Public interest technology contains elements of technology, ethics, social good, and policy while sitting at the nexus of dozens of different areas of study, from software development to law to public health programs and hiring practices. That is why teaching students about it has to be multidisciplinary, according to Dr. Sunoo Park.
Park, an Assistant Professor at NYU’s Courant Institute, is also affiliated with the School of Law. Her current research includes how computer science and legal systems can help improve the reliability of our election systems, use of technology in legal practice and how that can go wrong, and writing about the legal risks computer security researchers face.
Park is teaching a new course on Public Interest Technology this fall. Park has planned the course around projects that will give NYU students “the opportunity to work with external organizations on PIT issues that support the missions of those organizations.”
As a teacher, Park said she appreciates that she can not only provide students with instruction in a classroom environment but that they can learn about the different kinds of impacts of PIT and career paths in the field as well as how their own work can intersect, whether it is advocacy or something like policy work.
She has previously co-taught a “clinic” course at the School of Law with a similar format that gives law students real-world experience in public-interest casework involving technology matters.
Public interest challenges are inherently interdisciplinary, requiring collaboration among individuals with diverse skill sets and perspectives. For instance, addressing climate change through technological innovation involves engineers who can design systems, social workers who understand the human impact, and communicators who can articulate solutions to the public.
Teaching PIT ensures that students from all disciplines recognize their potential roles in solving complex societal problems. By understanding the ethical and social dimensions of technology, students are better equipped to collaborate effectively across fields, contributing to holistic solutions.
Park thinks integrating public interest tech issues across the curriculum would help students “where there are natural connections to be drawn.” Ultimately, though, the “immersion and impact” of these clinics and project-based courses provide an important complement to broader curriculum integrations.
— Mythili Sampathkumar