Public Interest Technology Initiative at Cornell Tech
Fostering the next generation of innovators, leaders, and researchers shaping technology to achieve positive societal outcomes
Shaping technology for public needs
The societal and economic impacts of digital technology are only becoming more powerful, and with it, the growing desire among graduate students, researchers, and practitioners to intentionally shape technology to serve public needs.
The Public Interest Technology (PiTech) Initiative at Cornell Tech is addressing this demand by curating engagement opportunities for graduate students and researchers to apply technical expertise in service of public needs and incorporate public objectives explicitly into the pursuit of technological innovation.
Our Programs
We are building a community of impact-focused scholars and practitioners through PiTech Impact Studio, our Visiting Practitioner's (VIP) Program, and the Siegel PiTech Impact Fellowships for PhDs, Postdocs, and Faculty. Our activities cater to graduate students, postgraduate trainees, and researchers at key stages of their academic and professional career trajectories.
Master’s Students
PiTech Impact Studio
The primary purpose of the PiTech Impact Studio is to deepen students’ understanding of the opportunities and challenges in public interest technology through their engagement with organizations seeking to apply technology to achieve social impact.
Visiting Practitioners (ViPs) Program
Leading public interest technology practitioners engage with Cornell Tech students and community members throughout the semester, offering office hours, mentoring student teams, and providing feedback on product and business ideas.
PhD Students
Siegel PiTech PhD Impact Fellowship
Supports Cornell University PhD students in technical fields to work with NYC-based nonprofit and public sector organizations during the summer.
Impact Fellows gain exposure to the technology challenges facing public interest organizations and contribute their skills and expertise to strategic projects that advance their host organizations' missions.
Postdoc
PiTech Runway Startup Postdoc
Supports postdocs with PhDs in technical fields in harnessing their deep expertise to start a company that addresses the public interest. Fellows join through the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute’s Runway Startups Program.
PiTech Success Stories
Who We Work With
Our NYC-based partner organizations draw from government, civil society, and the nonprofit sector, spanning many critical subject matter domains, including:
Public health: health care provision and accessibility
Social justice: food insecurity, criminal justice reform, and economic inequality
Trustworthy media ecosystems: combatting racism, hate speech, and misinformation
Public services: public service provision, housing, transportation, and civic engagement
Environment: sustainability and conservation