As assistant dean of development, Yumi Yasutake raises funds and awareness to support the students, faculty, and researchers who are working on cutting-edge research at the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing. She has worked at MIT for more than 15 years, first as a leadership giving officer and then spearheading strategic initiatives for MIT’s Campaign for a Better World, which concluded in 2021. 

You’ve held multiple roles at MIT: What attracted you to the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, and what do you find most exciting about its mission?

I was drawn to the opportunity to be a part of building a bold, new effort from the ground up, one that would have a broad and deep impact given the ubiquity of computing in society and MIT’s role as a global leader in computing and AI. It is particularly exciting for me to be able to support the next generation of leadership in these fields as they pursue innovative solutions to many of society’s most pressing problems, such as climate change and issues in human health.

What makes MIT and the Schwarzman College of Computing an ideal place for computing education and research?

The college builds on MIT’s rich history of groundbreaking research and innovation in computing and AI—we’re harnessing and strengthening MIT’s interdisciplinary collaborations and its dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem that translates ideas into solutions. The college represents the most significant structural change at the Institute since the 1950s, reorienting MIT to strengthen the computing fields and more effectively and creatively connect computing to every discipline in this age of AI. A critical aspect of this is integrating the social, ethical, and policy aspects of computing into curricula and research from day one. 

The new Schwarzman College building recently opened at the heart of MIT’s campus on Vassar Street. How was it designed to meet the needs of the computing and MIT community?

We are thrilled to be in the new building, which was designed to reflect the college’s mission to meet the rapidly changing needs in computing through new approaches to research, education, and real-world engagement. The state-of-the-art building embodies that goal, playing a multifaceted role as the home for computing research groups, new classrooms, and convening and events spaces that foster a vibrant computing community. Its central location and welcoming design creates a new cluster of connectivity on campus, housing units like the MIT Quest for Intelligence and Center for Computational Science and Engineering. It has been wonderful to see how it has drawn in so many students, faculty, and staff who utilize the different spaces throughout the building.

How does philanthropy, particularly planned  giving, play a role in the college’s research and education efforts?

Philanthropy has been and continues to be a cornerstone of the college. It was launched by a foundational gift from Stephen A. Schwarzman and supported by additional gifts from many alumni and friends. We are grateful for this philanthropic support, which has been crucial in driving the college’s efforts in transforming computing education and research. The new building is also the direct result of the generosity of numerous donors. With more technological progress and impacts on the horizon, planned gifts play a critical role in providing important resources that will help drive continued innovation in computing and address emerging challenges both now and long into the future.

For the latest updates from the Schwarzman College of Computing, visit computing.mit.edu. You can also learn more about computing from the September 2024 Katharine Dexter McCormick Society appreciation brunch event video featuring Jim DiCarlo, director of the MIT Quest for Intelligence and the Peter de Florez Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, at  giving.mit.edu/kdms2024.