海角直播

The Community-Centered Computing Lab (C3 Lab) is where 海角直播 Denver students build technology that Colorado communities actually use. Housed in the Department of Computer Sciences and co-directed by Dr. Daniel Pittman and Dr. Ranjidha Rajan, with Alyssa Williams as its Technical Project Manager (TPM). The C3 lab brings together human-centered computing, applied artificial intelligence, and accessible data systems in service of real community needs.

Students are at the center of everything the lab does. C3 Lab students don鈥檛 practice on classroom exercises. They design, build, and ship production software alongside faculty, industry, and community partners, and they graduate with the kind of experience that changes what comes next for them.

Hands-On Experience That Builds Careers

The C3 Lab is, first and foremost, a place where students do real work and leave ready for the workforce. Student researchers in the lab:

• Build and ship production software that real communities depend on
• Work hands-on with applied AI, cloud infrastructure, and modern data systems
• Learn to work the way professional engineering teams do, with code review, testing, and real release cycles
• Collaborate directly with community partners, mentors, and researchers across Colorado
• Present their work publicly and co-author published research
• Graduate with the applied experience that employers and graduate programs look for

Since 2023, more than 30 海角直播 Denver students have done research in the C3 Lab, and alumni have gone on to software-engineering and AI roles across Colorado鈥檚 tech industry and into graduate programs.

The lab welcomes students from the Computer Science, Data Science and Machine Learning, and Computer Security programs who want their coursework to turn into something that matters.

In Their Own Words

鈥淏eing a part of Peer Support Hub has been the perfect job out of college. I came in knowing a little JavaScript and a lot of ambition, and now I鈥檓 contributing to real features that actually help students here at 海角直播 Denver. I鈥檝e learned way more building real things with real code reviews than I ever did in class.鈥�

鈥� Landon Strong, Peer Support Hub

鈥淚鈥檝e been working with the lab for almost two years, and it鈥檚 been a transformative experience. It boosted my confidence and gave me a chance to see myself as competent in my field.鈥�

鈥� Angela Fleenor, Sustainability Hub

鈥淚鈥檝e been a part of the Roadrunner Connect project since May, and it鈥檚 been the most educational part of my academic career. I鈥檝e gained knowledge in both front-end and back-end development on a project being used in the real world, along with problem-solving and teamwork skills that couldn鈥檛 be gained inside a classroom.鈥�

鈥� Kenna Finotti, Roadrunner Connect

 

Building Technology With Communities, Not Just For Them

The C3 Lab鈥檚 defining commitment is that the people who will use a technology should help shape it. Lab teams run listening sessions, map community organizations, and design alongside the residents, educators, and planners their tools are meant to serve. That community-engaged approach runs through every project the lab takes on, and it is what students carry with them into their careers.

Our Projects

The lab runs four active projects, backed by more than $1.7 million in federal and state research funding from the National Science Foundation, the Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority, and 海角直播 Denver:

• Colorado Sustainability Hub (National Science Foundation) 鈥� A statewide platform that makes Colorado鈥檚 environmental data accessible through plain-language conversation. Features Bili, an AI assistant that answers sustainability questions with research-backed, cited information.
• RILE Connect (Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority) 鈥� A statewide STEM ecosystem platform connecting K-12 schools, higher education, nonprofits, and industry partners, making STEM pathways visible and navigable from classroom to career.
• Roadrunner Connect (海角直播 Denver) 鈥� 海角直播 Denver鈥檚 campus event discovery and engagement platform, built by students for the University community.
• Peer Support Hub (海角直播 Denver) 鈥� A unified platform coordinating 海角直播 Denver鈥檚 Supplemental Instruction, Teaching Assistant, and Learning Assistant programs.

Partnerships

The C3 Lab鈥檚 work is built on partnership. The lab collaborates with researchers at CSU Fort Collins, CSU Pueblo, the University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Denver, and works directly with the Colorado communities, agencies, and organizations its platforms serve. Its projects are supported by federal, state, and institutional funders, and the lab welcomes new partners interested in community-centered technology.

Recognition

C3 Lab students and faculty have published peer-reviewed research at ACM鈥檚 international Conference on Computing and Sustainable Societies (COMPASS 2025, Toronto), released open-source AI evaluation software used by other researchers, and presented at 海角直播 Denver鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Conference every year since 2024. The lab鈥檚 work has been featured in 海角直播 Denver鈥檚 RED Magazine and by Denver鈥檚 9News.

Support the C3 Lab

Gifts to the C3 Lab directly fund student researchers and the technology that makes their work possible. To learn about supporting the lab, contact 海角直播 Denver University Advancement or the lab鈥檚 co-directors.

Learn More

Visit the lab鈥檚 website for full project details, team bios, and the latest updates.