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Nathanson began using the Google program at 12

Andrew Nathanson '13
Andrew Nathanson '13

Andrew Nathanson ´13 missed his first two days of class this semester. And that´s OK with his professors who believe his experience at a Google conference will complement his academics.

Nathanson, a scholar of the College´s interdisciplinary Ammerman Center for Arts & Technology, went to Boulder, Colo. to participate in his second Google SketchUp 3D Basecamp, a conference based on the company´s computer program that enables users to create 3D models.

Learn more about the conference by reading his SketchUp blog.

"Registration is not open to the public," Nathanson explained. "Instead, Google reaches out to a number of users they know and invites them."

At the conference, Nathanson attended workshops with approximately 250 additional invitees, including industry professionals.

"The topics we discussed varied, ranging from professional use to increasing the program´s functionality and productivity," he said.

Nathanson is pleased he could be a valued contributor in these discussions. At age 12, he was one of the early users of SketchUp, and he has since mastered the program and provided Google with his feedback.

"I instantly became hooked, and I now use it in every aspect of my life," he said. "For instance, I even used SketchUp to get a sense of what my freshman year dorm room would feel like."

He says the program also revealed his academic passion -- architecture.

"Most importantly, SketchUp became my new canvas," he says. "I moved from building blocks to SketchUp´s digital canvas, and it was really thanks to SketchUp that I´ve become interested in architecture."

The College´s architectural studies program attracted him to Connecticut College, because it is a unique program that gives students a broad understanding of subjects through specialized interdisciplinary coursework.

"Connecticut College was a place where I knew I could pursue my interest in architecture the way I wanted," he said. "I would have the ability to, in a very interdisciplinary way, combine classes to make a program that is uniquely my own and incorporate my interest in technology that relates to architecture, such as SketchUp."

By Kelly Parlin ´12



September 9, 2010