Topic: S50: Christian Hubicki (Cila)

[RealityFreakWill]

Christian Hubicki

Season: David vs. Goliath
Age: 39
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
Current Residence: Tallahassee, Fla.
Current Occupation: Robotics Professor

Why do you want to come back for Survivor 50 and how does it feel to be chosen for this milestone season?

Too many reasons to count, the prestige, the unfinished business, the break from writing research grants… but mainly it’s the most intellectually inspiring experience I’ve ever had. But to be selected from a vast pool of 700 contestants is more than flattering – it provokes introspection. It’s important for me to internalize the reasons that got me here to best use them on the island.

What one life experience since the last time you played do you feel has prepared you for 50?

Becoming a professor and starting a robotics lab. I learned to be a leader. My students and research assistants count on me for guidance, their graduation, and even their paychecks. It’s all on me to lead them to do great work and discover great ideas. There’s no room for self-doubt.

Coming into this season, what is the Survivor accomplishment you are most proud of? And what are you eager to have another shot at?

Aside from holding Jeff Probst hostage to a five-and-a-half hour ramble? Finding an idol with a breadth-first search algorithm. I still show that sequence in graduate-level robotics lectures. Another shot at? I actually have a few more questions for Jeff.

What would you say is your Survivor reputation and how will you manage that perception in the game?

On David vs. Goliath, I was seen as smart, kind, funny, and a capable underdog, and thus labeled the “David” who was narratively destined to win in the minds of my opponents. That reputation got me 18 votes. Joy. This time I won’t let others drive the narrative. I’ll shape it myself to my benefit.

What is your strategy going into 50? And how will it differ from previous time(s) you’ve played?

Last time I viewed Survivor as a game of politicking votes. That was true but incomplete. From watching Mike White play, I realized that Survivor is narrative warfare. The battle for the best story. The story that dominates the thinking of your opponents. If you create the most persuasive story, then you control the game.

Survivor fans have had the opportunity to help shape the game this season by voting on various elements – what are you hoping makes the cut and why?

Obviously, the live finale. It’s a killer experience and these new era kiddos should have that treat. But game-wise, what’s more important than what wins is the uncertainty of the outcome. This allows us to invent advantages that don’t exist and create room for creative maneuvers.

At this point in your life who is your biggest inspiration and why?

My newborn son, Michael. He’s six weeks old as of this writing. I can see his face when I close my eyes. It’s a reminder of the joy of his life, but also the cost of being away. The recordings of me reading baby books and his robotic bassinet may soothe him, but they cannot replace our time apart. This has to be for him. To teach him to never accept limitations.

Why will you be the Sole Survivor?

On Survivor: David vs Goliath, I was only just realizing I had track for the game. Now I’ve refined it into weapons grade Hubickium. My core game philosophy is innovative and solid. Most of all, I’ve got someone to fight for.