds — the outer world of people and the inner world of symbols, dreams, and shadows. When I listened to others, I learned that what they said was rarely what they meant. Their

My Name is Marie Curie: The Scientist Who Changed Medicine I was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1867, when my country lived under Russian rule. My parents were teachers, and from them I inherited a deep love for learning. Yet opportunities for women were few, and I often studied in secret, hungry for knowledge that seemed always just out of reach. My heart was drawn to physics and chemistry—the invisible worlds that governed all life. When I finally left for Paris to study at the

Understanding AI Ethics: Why It Matters Artificial Intelligence has the power to change everything—from how we learn and work to how we make decisions that affect lives. But with great power comes the need for great responsibility. AI is not evil, nor is it inherently good; it is a reflection of the person who uses it. The moral principles that guide its design must come from us—our sense of fairness, truth, compassion, and respect for others. These values must be built into

My Name is John von Neumann: Architect of Modern Computing I was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1903, into a family that valued education and intellect above all. From a young age, numbers spoke to me as though they were living things. At six, I could divide eight-digit numbers in my head, and at eight, I was reading calculus for fun. My father hoped I would become a banker; my mother simply wished for me to be happy. But I saw in mathematics something profound — a hidden orde

The Definition of Artificial Intelligence When I first began teaching about artificial intelligence, I realized that many students thought of AI as a mysterious force—something beyond their grasp, like magic in a machine. But AI isn’t magic. It’s simply a reflection of how we think, built into something that can learn, reason, and make decisions. To understand AI, we first need to understand what intelligence really is. At its core, intelligence is the ability to recognize pa

My Name is Wallace D. Wattles: Author of “The Science of Getting Rich” I was born in 1860 in the small town of Nunda, Illinois. My family was poor, and my early years were filled with struggle and disappointment. I worked the fields, labored in small jobs, and watched as others seemed to move ahead while I remained trapped by circumstance. Yet even in those moments, I felt a quiet conviction that life held more than what I saw. I believed there must be a law, a pattern, somet

My Name is Charles Ponzi: The Man Behind the “Ponzi Scheme” I was born in 1882 in Lugo, Italy, to a modest family that had little money but great pride. My parents dreamed that I would rise higher than they ever could, and I believed them. I studied at the University of Rome, but I was restless. I wanted more than the slow life of study or labor. I wanted wealth, recognition, and respect. In my twenties, I left Italy for America—the land of endless opportunity. I arrived with

My Name is John Bunyan: Preacher and Writer I was born in 1628 in Elstow, England, the son of a tinker—a poor mender of pots and pans. We had little, but I carried a pride larger than my means. I wanted to rise above my father’s trade and prove my worth to the world. Yet, as I grew, I found myself walking the same humble path. I joined the army, witnessed hardship, and returned home with both a restless spirit and an empty purse. I married young, to a woman as poor as myself,

My Name is Thomas Jefferson: Former President of the United States I was born in 1743 in the colony of Virginia, among the rolling hills and quiet rivers that shaped my soul. From my youth, I was taught that knowledge, discipline, and refinement were the marks of a gentleman. I believed deeply in liberty, reason, and the potential of mankind. I studied law, philosophy, architecture, and the sciences, always striving to build a better world for those who would come after me. W

My Name is Mary McLeod Bethune: Founder of Bethune-Cookman University I was born in 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina, the fifteenth of seventeen children. My parents had once been enslaved, and though freedom had come, opportunity was still scarce for people like us. We worked the fields, picked cotton, and scraped together what we could. But from the time I was a small girl, I was hungry for something beyond what my hands could pick—I wanted to learn.   When a missionary s

My Name is Henry Hyde: Founder of Equitable Life Assurance Society I was born in 1834 in Catskill, New York, the son of a humble Methodist minister. My family did not have much, but we were rich in purpose and principle. My father’s sermons often spoke of duty, fairness, and compassion for others. I listened closely, even as I swept the church floors or helped my mother prepare simple meals. Those words would stay with me long after I left home, guiding me in a world that mea

My Name is Daniel Defoe: English Merchant and Author I was born in 1660 in London, the son of a tallow chandler, a maker of candles and soap. My family was not wealthy, but my father valued education and faith, and I was raised to think and work hard. From a young age, I dreamed of becoming something more than a tradesman. I wanted to see the world, to deal in great goods, to travel where few Englishmen had gone before. I became a merchant, buying and selling wine, wool, and

My Name is Mary Ellen Pleasant: Entrepreneur, Abolitionist, Real Estate Investor I was born around 1814, in Georgia or Virginia—records are uncertain because people of my color and status were seldom documented properly. Some say I was born enslaved; others say I was born free in Philadelphia. What matters is that from my earliest years, I understood that freedom was not given—it had to be built. As a young woman, I worked as a servant and learned the power of observation. I

My Name is Satoshi Nakamoto: The Creator of Bitcoin I was born from an idea, not from fame or power. I watched the world rely on fragile systems built on trust in banks, governments, and intermediaries that controlled every transaction. I saw how the global financial crisis of 2008 shook people’s faith in these institutions. That was when I began my quiet work on a different kind of system—one that would not depend on trust, but on code.   Designing a New Kind of Money Bitcoi

My Name is Rose Schneiderman: Labor Advocate and Pension Visionary I was born in 1882 in Poland, to a Jewish family that sought a better life in America. We were poor, like so many immigrants who arrived in New York City at the turn of the century. My father died when I was a child, leaving my mother to care for us by sewing clothes for other people’s children. I started working in a garment factory at thirteen, my hands raw from long days and dim lights. We had no benefits,