Chinat is founder of Quest2Learn, a start-up venture that is building virtual labs to improve hands-on experiential learning. Already, they have worked with the likes of Johns Hopkins and Chinese University of Hong Kong. Recently, Chinat was accepted into Stanford to study in their graduate master's program in Learning, Design, and Technology, where he will be further expanding his work with Quest2Learn, while also exploring the future of AI in education.
We asked Chinat about his time in Head’s House and his journey since Brighton.
When you were at Brighton College, what did you want to be when you ‘grew-up’?
When I was at Brighton College, I wanted to be someone who is recognized for impacting society in the field of education. This could be in many forms, such as being a YouTuber or a policy maker.
Tell us about yourself now you've grown up.
Now that I've grown up, I am currently a startup founder, working on my own ed-tech startup.
What about your life now would most surprise your Brighton College teachers?
What might surprise my Brighton College teachers is that I majored in computer science, even though I didn't write a single line of code until college. I was mostly focused on history and PPE, but I ended up becoming a startup entrepreneur.
What are your favourite memories of your time at school?
Some of my favourite memories from school include rapping Hamilton in front of everyone.
What advice would you give to your school-age self?
The advice I would give to my school age self would be to start coding earlier, find allies who share the same values as me, and be more curious about the people around me.
What does your work involve?
My work involves managing a team of programmers and user experience designers, as well as talking to our stakeholders to ensure that our product fits user needs.
What are the most challenging parts of your job?
The most challenging parts of my job include prioritizing the limited time and attention of the team on developing features that matter, being willing to admit to mistakes and pivot when assumptions about market features or user needs are wrong, and being resilient in the face of setbacks and challenges, such as customer rejection and complaints.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of leading my team in developing a mixed reality science simulation app that has been used by nearly 500 students.
What are the three objects you would take with you to a desert island?
The three objects I would take with me to a desert island are a durable hammock, a solar-powered e-reader filled with books, and a deck of playing cards.
How would you like to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as someone who has shaped the ed-tech landscape and the way we teach our next generation.
