A transformative gift has launched Cornell’s Faculty of Computing and Information Science into its next phase of groundbreaking inquiry and impact.
The nine-figure commitment made by Ann S. Bowers ’59, an early Silicon Valley leader, philanthropist, and longtime Cornell supporter, establishes the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, cementing the college’s status as a leading academic center for tech innovation, radical collaboration, and world-class scholarship.
The gift allows Cornell to leverage pioneering work in computing, information, and statistics and data science—a legacy that was seeded in 1965 when Cornell founded one of the first computer science departments in the country, and then catapulted forward when the university undertook the bold experiment in 1999 to create a combined Faculty of Computing and Information Science (CIS).
Graduate students
Master’s
Ph.D.
Undergraduate majors
Computer Science
Information Science
Statistics and Data Science
Envisioned decades ahead of its time, the integration of the three departments evolved from the understanding that data, computation, and emerging technologies would transform virtually every area of academic inquiry and every aspect of human life.
This fusion, built upon Cornell’s unrivaled strengths spanning computer science, information science, statistics, data science, engineering, and economics, as well as social and behavioral sciences fueled unprecedented innovation and collaboration.
Over the last two decades, CIS at Cornell has created the blueprint for the field of computing and information science.
As other institutions have sought to replicate its work, CIS has continued to push boundaries by broadening and deepening the interactions among its contributing disciplines to develop new understandings, ethical approaches, and technologies for the information age.
Introducing
Ann S. Bowers ’59
Ann led human resources at Intel Corporation in the 1970s and was one of Apple’s first vice presidents in the 1980s.
She spent her career developing and fostering an environment where technologists could thrive.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ann has been an active philanthropist for many years—including chairing the board for The Noyce Foundation, which focuses on improving math and science education in public schools.
Ann has served as a trustee and a member of the President’s Council of Cornell Women and numerous Cornell advisory boards. She also chaired the Cornell Silicon Valley advisors, where she passionately sought to galvanize the university’s presence in her Bay Area community.
Cornell Bowers CIS is the first college at the university named for a woman—a fitting honor for a college that showcases and supports strong female leadership. Former Cornell President Martha E. Pollack and Dean Kavita Bala are both computer scientists, and 43% of CIS majors are women—far exceeding the national average.