Autodesk Gives Jointly to Cornell's Colleges of Engineering and Architecture, Art, and Planning

Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) and Cornell Engineering recently received concurrent gifts from Autodesk, one of the world's leading Design and Make technology companies specializing in industry-leading software spanning architecture, engineering, and construction; product design and manufacturing; and media and entertainment. Autodesk will contribute $2M to each college to name and enhance spaces, equipment, and technology for prototyping, making, and research. Cornell Engineering and AAP will also each receive an additional $150K in discretionary funds.

Autodesk's most recent commitment, totaling $4.3M, was championed by Cornell Engineering alumni and Autodesk Executive Vice Presidents Jeff Kinder, EVP of Product Development & Manufacturing Solutions ('89), and Amy Bunszel, EVP of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Solutions ('89) — who steward the company's investments in technological innovation and research in higher education to enhance the student experience and increase success in the Design and Make industries following graduation.

"The world urgently needs skilled talent to design and make the brighter future we know is possible — but right now, there's a critical skills gap. Autodesk is committed to closing this gap by putting cutting-edge technology directly into the hands of tomorrow's innovators," said Dara Treseder, Chief Marketing Officer at Autodesk. "Our collaboration with Cornell University accelerates this effort, equipping the next generation of engineers, architects, and designers with the tools, technology, and real-world experience they need to build successful careers and shape our collective future."

Cornell Engineering is committed to making hands-on learning accessible to all of its students. Autodesk and Cornell Engineering have a longstanding relationship, and Autodesk's most recent gift will establish an Autodesk Cornell Engineering Design and Make Space in Upson Hall on Cornell's Ithaca campus. The space will advance shared goals toward increasing student proficiency with industry-standard software and providing state-of-the-art prototyping tools. The new facility, along with funds intended to aid course redevelopment, will offer the technologies and training necessary to empower students with industry-ready skills and provide engineering education researchers a fertile environment in which to transform STEM teaching methods.

"The Autodesk Design and Make Space in Cornell Engineering is an investment in the future of experiential learning in our college that impacts students college-wide,” said Lynden Archer, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering. “I am grateful for and encouraged by Autodesk's support of our efforts to educate problem solvers with combined hands-on and computational design expertise, which is critical in modern engineering and design practice."

Across Cornell AAP's five departments of Architecture, Art, Planning, Design Tech, and Real Estate, the college fosters interdisciplinary exchange that advances creative and intellectual discovery, technical expertise, and a commitment to addressing critical global challenges. AAP students and faculty excel in design, analysis, original expression, and rigorously testing new ideas through digital and physical modeling. As AAP established the M.S. in Matter Design Computation degree program in 2016, a precursor to the current M.S. in Design Technology, Autodesk supported student fellowships. The company's recent gift for the newly named AAP Autodesk Design and Make Space encompasses the current shops in Rand Hall and supports other maker spaces in the college, along with research initiatives that explore synergies between emerging technologies and sustainable practices in design and making that both Cornell AAP and Cornell Engineering seek to advance.

"At AAP, teaching, research, and learning thrive in environments that scaffold creativity, innovation, and iteration and encourage fluidity between digital and analog techniques," said AAP Gale and Ira Drukier Dean J. Meejin Yoon. "This generous contribution to our college enables us to see that our spaces for creation and fabrication remain at the forefront and enable opportunities for collaboration across fields. Helping to further AAP's mission, Autodesk's gift ensures our faculty are well-supported, and our students are prepared to drive transformation across our disciplines with the resources, tools, and technologies needed to both inspire and actualize imagination."