Miami Dade College Awarded Grant to Fuel Inclusive Public Interest Technology

Miami, Nov. 2, 2021 – Miami Dade College (MDC) to receive $100,000 as one of 24 Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) colleges and universities that was awarded 31 grants totaling $3.61 million by New America to fund critical research, field building, and the development of an inclusive career pipeline for public interest technologists.

MDC has been awarded more than $400,000 in grants since joining PIT-UN, a group of 43 academic institutions committed to bringing students and educators from multiple disciplines together to solve the toughest challenges our country and world face.

The most recent project awarded is GISEC: Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Awareness and Community Engagement.  The goal of GISEC is to create a pathway for students in GIS technology and to enhance technological applications of public interest with an emphasis on environmental hazards awareness and community engagement in Miami-Dade County, a minority-majority urban area significantly impacted by, and at ongoing risk for, natural disasters.

Over the past two years, PIT-UN members have succeeded in breaking down artificial silos between technology, policy, and the social sciences and humanities in service of equity, justice, and social good.

“With nearly $12 million in grants awarded since the Challenge’s inception, this year’s crop of grantees continues to reaffirm our commitment to a sociotechnical education that puts humans at the center,” said Andreen Soley, Director, PIT-UN. “These 31 projects prioritize connecting in class learning with their real-world applications to ensure the safety and security of some of our most vulnerable communities. We hope they serve as models and proofs of concepts for other universities and colleges.”

For more information about GISEC visit: https://www.mdc.edu/entec/grants/gisec.aspx

The Public Interest Technology University Network is a partnership of colleges and universities convened by New America, the Ford Foundation, and the Hewlett Foundation. The network and challenge grants are funded through the support of the Ford Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Mastercard Impact Fund, with support from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, The Raikes Foundation, Schmidt Futures and The Siegel Family Endowment. PIT-UN is dedicated to building the nascent field of public interest technology through curriculum development, faculty research opportunities, and experiential learning programs, in order to inspire a new generation of civic-minded technologists and policy leaders.

Media Contact: Kindred Motes, New America Senior Advisor of Strategy and Engagement, 646-713-8985, motes@newamerica.org.