The Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) is a consortium of universities and foundations that collaborate to develop the field of
public interest technology. It was formed in March 2019.[1]
The group currently has 59 member universities from across the U.S. and four international institutions.:[2]
PIT-UN seeks to address challenges between industry and society.[3] Member institutions are committed to bringing together students and educators from multiple disciplines together to solve the toughest challenges the U.S. and the world face, by building the nascent field of public interest technology and growing a new generation of civic-minded technologists. Through the development of curricula, research agendas, and experiential learning programs in the public interest technology space, the member institutions are using innovative tactics with the aim to develop graduates with multiple fluencies at the intersection of technology and policy.[2]
In October 2019 the organization awarded US$3 million in grants to 21 institutions.[4] The organization has since awarded more rounds of funding through the PIT University Network Challenge. In 2020 28 institutions were awarded grants totaling $4.4 million, and in November 2021 $3.61 million was awarded to 24 institutions. In October 2022, $2.3 million was awarded to 18 institutions.[5][6] Grants are exclusively available via application to
members of PIT-UN.[6]
Members
The full list of current PIT-UN members as of December 2022 is:[2]
Arizona State University
Boston University
Cal Poly State University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Center for Education and Research on Innovation (CEPI FGV São Paulo Law School), Brazil
Cleveland State University-Ohio
Columbia University
Cornell University
Florida International University
Fordham University
Georgetown University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
Harvard University
Howard University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Indiana University
Lane College
LeMoyne-Owen College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Meharry Medical College
Miami Dade College
Nazareth College
New York University
Northeastern University
Olin College of Engineering
Pardee RAND Graduate School
Pennsylvania State University
Pepperdine University
Princeton University
Prairie View A & M University
Rochester Institute of Technology
San Jose State University
Stanford University
Stillman College
Temple University
The City University of New York
The George Washington University
The Ohio State University
The University of Texas, Austin
The University of the South (Sewanee)
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Chicago
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
University of Illinois, Chicago
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of Rijeka, Croatia
University of Szeged, Hungary
University of Virginia
University of Washington
Virginia Tech
William & Mary
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Educational institutions interested in joining PIT UN can review the process on
Pitcases[7]