Georgia State University has been named to the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), a partnership of prestigious colleges and universities that fosters collaboration among those committed to building the emerging field of public interest technology and growing a new generation of civic-minded technologists.

As a PIT-UN member, Georgia State will develop curricula, research agendas and experiential learning programs in the area of public interest technology, a relatively new field in which technology is leveraged to support public and nonprofit organizations and improve the lives of the people they serve.

Provost Wendy Hensel has designated Sally Wallace, dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, as the primary campus contact for PIT-UN.

“We are excited to join those preparing our public and nonprofit institutions and executives to lead this technology-driven future forward,” said Wallace. “We join PIT-UN members in understanding that stronger collaborations among our institutions will be essential in effectively harnessing technological advances to support society’s core values while minimizing the risks and unforeseen consequences they may impose.”

The Andrew Young School has initiated several projects through the last year to advance digital innovation in public policy and practice through its Digital Landscape Initiative: AYS Open, a policy analytics degree concentration and a related research focus.

As a part of this research focus, the school recently started the Southeast Region Public Interest Technology Fellows Program with the Georgia Institute of Technology, a PIT-UN founding member. This collaborative, interdisciplinary fellowship pairs social scientists from Georgia State with technologists from Georgia Tech to address social challenges through computing.

“We expect our PIT-UN fellowship and membership will provide many new avenues for our school to promote research and curriculum related to public interest technology. They will help drive our Digital Landscape Initiative forward,” said Ann-Margaret Esnard, AYS associate dean for research and strategic initiatives.