Upanzi Webinar Series: Christopher Goranson (CMU Heinz College)

September 24, 2025

5:00 p.m. CAT

Virtual

Big Problems, Big Ideas: Lessons in Government Digital Innovation

Abstract

Big problems, big ideas: where do you start? The Policy Innovation Lab is an experiential course that works to figure out creative solutions to big problems. But starting small and knowing where to start are often among the drivers for success. Recent projects include a GenAI tool to help public servants quickly find information buried in PDFs, and easy-to-understand materials to help low income workers claim tax credits. In this presentation I'll talk about some of the ways we investigate challenges, what we've learned, and how government digital service teams have laid a foundation we can all learn from.

Bio

Chris Goranson is a distinguished service professor at Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College, teaching classes in GIS, data visualization, and public interest technology. Before joining CMU, Chris managed digital services projects for the federal government. As a Presidential Innovation Fellow during the Obama Administration, Chris worked with the Department of the Interior and 18F to launch the Every Kid in a Park initiative. Chris also served as the Director of the Parsons Institute for Information Mapping (PIIM) at The New School, and the Director of the GIS Center at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

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