Where are you studying? Can you tell us about your degree program?
I’m a senior at Duke majoring in Public Policy Studies and pursuing a certificate in Information Science and Studies. I really enjoy this combination because it allows me to explore the workings of political and corporate structures while engaging with issues of technology and society.
What has been your favorite project with the Technology and Civic Engagement Team?
My favorite project with the Technology and Civic Engagement team was helping to develop an Azure Active Directory federation for San Francisco’s Neighborhood Empowerment Network. I had never used Azure before, and was unaware of the powerful applications it had in a variety of areas—including civic tech.
How is civic tech transforming the Bay Area?
One of the most impactful ways I see civic tech and gov tech transforming the Bay Area is by bringing increased transparency in governance. A lot of publicly available information is stored deep in file folders of public sector organizations, but they often have an interest in concealing some of this information from the people. There are several apps and projects, including OpenGov, OpenJustice, and others, that are publishing these files, making them more accessible to citizens. The advent of these apps will change the way governments operate. Knowing that citizens can see every detail of a budget or an arrest will incentivize officials to operate with a higher standard of integrity.
Where is civic tech taking you next?
Often civic tech has one vision for cities, and the people in those cities have a different vision. We need people to bridge these gaps and give communities a larger voice in civic tech, so they feel that they have a say in the changes that it brings. Last week, I was in Helsinki, Finland for a conference called MyData that focused on the creation of user-centered identity and data management practices. Some of the projects debuted at this conference have already made headway in e-Government portals in Estonia, Slovakia, and other European countries. While I don’t know exactly what my plans are after graduation, these are some civic tech ideas that have inspired me, and that I plan to investigate soon.
What advice do you have for future fellows?
Be proactive. Your fellowship is what you make it. Come with ideas to explore, and see which ones of them intersect with projects that people are working on. Open yourself to learning about new challenges within tech, and find the actors who are seeking solutions.
