The Need for a New Name, Logo and Identity
Formerly known as the Collaboratory Against Hate, the research center, a partnership between Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, recognized that its original name, while born from urgency, did not reflect the forward-looking, solutions-driven nature of its mission. The words “against hate” positioned the organization in opposition to a problem rather than in pursuit of understanding. To continue advancing its purpose — using research, data, and artificial intelligence to mitigate targeted violence — the center needed a brand that was less generic, less combative, and more aligned with its humanistic and technological roots.
The Strategy for a New Logo and Identity
The new name,CARVt — Center for Applied Research on Targeted Violence, captures this shift: from reactive to proactive, from emotion to evidence, from rhetoric to results.
The CARVt logo is a visual expression of precision and intent.
The equal sign (=) represents the Center’s commitment to giving equal weight to all facts and data, independent of ideology or political stance, an emblem of intellectual neutrality and analytical integrity.
The word “Carv” underscores the Center’s mission of carving truth out of data, a deliberate and methodical process of uncovering insights that lead to prevention and understanding.
The exponential “t” serves as both a mathematical and conceptual amplifier, symbolizing the Center’s focus on targeted violence. Together, the typography and structure evoke a mathematical, engineered aesthetic that reflects the rigor and innovation of Carnegie Mellon University’s scientific culture, positioning CARVt as a place where human insight meets technical precision.
