San José State University will be hosting the annual Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) Summit on November 7-8. This summit aims to bring together public interest technologists from academia, government, and industry to collaborate and nurture a new generation of civic-minded technologists. The event will feature corporate, government, and academic panelists, making it one of the first to do so.
The summit will include a fireside chat with SJSU President Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson, Safiya Noble of UCLA, and Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, discussing how public interest technology can support healthy public discourse and provide opportunities for research, education, and careers that leverage technology to address societal challenges.
As SJSU’s first opportunity to host the PIT-UN summit, it highlights the university’s commitment to driving innovation for the public good. President Teniente-Matson expressed excitement to welcome thought leaders, students, and practitioners to explore how technology can shape the future inclusively and ethically.
The summit will feature in-person and virtual sessions, including a student track with workshops focused on peer learning and civic tech. Speakers will discuss topics like ethical AI workforce preparation, collaborating with minority-serving institutions, and the role of public interest technology in democracy.
PIT-UN aims to create an annual gathering place for individuals invested in education, the public good, and community engagement. The collaboration between academia, government, and industry at the summit reflects the core methodology of PIT: critical inquiry, collaborative problem-solving, systems thinking, storytelling, and community engagement.
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