Aneesh Chopra and Nick Sinai announced as Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellows

The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) is pleased to announce the appointment of two distinguished technological leaders, Aneesh Chopra and Nick Sinai, as the inaugural recipients of the newly established Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellowship.

Chopra and Sinai will work in partnership as joint Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellows. Together, they will drive an ambitious program on data as public infrastructure and speak widely, write, and investigate the media, policy and economic implications of providing greater public access to government data. Sinai, currently the U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer, will begin his six-month residency at the Center beginning on December 1. Chopra, the first U.S. Chief Technology Officer, plans to be in residence periodically.

“Open data is improving government service delivery, empowering citizens, and fueling economic growth. Taxpayers paid for vast troves of data, and wherever possible, they should be accessible to everyone — instead of being trapped in government systems,” said Sinai. “The Obama Administration has made significant progress opening up data, and I look forward to continuing to work on this important issue at the Shorenstein Center at Harvard Kennedy School.”