MIT's Stephen A. Schwarzman School of Computing recently celebrated a major milestone by marking the completion and opening of its new building on Vassar Street with a dedication ceremony.
The ceremony, attended by members of the MIT community, distinguished guests, and supporters, provided an opportunity to reflect on the transformative gift that initiated the largest shift in MIT’s institutional structure in more than 70 years. The gift, made by Stephen A. Schwarzman, chairman, chief executive, and co-founder of Blackstone, one of the world’s largest alternative investment firms, was the foundation for the creation of the university.
MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman School of Computer Science Building Opening
MIT President Sally Kornbluth told the audience that the “success of the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing is a testament to Steve’s vision.” She noted that the new building, which can accommodate 50 computing research groups, will foster a remarkable confluence of expertise and cross-pollination of ideas. “The college will help MIT direct this expertise toward the greatest challenges facing humanity today,” she added, “from the health of our species and our planet to the social, economic, and ethical implications of new technologies.”
Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with MIT, Schwarzman commented, “You don't get many opportunities in life to be involved in some minor way to change the course of one of the great technologies that will impact people.”
Schwarzman said his motivation to support the university stemmed in part from trips he had made to China, where he witnessed a surge in investment in artificial intelligence. He was concerned about not seeing the same level of development in the United States and wanted to ensure the country was at the forefront of ai. He also spoke about the importance of advancing ai and prioritizing ethical considerations to mitigate potential risks.
He described his involvement with the university as “the most wonderful adventure” and shared how much he had enjoyed “meeting the fascinating people at MIT and learning about what they do here and the way they think.” He added: “They really are making huge changes for the benefit of society.”
Reflecting on the thought process during his tenure that culminated in the conceptualization of the university, MIT President Emeritus L. Rafael Reif recounted conversations he had about the idea with Schwarzman, whom he called a “perfect partner.” He detailed their collaborative efforts to transform the vision into a tangible reality and emphasized how Schwarzman has “an uncanny ability to look at what appears to be a hopelessly complex situation and quickly distill it down to its essence.”
After nearly a year of discussions with Schwarzman, as well as members of MIT leadership and faculty, the Institute announced the formation of the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing in October 2018.
To honor Schwarzman’s pivotal role in conceiving the university, Reif presented him with two gifts: a sketch of the building’s initial concept by the architects and a photograph of the building’s lobby taken shortly after its opening in late January. “Thank you, Steve, for making all of this possible,” Reif said.
Named the inaugural dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing in 2019, Dan Huttenlocher, who is also the Henry Ellis Warren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, opened the festivities and spoke of the building as a physical manifestation of the college’s threefold mission: to advance the cutting edge of computing with fields across MIT; to strengthen leadership in computer science and artificial intelligence; and to advance the social, ethical, and political dimensions of computing.
He also conveyed his gratitude to all those who dedicated countless hours to the planning, design and construction of Building 45including key partners in the construction and planning of the MIT campus; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; and Suffolk Construction.
“It gives me immense satisfaction and pride to see the vibrant activity of MIT students, researchers, faculty and staff who spend time in this building,” said Huttenlocher. “It is truly amazing to see this building come to life and become a resource for so many people on the MIT campus and beyond.”
Additionally, Huttenlocher thanked Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, dean of the School of Engineering, and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, for her early involvement with the university, and Asu Ozdaglar, vice dean of MIT’s Schwarzman College of Computing and head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, for her leadership throughout the university’s development.
