In October 2022, members from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and Cleveland State University (CSU) attended the PIT-UN Convening in New York City. Among those who attended were IOTC Co-Directors and PIT-UN designees, Nick Barendt and Shilpa Kedar. A highlight of the event was the announcement and celebration of the PIT-UN 2022 Year 4 Network Challenge awardees.
This year’s Network Challenge projects center on the needs of communities that have historically been excluded from access to new technology and decision making. Both CWRU and CSU were among the 18 grantees from 18 universities that received a total of $2.29 million for their projects.
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) will use their award to host a student fellowship to train future leaders in advancing racial and social justice, climate action, data equity and human rights in the technology field.
“For up to eight students accepted into the pilot of this fellowship at Case Western Reserve, it represents a chance to become future leaders in a fast-changing field in Northeast Ohio”, said Nick Barendt, executive director of the Institute for Smart, Secure and Connected Systems (ISSACS) and leader of the program at Case Western Reserve. To learn more about this award, visit this link.
A proposal team comprised of CSU T.E.C.H. Hub members also received funding for their project. With partners, The Cleveland Clinic and IBM, “we are collectively seizing this opportunity to build the country’s first and most diverse quantum computing talent pipeline,” said IoTC Co-Director Shilpa Kedar, who was invited to speak at the Convening in her capacity as designee.
“This PIT-UN Award is designed to serve Black students, Latinx students, and Female students. It places DE&I efforts at the center of programmatic design with a focus on intersectionality,” said Co-PI, Chelsey Cook Kohn, M.Ed. For a more in-depth description of the project, please go here.