Student Profile: Domingo Carbone, MSCAPP Class of 2022

“There is no single governmental agency in Chile that governs official information,” says Domingo Carbone, MSCAPP Class of 2022. “The closest thing is the National Statistics Institute, which lacks the authority and influence to propose policies that make innovative use of the information the state generates. We’re missing a government body that can look at the big picture, using an authoritative set of information, and act as a middle point between all government agencies requesting information. When I return to Chile, I want to assist in the legislation of a data governance structure for our country.”

Carbone’s exposure to politics and the challenges that arose from policies began at a very young age. Every summer, he would volunteer with religious groups to assist in building housing for disadvantaged communities. “When you get to know the impact of policies in people from a young age, that becomes a part of you. You realize public issues are very important and very real.”

This experience motivated Carbone to study law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago. There, he coached high school debate teams, taught civics at community college, and joined a think tank where he met congresspeople and learned about the work they did. “I met many civil servants with long histories who were very committed to their work, but I realized there was not enough focus on the technical side of things.”

After graduating with his Bachelor of Laws in 2016, Carbone worked as a lawyer for two years, advising local and foreign clients on labor and corporate law. During that time, Carbone heard about Santiago Larraín, a fellow lawyer from the Pontifical Catholic University who had recently completed the Master's in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) program at Harris, and was working as a data scientist for the government of Massachusetts. Carbone was intrigued. “I thought the program’s focus on data science was very forward-looking, and that's what my country really needed.”

With the MSCAPP program in mind, Carbone sought to pivot towards a more data-centric role. In 2018, he became Chief of Staff for the National Statistics Institute, working alongside the Chief Statistics Officer. In this role, Carbone worked to produce official national statistics, lead the Institute’s relation with employee unions, and coordinated information requests to and from other government agencies.

Carbone then applied to the MSCAPP program in 2019. “I didn't immediately make it—but I was on the waitlist. And then a couple of weeks later I got the good news. I don't know how many people don't apply because they fear they might not have the background, but I say, ‘Go for it.’ The university can see in your background the value there is to be gained.”

Carbone looks forward to his time in Chicago with his wife, Rosie, and his one-year-old son, Lucas. “The way MSCAPP is set up, we have three years to work in the US because it's a STEM degree. My wife is also a lawyer—and definitely a more successful one than I was—and will hopefully earn her LLM at UChicago.”

“I chose public policy because it's the best way to give back to my country, my community, my parents, and to secure the life my children will have. I have had a very blessed life—I have a wonderful wife and a healthy son. I had the best education that my country can provide. And Harris offers some of the best education the world can provide. With that privilege, there’s a responsibility to give back to your community.”