A fellowship program looking to source underrepresented individuals in the region's tech scene has launched to help equip these people for leadership posts at local automation and robotics companies.
The Promoting Emerging Entrepreneurs in Robotics (PEER) Fellowship is an effort created by Oakland-based nonprofit InnovatePGH and in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, Women In Tech PGH and the Equity Impact Center. It's the direct result of funding from the Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA) New Economy Collaborative, which received $62.7 million in federal investment last fall to lead the region's successful winning pitch in the national Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
With PEER, communities of people who have historically been underrepresented in technology-related fields will be connected with mentorship and learning opportunities that prepare them for leadership or commercial success within the automation and robotics industries found throughout the region. The fellowship will accomplish this via a year-long and entrepreneur-focused curriculum taught to the fellows out of CMU's Robotics Institute, Heinz College for Information Systems and Public Policy and the Tepper School of Business. Fellows will also get a monthly living and housing stipend of $3,750 during their time in the program.
"By acknowledging the challenges faced by these technologists, we can create better programs that support participants from the ground up," Lindsay Powell, director of workforce strategies at InnovatePGH, said in a prepared statement. "With support from community partners, organizations, and anchoring institutions, we can set the standard for equitable opportunities in robotics and automation."
The free application for the fellowship is now open to anyone who will have a bachelor's degree by the program's Aug. 13 start date or to those who express a background or interest in technology, automation and or robotics.
Farnam Jahanian, president of CMU and co-chair of the SWPA New Economy Collaborative, said in a statement that this program is the first in the nation of its kind.
"Carnegie Mellon is pleased to help launch this bold new initiative in our region with InnovatePGH," Jahanian said. "Together, we envision this program becoming a model that other regions and research universities across the country can follow to create economic opportunities for entrepreneurs in their communities."
The fellowship component is one of several that likely contributed to a November 2022 report from The Brookings Institution that singled out the region's Build Back Better Regional Challenge pitch as being among the most equitable proposals in the country due to its objectives and scope, among other factors.
