How Pittsburgh startups are navigating social distancing while serving communities in the pandemic

User research and human-centered design consultant Robert Burack writes about how the City, County and their partners are using innovative methods to elevate services, improve internal performance and make local government more transparent.

Product Manager Anthony Levin-Decanini shares how the nonprofit's tech has evolved and how it plans to scale to fight food insecurity in other cities.

On Wednesday, Oct. 3, we're hosting a series of lightning talks from seven technologists, city staffers, community conveners and more. Whether you'e actively involved in this world or looking for an entry point, this event is for you.

The second annual hackathon invites volunteers to parse the public datasets related to opioid use and abuse at four sites across the Keystone State this Sept. 21 and 22.

The economic development nonprofit launched its Equitable Entrepreneurship Program in early 2018 to support minority and immigrant innovators. Anti-jargon Impact Innovations Director Nicole Muise-Kielkucki explains.

In 2016 alone, 22 residents died in fires. Here's how CountyStat created a picture of the houses most at risk for being without working smoke detectors — and plans to act on it to save lives.

Matthew Lavin on teaching non-technologist college students to use open data: "A humanities mind wants to start seeing the code as something they can engage with not just a stream of letters and numbers happening in the background that they can't touch."

Those startups include several civic-minded companies, such as Thread International, Flexable Care and Civic Science. President and CEO Rich Lunak reflects on the seed investment engine's past and looks ahead to its future.

The local Code for America brigade is celebrating National Day of Civic Hacking by crowdsourcing web mapping services for disaster response. Here's how the group has changed since its 2014 founding.

"A lot of people think the humanities and technical-related stuff are on two different ends of the spectrum but it’s really not true," said one of the two English majors working at Pittsburgh's open data hub.

Senior Digital Services Analyst Tara Matthews on the city department's commitment to democratizing the outcomes of its work.

As the David M. Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, Andre Perry is researching the differences in public fiscal commitments between majority-black cities like Wilkinsburg and majority-white cities.

Here's what Open Data PGH partner PublicSource found when it investigated how the city responded to the Deloitte Consulting report. (Hint: Staffers are keeping tight-lipped.)

Her latest exhibit, Edged Out, includes works that visualizes scientific research as it pertains to amphibian conservation efforts and their ecology. Think of it as data viz for the art world.

Context matters, as does an awareness of structural racism and inequity. And remember: “Just because you can do something with data doesn’t always mean you should do it.”

Open Data PGH is our new editorial project covering civic tech at the other end of the state. Here's how to keep up.

"When I talk about open data, I talk about opportunity and agency — the opportunity to investigate and the agency to disrupt," writes Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Tess Wilson. "And this becomes especially vital when we consider who the public library serves."

Presenters shared ideas on the impact of cyberbullying, the humanity needed in autonomous vehicle development and using AI to help prevent opioid relapses.

The competition that connects technologists with communities in need announced its 2018 Great Ideas winners, which are trying to solve problems relating to nonprofit measurement, blight and language access.

Ascender Innovation Director Kenny Chen's dispatch from the UN’s 2018 AI for Good Global Summit: The development of a global Data Commons framework is "an exciting prospect for any civic coder or supporter of open data initiatives."

The goal is to make the City of Pittsburgh more efficient, transparent and sustainable while giving startups a short-term test bed.

Programs such as Codefest Jr. at Carnegie Library are training kids to solve real-world problems with STEM. Think of them as pre-technologists.

How the coworking space and event org is making way for real connections in a fragmented industry.

Here's how technologists Eleanor Tutt, Rachel McGrane and Ellie Newman view the region’s efforts to connect people with data.

How the efforts of individual technologists, city agencies, civic groups and universities have led to unique, homegrown projects and a burgeoning network with real impact.

Open Data PGH is a six-month reporting project on the city's open data efforts. Join our weekly newsletter to follow along.

The initiative includes a $10 million grant to Goodwill Industries, helping the organization bridge the digital divide.

Transportation outside the city, difficulty accessing capital and challenges finding and retaining talent persist in Steel City.

The city's strengths haven't yet translated into widespread growth, but a new Brookings report offers a game plan.

Connecting Johnstown to Pittsburgh will take some creative transportation solutions. But who's leading the drive?

Pittsburgh's new “EcoInnovation District” hopes the success of its tech cluster will bleed into two of the city's lowest-income neighborhoods.

The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh invests in the formerly incarcerated — building skills and self-respect through counseling and coursework.

Pennley Park South has become an example of what not to do in urban planning. How can cities ensure affordable housing while still encouraging new development?

The former City of Philadelphia GIS specialist is heading to Pittsburgh to see how technology can solve city problems in Western PA.