{"id":191171,"date":"2024-02-01T10:52:22","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T20:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=191171"},"modified":"2024-02-01T11:24:52","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T21:24:52","slug":"robertson-child-actor-to-professor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/02\/01\/robertson-child-actor-to-professor\/","title":{"rendered":"Child actor to UH<\/abbr> professor: Marcia Brady\u2019s date teaches computer science"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"person
Scott Robertson (Photo courtesy: TAG<\/abbr> – The Actors Group)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Scott Robertson delves into the intricacies of human-computer interaction and sociotechnical systems as the chair and professor of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s Information and Computer Sciences Department<\/a>. Yet, when the academic curtain falls, Robertson seamlessly switches roles, swapping his educator hat for a cloak of creativity as he embarks on another passion: acting.<\/p>\n

“I think it\u2019s really important to pursue something that you love,” Robertson said. “I\u2019m really glad that I brought this back into my life so that my career as a professor and my acting career run side by side. It\u2019s a big commitment, but if it\u2019s fulfilling, you\u2019re excited and you\u2019re happy.”<\/p>\n

Child acting start<\/h2>\n

Robertson\u2019s acting career began before the age of 3, and he continues to act in films and on stage to this day.<\/p>\n

Robertson grew up in Los Angeles raised by his grandmother, and his debut in the limelight came in a local baby contest. A newspaper reporter there suggested that his grandmother get him an agent. Soon after at age 3, he landed a Wheaties commercial, followed by several other commercials and appearances in variety shows, such as the Jack Benny Program<\/em> and the Dinah Shore Show<\/em>, as well as television series such as Playhouse 90<\/em> and Steve Canyon<\/em>, and the film Period of Adjustment<\/em>. He may be most known for playing Marcia\u2019s date in the “Brace Yourself” episode of the original Brady Bunch at age 15. He admitted that people still recognized him in college and several years after.<\/p>\n

The Brady Bunch<\/em> gig was the last for a while, though. His grandmother instilled in him the importance of going to college and used the money he made while acting to help pay for his higher education. Robertson earned a BA<\/abbr> in social science from UC<\/abbr> Irvine, an MA<\/abbr> in cognitive psychology from Cal-State Fullerton and a PhD<\/abbr> from Yale University in psychology with specialization in cognitive science.<\/p>\n