Technology and Public Purpose Fellowship Recap

This May, the TAPP Project graduated its inaugural cohort of the Technology and Public Purpose Fellowship.  The TAPP Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for practitioners at the intersection of responsible technology development to explore multidisciplinary approaches to maximizing the societal benefits of emerging technologies while minimizing the harms.

During the fellowship, fellows researched and developed individually scoped projects related to technology and public purpose topics including surveillance and data privacy, health data governance, science and technology expertise in government, and others. In addition to frequent reflections, fellows presented their final research products during a weeklong showcase known as the Perspectives of Public Purpose Week. 

Congratulations to our inaugural cohort of TAPP fellows on a year well-done! 

2020-2021 TAPP Fellows Research Outputs 

Sexual Censorship on Social Media: What I Learned

TAPP Fellow: Clare Bayley

"All but two of the major Western social media platforms ban nudity and sexual content entirely, with sets of rules spanning from the obvious...to the bizarre..."

Drivers Should Know if They are Sharing the Road with Self-Driving Test Vehicles

TAPP Fellow: Devin Gladden

Over the next two years as on-road pilot programs and testing increase, self-driving vehicles will continue to move from novelty to closer to reality, meaning more drivers are likely to encounter them.

The Government Technology Silver Bullet: Hiring In-House Technical Talent

TAPP Fellow: Mark Lerner

"I believe that hiring more in-house technical talent might be a silver bullet to addressing the federal government’s technology problems."

Supporting a Public Purpose in Research & Development: The Role of Tax Credits

TAPP Fellow: Jake Taylor

Tax credits for R&D highlight and enable a disconnect between the goals of research and the perspective of the community of researchers executing the research and the interested public. 

Venture Capital and Public Purpose Playbook

TAPP Fellow: Liz Sisson

The Venture Capital Public Purpose Indicator and this accompanying playbook provide guidance to VCs and startups that are interested in preventing negative consequences and in laying a public purpose foundation. They can be used alongside other existing diligence or planning processes.