Dr. Erin A. Clark, associate professor of English, is one of the principal investigators on the award from the Public Interest Technology University Network. (Photo by Rhett Butler)
East Carolina University, in partnership with Missouri University of Science and Technology, is a 2024 Network Challenge Grantee awarded by the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN). PIT-UN projects advance equitable innovation in technology across academia, government and civil society.
The 2024 Network Challenge Grantee projects focus specifically on educational offerings and career pipeline and placement efforts. Each project centers on the needs of communities that have historically been excluded from technology design, workforce and policy and will empower communities through partnerships with minority-serving institutions, local and state government, and nonprofits.
In its sixth year, the Network Challenge will distribute just under $1 million to 10 projects led by PIT-UN members. ECU and Missouri S&T will share a $290,000 award for their project, “Zine Lab: PIT-Engaged Communication for Gender Justice.” Dr. Erin A. Clark, associate professor in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Department of English, is a principal investigator on the award, along with Dr. Ryan Cheek from Missouri S&T.
Through January 2026, ECU and Missouri S&T will each host two workshops bringing together scholars, students and community partners to create zines as a form of public interest technology that advance gender justice and promote technological equity. Zines are small-circulation, often self-published works created by small groups or an individual.
“This project has many direct and indirect benefits. The short-term, direct benefits include opportunities to collaborate around reproductive health care access. The long-term benefits include the development of local infrastructure for knowledge-making and knowledge-sharing,” Clark said. “During the time of this grant, we hope to establish partnered zine labs at the two universities. Also, we will pursue ways to continue funding the labs, with additional topics for zine content in future years.”
ECU doctoral student Mina Bikmohammadi will work with Clark and community partners on the project. (Contributed photo)
ECU Rhetoric, Writing and Professional Communication (RWPC) doctoral student Mina Bikmohammadi will work with Clark and community partners in both states. ECU RWPC alumna Carleigh Davis (’18), now an associate professor at Missouri S&T, will work with Cheek.
“I feel incredibly excited to be part of this award,” Bikmohammadi said. “We hope to use this platform to inspire others to engage in socially impactful work, and we are planning to create spaces where marginalized voices are heard and represented in academic and public discourses.”
The project aims to link academic research and social justice movements.
“We can empower local communities,” she said. “This can happen by providing tools and spaces for local communities to narrate their own stories and advocate for themselves.
“We can continue building stronger networks among activists, scholars and residents. We can create a more inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and where tangible change is possible. In the long run, this project can enhance the overall social fabric of our region by promoting justice, equity and access to resources for all,” Bikmohammadi said.
PIT-UN is a network of 63 academic institutions working to strengthen public interest technology as a discipline and a career. Since 2019, the Network Challenge has provided more than $16 million to 154 projects. To learn more and view the full list of 2024 awardees, visit the PIT-UN Network Challenge website.
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