Duke University

Duke currently promotes public interest technology through multiple programs and projects housed within schools and interdisciplinary initiatives across the university.

The Sanford School of Public Policy launched an executive education cybersecurity program to build private sector capacity to address rising threats to their organizations. That program also includes participation by the Law School, the Pratt School of Engineering and the Computer Science Department. Sanford also runs programs that integrate technology policy with the Dewitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy and the Masters of National Security Policy. Those efforts focus on how technology can be used in journalism and the government to promote the public interest.

Duke Science & Society (S&S) brings together scientists, technologists, ethicists, humanists, legal and social scientists in its role as an interdisciplinary campus hub dedicated to bridging disciplinary boundaries. Through S&S, Duke’s schools of Public Policy, Engineering, Law, Business, and Arts & Sciences maintain dialogues with one another, connect with policy makers and industry, and promote the responsible progress of science and technology. S&S recently launched a Digital Intelligence Certificate, an undergraduate, interdisciplinary course of study available to students of all majors that provides foundational knowledge in computational technologies and their relationship to society. Public Interest
Technology is a key component of the curricular and experiential learning of this program. S&S emphasizes experiential learning in its undergraduate and graduate level programs. For our capstone classes, we have developed best practices with external partners who collaborate with Duke to offer real-world experience to students studying technology ethics and policy.