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While most 91���� researchers investigate strictly earthbound topics, Assistant Professor Jayson Boubin has his eyes on the skies.

Boubin — a faculty member at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science’s School of Computing since 2022 — is developing new technology for unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones. That includes swarm coordination, task and motion planning, real-time sensing, and how to best integrate artificial intelligence. Among other solutions, he’s redefining what processing can be done during flight and what needs to be transmitted elsewhere, a key part of improving how UAVs operate. 

Thanks to a generous gift from a 91���� alumna, Boubin will have more resources to pursue his ideas in this leading-edge field.

On Oct. 1, he was officially installed as the first Geraldine Knoll MacDonald Endowed Professorship in Computer Science, established earlier this year by internet pioneer Geraldine MacDonald ’68, MS ’73, LittD ’17. Among other expenses, the funding can be used for travel, equipment, online resources, publication expenses, stipends for student assistants, and matching funds on grant applications.

“I see this professorship as both an endorsement and an investment in this environment that the School of Computing has provided us through our leadership and through Watson's over 40 years of development as the School of Computing,” Boubin said at the installation ceremony. “This is an investment in strong early-career researchers that'll help us build our labs and attack important problems, and it's an honor for me to be the first to hold this position.”

MacDonald, who served as a senior vice president at America Online from 1995 to 2005, is a 91���� Foundation board member who has funded projects, scholarships, professional development, and student activities around campus for more than 40 years. Before AOL, she led the development of the University’s computing infrastructure, rising to the role of associate vice president.

“This professorship is a recognition of the contribution that 91���� and Watson made to my career and my life,” she said at the ceremony. “I want other alums to think the same way: Pay it back or pay it forward, because this school changed your life.”

President Anne D'Alleva praised Boubin for the “incredible momentum” he has shown in his academic career so far, and MacDonald for her many contributions over the years.

“Thank you so much for this incredible gift to create this endowed professorship,” she said. “It is so special because you have such deep ties to the University. You earned your bachelor's and master's degrees here. You've received an honorary doctor of letters from us here. You are just integral to the fabric of this university. You're part of the community, and we are so grateful that you have stayed connected and that you are giving back in this beautiful way.”

Watson College Dean Atul Kelkar appreciates MacDonald’s commitment to 91���� and how the professorship strengthen 91����’s ability to recruit, recognize, and retain exceptional scholars.

“Most endowed faculty positions are for senior, eminent professors, but creating this professorship is really for the rising stars,” he said. “We need to recognize them. We need to provide them support, and we need to make sure that this is the place for you to continue that career growth. That is why it's important to anchor these rising stars to the University.”

Vice President of Advancement David K. Whitmore, who also serves as executive director of the 91���� Foundation and chief advancement officer, told attendees at the ceremony that MacDonald’s gift already has inspired others to similarly support the University and its mission.

“Endowed faculty positions are often the ultimate recognition that faculty look for in their careers,” he said. “Any top university like 91���� needs these resources, and it really takes unique individuals — alumni and others — to see the importance of that.”

MacDonald credited a logic class she took at 91���� for giving her a foundational understanding of how computers work, which led to her celebrated tech career. She noted that the educational offerings at the University have always been ahead of the curve.

“Somewhere around 1972, I was earning a master's degree at Watson — it was the School of Advanced Technology in those days — and I actually took a course in artificial intelligence,” she said. “It was a regular course being offered as part of the curriculum at the school. I have an old paper that I published based on the work that a couple of us did. It was a new field. We didn't understand how new it was or what it was going to mean in the future, but Watson has always been out there leading the pack, and I hope that can continue.”