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About Us
Our mission at PIT-UN is to help advance the field of public interest technology to bring positive impact to communities around the globe. We focus on the university ecosystem since this is where talent, skills, and ideas are born. Through our network, challenge, and content, we empower PIT students, faculty, and practitioners to achieve their goals.
Our Audience
PIT Practitioners
Professionals working in PIT can benefit from PIT-UN by posting their job opportunities, connecting with universities, and sharing their experiences.
PIT Students
PIT-UN helps students to share their projects through case studies, discover new opportunities, and grow their career in public interest technology.
PIT Faculty
We empower PIT faculty by connecting them to other universities, providing class resources, and supporting them through meetings and opportunities.
Our Work
PIT News & Case Studies
We are a group of visionary researchers, change-makers, data storytellers, and civic innovators committed to using technology skills to change the world.
Through our PIT News & Case Studies we share updates on PIT-UN members and projects, and provide a roundup of happenings in the PIT-UNiverse.
Network
Launched in 2019, the Public Interest Technology University Network is a partnership that unites colleges and universities committed to building the field of public interest technology (PIT). Through the development of curricula, research agendas, and experiential learning programs in the PIT space, these institutions aim to develop graduates with skills and knowledge at the intersection of technology and policy.
Becoming a member of the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) brings many benefits to Network schools, students, and faculties including educational and networking opportunities, information sharing, and guidance.
Challenge
The Network Challenge is a grant program designed to seed and support initiatives that grow public interest technology at the university level.
The network and challenge grants are funded through the support of the Ford Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Mastercard Impact Fund with support from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, The Raikes Foundation, Schmidt Futures and The Siegel Family Endowment.
Get Involved by Submitting a Project
Promote your public interest technology case study, resource, or process on PITcases.org. We are always looking for case narratives, syllabi, and other resources to add to our growing collection.
Elected Leadership
Effie MacLachlan
‘21-’23: Elected Lead of the Governance Standing Committee
Ph.D., Director of Grants & Research Programs, City University of New York
Katie Cuminskey
’21-’23: Elected Co-Lead of the Governance Standing Committee
Ph.D., Professor, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, City University of New York
Tithi Chattopadhyay
’21-’23: Elected Lead of the Technology & Policy Standing Committee
Ph.D., Associate Director, CITP, Princeton University
Yunus Dogan Telliel
’21-’23: Elected Co-Lead of the Membership Standing Committee
Ph.D. Professor, Anthropology and Rhetoric, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Robert Krueger
’21-’23: Elected Co-Lead of the Membership Standing Committee
Director of WPI’s Institute of Science and Technology for Development (InSTeD) & Director of the Provost’s Global Interdisciplinary Initiatives
Kenneth Fleischmann
’21: Elected Lead of the Faculty & Institution Building Working Group
Ph.D.,Professor, School of Information, UT Austin
Sylvester Johnson
‘21: Elected Lead of Career Pipeline & Placement Working Group
Ph.D., Assistant Vice Provost for Humanities, Virginia Tech
Previous Leadership
Azer Bestavros
’19-’21: Elected Lead of the Faculty & Institution Building Working Group
Associate Provost for Computing & Data Science, Boston University
Ali Whitmer
’19-’21: Elected Lead of the Career & Pipeline Working Group
Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Georgetown University
Pete Peterson
’19-’21: Elected Chair of the Governance Standing Committee
Dean, School of Public Policy, Pepperdine University
Saif Ishoof
’19-’21: Elected Lead of the Communications & Outreach Committee
Office of Engagement, Vice President, Florida International University
Eric T. Meyer
’19-’21: Elected Chair of the Membership Committee
Dean of the School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin
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Become a Member
As a public interest technologist, you can help train and inspire the next generation of talented, committed civic-minded technologists coming out of colleges and universities while benefiting your own organization as well. Colleges across America are dedicated to students in an innovative way that grants them access to careers with clear pathways toward technology-related jobs within the government sector.
Explore our membership options for colleges and universities to help strengthen the PIT industry. See the Member Commitments.
