
Public Interest Technology University Network Announces the 2023 Network Challenge Grantees
The Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) is excited to announce our 2023 Network Challenge Grantees, whose public interest technology (#PIT) projects will advance equitable innovation in technology across academia, government and civil society.
Each 2023 project has a clear focus on equity and justice – key pillars of the field – increasing access to PIT education and careers and advancing technology that serves all communities, especially those historically excluded from technology design. At a time when technology is shaping every facet of our lives, these projects demonstrate how PIT-UN is preparing a new generation of technologists who understand technology’s societal impacts and have the skills to build rights, justice, social welfare and the public good into its design, deployment and governance across business, government and wider social contexts.
The Network Challenge grants are exclusively available via application to members of PIT-UN, comprised of 63 diverse academic institutions working to strengthen public interest technology as a discipline and a career. Since 2019, the Network Challenge has provided over $15 million to 145 projects that have built new courses, research centers, community and government partnerships, certificates and degrees, internships, fellowships and more. Learn more about past Network Challenge projects here.
Applications to the Network Challenge are judged and selected by an Evaluation Committee of PIT leaders from across industry, government, nonprofits and academia. The people in this growing network are among the strongest champions and ambassadors for public interest technology.
The Network and its 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, Schmidt Futures and The Siegel Family Endowment.
2023 Grantees

Arizona State University
Principal Investigator: Heather Ross
Public Interest Technology (PIT) for Homeless Shelters

Boston University
Principal Investigator: Brooke Williams
Justice Media Computational Journalism Career Fellowship

Boston University
Principal Investigators: Ziba Cranmer and Noha Hazzazi
2024 Tech For Change Hackathon

Brown University
Principal Investigator: Kathy Fisler
Preparing Computing Students to Reimagine Technology in the Public Interest

Carnegie Mellon University
Principal Investigator: Hong Shen
Developing a Community Education Toolkit for Public Social Service AI

Cleveland State University
Principal Investigator: Kelle DeBoth Foust
Internet of Things Community Advisory Board (ICAB), Educational Offerings and Career Pipeline Opportunities

Fordham University
Principal Investigator: Lauri Goldkind
Building Inclusive Public Interest Technology Learning
Competencies

Indiana University – Bloomington
Principal Investigator: Nathan Ensmenger
Serve AI

Meharry Medical College
Principal Investigator: Leah Alexander
The Center for Public Interest Technology in Health

Missouri University of Science & Technology
Principal Investigator: Casey Canfield
Cultivating Homegrown Talent: Rural Infrastructure Challenge Summit

Northeastern University
Principal Investigator: Daniel O’Brien
A Community- and Youth-Driven Approach to Public
Interest AI

Stillman College
Principal Investigator: Kevin Harris
HBCU Public Interest Technology Convenings

Temple University
Principal Investigator: Laura Maddux Bingham
Investing in JEDI Communities of Practice Through Experiential Education, Employer Engagement, and In-
School Professional Community-Building

West Virginia University
Principal Investigator: Joan Centrella
Empowering Underrepresented Talent through Public Interest Technology Policy