Grant Chinn

“CCT provides me with a supportive and flexible environment to build up the tools to study and explore my interests.”

Headshot of Grant Chinn, CCT Student.

Academic Background: UC San Diego, Human-Computer Interaction

Area of focus in CCT:  Critical Design and Technology Studies

What did you do before CCT? After graduating, I worked as a UX researcher. Outside of that, I explored (and am continuing to explore) the question of what solidarity with the most marginalized means from a tech perspective—volunteering as a web designer for organizations that care about social justice, and building relationships with tech workers who want to do something about tech companies’ complicity in not so great things, like how their companies build tools and infrastructure for ICE (yikes).

What activities do you participate in? Currently I work for the university in their fundraising department (the Office of Advancement) as a web designer/maintainer/occasional researcher. I collaborate with developers and graphic designers to build sites that support alumni outreach and engagement. Working here also allows me to attend CCT part-time and have it covered by an amazing TAP benefit program offered by the university.

As far student focused activities, I volunteer with the Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees (GAGE). They are a group of amazing people primarily concerned with improving working conditions for graduate workers, but they are also sort of a hub for broader graduate student activism and support.

If you want to chat about any of these things, I’m always here!

Why did you choose CCT?  I chose it because of the opportunity to learn from so many awesome peers and mentors. Also I plan to write a thesis, so CCT provides me with a supportive and flexible environment to build up the tools to study and explore my interests—broadly the impact of technologies in our society and how tech workers might come together to make them not suck. It has a flexible curriculum so my indecisive self can take a whole range of courses (across the whole university!) while I figure things out.

What surprised you about CCT?  The wide range of my fellow students’ backgrounds and interests. Everyone is working towards their own unique idea of what communication, culture, and technology means to them and I love that for us. We support each other in those journeys.