As data and technology grow more pervasive and ubiquitous in society, the need for people trained at the intersection of computer science, data science, and public policy is becoming more critical than ever. Almost ten years ago, a combination of Chicago civic tech practitioners and University of Chicago faculty were among the first to recognize this new and emerging field and founded UChicago’s MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) program. Since then, students and alumni have leveraged their training in unexpected and impactful ways to address complex challenges in Chicago and around the world.

One of the most common prompts for civic tech projects is: 'Where can I go to get help?' In any given community, you’ll find information about human services available through call centers, printed directories, web sites, and more. However, these information resources are typically maintained in fragmented, redundant silos. In this talk, we'll explain what the resource directory information problem really is all about, why it resists simple solutions, and what we can do about it.

Our COVID-19 Policy

Sep 9, 2022 by CHN Board

At Chi Hack Night we continue to believe in the importance of hosting in-person events particularly in a time where meaningful social life is so vital, but we must work together to do so safely. We recognize our civic responsibility of standing in solidarity with marginalized communities, particularly as they have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. As such, we have created a policy for protecting our community from COVID-19.