Who is Professor Goatstroke from Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic and what is their importance?

Professor Goatstroke is the pseudonym of the professor John Beck used as an adviser for his dissertation. Goatstroke was highly focused and he would push John hard in his work because he though John would one day replace him at Harvard, or at least become a colleague. When John told Goatstroke about Adam's Down syndrome, he told John to encourage his wife to have an abortion. Goatstroke related a story of how he once had a wife who became pregnant, but he forced her to have an abortion because the child would interfere with his focus on work. Needless to say, John disregarded Goatstroke's advice on this matter.