SJSU to Host Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) 2024 Summit

The 2024 PIT-UN summit will be hosted at San José State University. Photo courtesy of Lisa Josefik.

On November 7-8, San José State University will host the annual Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) Summit, a gathering of public interest technologists from academia, government and industry that seeks to foster “collaboration between universities and colleges to build the PIT field and nurture a new generation of civic-minded technologists.”

This summit will be the first on the West Coast, and one of the first to feature corporate panelists as well as government and academia. The two-day event will include a fireside chat with SJSU President Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson, esteemed scholar Safiya Noble of UCLA and Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, entitled “Meeting the Moment,” which will discuss how public interest technology can help serve and facilitate “healthy public discourse while also creating research, education and career opportunities that leverage technology to respond to the crises stirring the hearts and minds of our students and faculty.” 

The 2024 summit is SJSU’s first chance to host, and demonstrates its growing reputation as a national leader in public interest technology issues. 

“Hosting the 2024 Public Interest Technology University Network conference at San José State University highlights our mission and leadership role to drive innovation that serves the public good,” explains President Teniente-Matson. “I’m delighted to welcome thought leaders, students and practitioners from across the nation to explore how technology can advance our collective futures.  

“PIT-UN is a catalyst for meaningful collaboration, and I look forward to the thought-provoking conversations ahead. As the Epicenter of the Future, San José State is uniquely positioned to bridge emerging technologies with a lens on ethical and equitable solutions for society’s most pressing challenges. As a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), we are developing a diverse workforce to ensure that the benefits of technology reach all communities with an inclusive perspective.”

PIT-UN leadership also saw the terrific opportunities SJSU presented as a possible host.

“PIT-UN’s member agreement calls out the special responsibility colleges and universities have to educate students so that they can be better stewards of individual rights, justice, social welfare and the public good as leaders,” says Andreen Soley, director of PIT-UN New America. “When we spoke to SJSU’s team about hosting the summit with a theme of workforce development, we were impressed by [their] willingness to acknowledge and embrace their public mission. They understood their role in producing the very diversity of talent that makes MSIs so important to our ecosystem. SJSU students are the talent that undergirds Silicon Valley success.” 

The summit will feature in-person and virtual sessions as well as a student track for student attendees featuring breakout rooms and workshops including peer learning workshops and reimagining the future of civic tech. While tickets are not available for in-person sessions, the virtual sessions are open to the public.

Sessions include “Preparing an Ethical AI Workforce,” a fireside chat on PIT and democracy moderated by Mary Currin-Percival, associate professor of political science, and a panel about best practices for collaborating with minority- and Hispanic-serving institutions (MSIs and HSIs) as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to develop “a talent pipeline that equips the next generation with skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in various emerging technology industries.” 

Additional outside speakers include Russell Hancock, president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley; Misan Rewane, executive director of Stanford Impact Labs, and California State Senator Dave Cortese, among others.

“PIT-UN wants to ensure that the summit reflects the multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral nature of public interest technology,” explains Soley. “We want this to be an annual gathering place for individuals who care about education, the public good and our communities. Our collaboration has yielded two days of programming that reflect PIT’s core methodology in action: critical inquiry, collaborative problem solving, systems thinking, storytelling and community engagement. These are vital tools to navigate both the current moment and the future ahead.” 

Learn more about PIT-UN.