Dr. Christopher Goranson

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Christopher Goranson. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Christopher Goranson is a distinguished service professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College, specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), data visualization, intersection design, innovation, and analytics. With extensive experience in city and federal government, Christopher has worked on a variety of projects aimed at improving government services and fostering innovation in the public sector. As a Presidential Innovation Fellow in the Obama Administration, he collaborated with the Department of the Interior and managed the 18F initiative to enhance digital services across multiple federal agencies. Previously, he directed the Parsons Institute for Information Mapping at The New School in New York City, where he taught GIS in Public Health and supported medical records systems for the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. His work also included leading the GIS Center at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and providing GIS services to various federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency. Christopher is currently pursuing a Master of Geographic Information Systems from Penn State and has engaged in research comparing disease cluster detection methods in collaboration with the National Science Foundation.

Research Interests

Experience

Distinguished Service Professor

— Present

Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College • Pittsburgh, PA

Teaching classes on GIS, data visualization, intersection design, innovation, and analytics.

Director

— Present

Parsons Institute for Information Mapping, The New School • New York City, NY

Led initiatives in information mapping and GIS.

Director

— Present

GIS Center, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene • New York City, NY

Provided consulting and spatial analysis support.

Manager

— Present

Environmental Engineering Company • Date Unknown

Provided GIS professional services to federal agencies.

Courses

90-783 - Policy Innovation Lab: Public Interest Technology 90-829 - Design Thinking Public Policy 94-802 - Geographic Information Systems 94-870 - Telling Stories Data

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.