. Justine reflected on times when she did not trust herinstincts, stating, “The most important thing is to not give up on that instinct. There’s a reasonyou feel that way.”Acknowledging Pressure to Go Along Just like pressure in a liquid or gas may be used by a professional engineer to exert forcein a mechanical system, pressure may be used by a leader to encourage compliance with anunethical directive or request. Of course, pressure in a liquid or gas may be easier to measure andevaluate than the human mind when under stress. Participants emphasized the importance oftheir awareness of what actions others had taken to apply pressure and how they were feelingunder that pressure, both as a means to respond appropriately and to avoid
] definedvirtue as “the beauty of those qualities and acts of the mind, that are of a moral nature.” Annas(2011) [14] defined virtue as “a lasting feature of a person, a tendency for the person to be acertain way. It is not merely a lasting feature, however, one that just sits there undisturbed. It isactive: to have it is to be disposed to act in certain ways. And it develops through selectiveresponse to circumstances.” Boyd and Timpe (2021) [15] defined virtue as “an excellent andstable quality of the soul that enables a person to act well regarding some activity.” Only a fewselected aspects of virtue believed to be relevant to engineering will be briefly discussed here.It may be argued a guideline that should be adhered to when designing potentially
through auspices ofthe National Academies.backgroundThe practice of engineering is more than the application of scientific, mathematical, andtechnical knowledge to design, develop, build, and maintain devices, systems, structures, andprocesses. It is a creative endeavor with profound cultural, ethical, and social dimensions, andwith the great potential to do good or harm, however intentionally or unintentionally.While it may seem as though considerations of such non-technical aspects of engineering are arelatively recent concern, they have in fact long been on the minds of practitioners [1]. Indeed, aset of papers published in 1922 put forward some remarkably modern-sounding concepts.Alexander Graham Christie, a Johns Hopkins University
arise, to when they sleep. Quite simply, it isimpossible for someone not to engage engineering in some manner on a reoccurring basis intoday’s modern world. This is a weighty concept for the profession and the practicingengineer. The relationship of engineering and society dictates that engineers operate in goodfaith to ensure the welfare of society is paramount. As such, engineering ethics are a part of thiscomplex relationship and the education of engineering students should be effective in makingthem more ethically minded. This paper will set up virtue ethics as a needed approach inengineering ethics education and exams four virtues as the hallmarks of an engineer: phronesis,justice, fortitude and honesty.engineering as a valued
: 10.1007/s11948- 017-9910-6.[10] J. Haidt, The Righteous Mind. New York: Vintage Press, 2012.[11] J. D. Greene, Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap between Us and Them. New York: Penguin Books, 2014.[12] M. H. Bazerman and A. Tenbrunsel, Blind Spots: Why We Fail to Do What’s Right and What to Do about It. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012.[13] R. F. Clancy, “The Ethical Education and Perspectives of Chinese Engineering Students: A Preliminary Investigation and Recommendations,” Sci. Eng. Ethics, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 1935–1965, Aug. 2020, doi: 10.1007/s11948-019-00108-0.[14] B. Keysar, S. L. Hayakawa, and S. G. An, “The Foreign-Language Effect,” Psychol. Sci., 2012, doi: 10.1177
; in31 Utilitarianism engineering, choices are made with the majority's best interests in mind. Emotional intelligence is essential for moral leadership and handling Emotional32 emotionally charged circumstances, playing a significant role in Intelligence (EQ) engineering ethics. Ensuring that the benefits of engineering decisions are distributed33 Social Justice fairly, address equality and inclusion, and consider the wider social implications for a more just and equitable society. An ethical philosophy that highlights the intrinsic obligations and34 Duty Ethics
.” This canon in itself is ablatant example of how NSPE seeks to propagate business professionalism through ethics,especially considering how overwhelmingly the clients and employers of engineers they areobliged to be faithful agents or trustees of are the state and large corporations. They claim that“experience has demonstrated, beyond any reasonable doubt, that an engineer with a union-minded attitude cannot and does not regard his relations with his employer as that of a faithfulagent or trustee.” The BER offers no support for this claim besides a vague reference to“experience” that falls apart when evidenced by the largely business unionist history ofengineering unions. Even taking their claim on face value, the orientation is not
and willing to investthe effort to develop these skills. Institutions can and should consider ways to encourage andcreate time for this practice.ConclusionThis work demonstrates how connections between philosophical ethical theories can be madewith practical engineering ethics codes. It is valuable for students to learn both of these and to beable to connect them with each other. The engineering ethics curriculum can be designed withthis student learning outcome in mind from the larger EAC concept down to the smaller detailsin individual assignments as demonstrated in this case with the introduction to engineering codesof ethics within an intermediate-level design class.AcknowledgmentsJust as the shared nature brings out the best of the
science fiction novel; two award-winning books in the genre of body-mind-spirit, and numerous papers and articles.Dr. William J Davis, University of Virginia William J Davis, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in Science, Technology, and Society in the Department of Engineering and Society and the University of Virginia. William has degrees in literature and Science and Technology Studies, and has taught courses in English, philosophy, and sociology in universities in the USA and Mexico. His current research investigates the ethical and social implications of technology, including those related to artificial intelligence, automation, bioethics, machine ethics, and post and trans- humanism.Mr. Kent A. Wayland, University
”) AND(assessment) AND (validation) anywhere in the article. Since there was no function to set thepublication date on the journal website, every article published since 1991 was included in thesearch results. After screening the articles with titles and abstracts, eight articles remained aspotentially relevant papers, and those articles were all published after 2000. Among those, twopapers reported newly developed instruments for ethics-related outcomes with validity evidence:Hess et al. [8]’s Civic-Minded Graduate Scale (CMG) and Rambo-Hernandez et al. [9]’s ValuingDiversity and Enacting Inclusion in Engineering Scale (VDEIE). We introduce those studies inthis paper.For the journal Science and Engineering Ethics, we searched for articles
: Biotechnology and Science Fiction and Nanotalk: Conversations with Scientists and Engi- neers about Ethics, Meaning and Belief in the Development of Nanotechnology; a science fiction novel; two award-winning books in the genre of body-mind-spirit (including When the Horses Whisper), and numerous papers and articles. Her newest book, ”Animals, Ethics and Engineering” (working title) is under contract to be published in summer, 2024. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023Non-human Animals and a New Ethics for EngineeringIntroductionThe sixth mass extinction is underway. Earth's animal populations have declined by an averageof 69% since 1970 [1], partly due to unsustainable use of land, water and
Paper ID #42851Examining the Characteristics and Traits of Young Engineers’ Moral ExemplarsMr. Darius Grandvil Carter, San Francisco State University I am the middle child of African American Darius Carter and Filipina Geraldine Goyena Carter. As a child I loved space and planets, as I grew older I enjoyed making spaceships and machines out of lego. After highschool I decided to go to San Francisco State University where I am a 4th year studying Mechanical Engineering. I have been working with Dr. Stephanie Claussen in the Engineering Ethics Lab for 1 year where I have been working on a research paper studying the moral
O BJECTSTo integrate the above ideas into the classroom space, we can capitalize on some of the othermore recognizable configurations of learning for engineers before asking them to venture intothe more unfamiliar territory of ethics and philosophy: project-based, immersive learning.Engineers are usually comfortable working in teams and collaborating to solve complicatedproblems – relying on each other’s expertise to fill knowledge gaps and bounce ideas. Theclassroom can be broken into small teams of 3 -5 students to encourage these skills and situ-ate the game in a more comfortable structure. While this interactive lab idea has been framedwith undergraduate students in mind, we encourage playful adaptation for other spaces3 . 3
their teams on challengingproblems also promotes psychological safety in their teams [4].With these thoughts in mind, we began to be curious about the state of psychological safety andstudent engineering teams. This work in progress builds upon two pilot studies presentedpreviously and expanded to include data from additional universities [5,6]. In addition to beingcurious about benchmarking the psychological safety of student engineering teams, we were alsocurious to understand if we can improve psychological safety on underperforming teams. Each ofthe universities participating in this study provides leadership or teaming development training tostudents in some way. Therefore, we are curious if these efforts lead to improvements
anembedded model, engineering programs can curate courses that directly prepare students forengineering professional skills. As Downey explains, “The bottom line: the contemporarychallenge to produce global engineers is not about how to cram more skills into the minds andbodies of engineers in the same amount of time. It is to make engineers better problem definersand problem solvers by integrating into engineering routines questions about what engineers arefor and what engineering is for in the first place” [2]. Implementing a Problem Definition andSolution model helps to negotiate fundamental engineering professional skills, namelycollaborating with experts and non-experts, as well as accounting for alternative outcomes forvarying stakeholders [5
Cech highlights is lessened through formal engineering education [4]. Other studies,including Robert McGinn’s “Mind the Gaps” study further corroborate the reduced importance ofethics and ethics education in the engineering curricula [5]. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) requires thatengineering students “[…]recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineeringsituations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutionsin global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts” [6]. While many accredited programsaccomplish this student outcome through a general engineering ethics course that promotesconcepts in professional responsibility, macroethics, and
Paper ID #42120Navigating the Mystery: An Approach for Integrating Experiential Learningin Ethics into an Engineering Leadership ProgramDr. James N. Magarian, Massachusetts Institute of Technology James Magarian is a Sr. Lecturer with the Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership (GEL) Program. He joined MIT and GEL after nearly a decade in industry as a mechanical engineer and engineering manager in aerospace/defense. His research focuses on engineering workforce formation and the education-careers transition.John M. Feiler, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyLeo McGonagle, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Leo McGonagle
ispossible to apply this definition to AI to a select subset in the category termed Theory of MindAI. The distinction between phenomenal consciousness and access consciousness would appearto be the difference between AI capable of decision-making, and one that is self-aware. Currenttechnology already exists for AI to automatically shut off in close proximity to humans, or tosignal malfunction that might pose a safety threat, for example, as part of common designpractice in the field of engineering safety [26, p 798]. Further studies might include specific casestudies of Theory of Mind AI demonstrating examples of collective identity altruistic behavior.While speculative future popular culture writings tend to lean heavily toward a dystopian futureof
documentation can be captured. His current research is focused on developing higher reliability Technical Language Models (TLMs) which are essentially knowledge-graph backed LLMs that can pinpoint where information was drawn from within a complex information environment. He also works toward improving CS education, broadening participation in computing, and incorporating ethics into CS education. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2024 A Directed Question based Framework for Teaching and Learning Ethics: A tool but also a Memorable Framework that Students can take Forward into their Professional Practice Udayan Das
Paper ID #38251Assessing the Effects of a Short-Term Global Engineering Ethics Courseon the Development of Engineering Students’ Moral Reasoning andDispositions [Traditional paper – research/evidence-based, DEI/researchmethods]Dr. Rockwell Franklin Clancy III, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Rockwell Clancy conducts research at the intersection of technology ethics, moral psychology, and Chi- nese philosophy. He explores how culture and education affect moral judgments, the causes of unethical behaviors, and what can be done to ensure more ethical behaviors regarding technology. Central to his work
Paper ID #39165Impact of critical narrative on students’ abilities to recognize ethicaldilemmas in engineering workDr. Jeff R. Brown, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Jeff Brown is a professor of civil engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL. His research interests include ethics and professional formation in engineering education, service learning, and structural health monitoring of reinforced concrete structures. Dr. Brown received his PhD in structural engineering from the University of Florida in 2005.Chad Rohrbacher, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona
engineering in young minds, providing over 300 hours of instruction. His dedication to equitable education extends to developing initiatives that engage students from all backgrounds, and his efforts have earned him the Chancellor’s Excellence in Citation Award at Syracuse University. In addition to his academic duties, Dr. Yung is an active leader in promoting humanitarian engineering, emphasizing the importance of socially inclusive and sustainable engineering solutions in his teaching. He has collaborated on various projects aimed at addressing the needs of marginalized communities and has led numerous outreach activities to expose high school students to biomedical engineering. Dr. Yung’s contributions to education
help transition engineersdevelop into ethical and equity-minded professionals while adapting successfully to theirchanging roles and responsibilities, we need to understand how early career engineers experienceand perceive issues related to ethics and equity in their workplace. This understanding will allowfor the development of a comprehensive educational curriculum, professional developmentinitiatives, and leadership skills, for personal and professional growth. This study presents the findings from research carried out by interviewing 13 early careerengineers from diverse engineering disciplines across North America, delving into theireducational backgrounds, current work projects, and challenges related to professional ethics
Paper ID #43795Pedagogy of Engagement: Exploring Three Methods in an Engineering Ethicsand Professionalism CourseJessica Wolf, University of British Columbia Jessica Wolf is a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UBC. Her research focuses on equity issues in engineering education, particularly looking at the impacts of engineering outreach programs on historically marginalized groups in STEM.Gayatri Gopalan, University of British Columbia Gayatri Gopalan is a PhD student in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia. Her research
Paper ID #46211Leveraging NLP for Classifying Student Ethical Responses in an EngineeringNarrative GameMs. Tori N. Wagner, University of Connecticut Tori Wagner is a doctoral student at the University of Connecticut studying Engineering Education. She has a background in secondary science education, playful learning, digital game design, and Natural Language Processing.Dr. Daniel D. Burkey, University of Connecticut Daniel Burkey is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He received his B.S. in
interconnectedness of moral responsibilityand user-centric design in product development. Ethical principles ensure that products aredeveloped with fairness, privacy, and societal well-being in mind, while psychological insightsfocus on understanding user behavior, motivations, and emotional responses. This conjunctionprovides a clearer pathway for integrating ethical awareness with behavioral insights, enablingstudents and practitioners to critically evaluate both their own intentions for innovation andfactors influencing how humans engage with technology. . As ethical concerns in AI/MLcontinue to grow, this integrated approach ensures that emerging technologies align withhuman-centered values, fostering a more conscientious generation of engineers and
Paper ID #43704A Student-Led Ethics Deep Dive, Discussion, and Content-Generation EthicsAssignment in Computer Science & Engineering CapstoneDr. Tracy Anne Hammond, Texas A&M University Dr. Hammond is Director of the Texas A&M University Institute for Engineering Education & Innovation and also the chair of the Engineering Education Faculty. She is also Director of the Sketch Recognition Lab and Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering. She is a member of the Center for Population and Aging, the Center for Remote Health Technologies & Systems as well as the Institute for Data
of which are summarized below, provided critical feedbackwhich has been incorporated in the final course revision.Sample comments:(F): “I believe it is important for students to consider gender, URM diversity, cultural andeconomic background differences, and overall inclusiveness during engineering design andtechnology development … I teach BME senior design, and we teach students that stakeholderanalysis is a very important part of bioinnovation. As you mentioned in the course description,the "missing voices" could lead to design failure. Your course can be useful for all engineeringstudents.”(F-URM): “I especially appreciate the topics outlined in the new learning objectives. Thefollowing are a few thoughts that came to mind. For your
ethics case studies or modifyingour virtue-of-the-week modules to incorporate more decision-making opportunities for students.Additionally, we are in the process of developing more rigorous assessments to quantifyimprovements in students’ understanding of virtues, engineering ethics, and ethicaldecision-making. Furthermore, we plan to collaborate with other engineering faculty toimplement these teaching modules in their courses as well.References [1] C. S. Nair, A. Patil, and P. Mertova, “Re-engineering graduate skills–a case study,” European journal of engineering education, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 131–139, 2009. [2] R. E. McGinn, ““mind the gaps”: An empirical approach to engineering ethics, 1997–2001,” Science and Engineering Ethics, vol
Paper ID #37054Student Use of Artificial Intelligence to Write Technical EngineeringPapers – Cheating or a Tool to Augment LearningDr. Ronald P. Uhlig, National University From 2010-2014, Dr. Ronald P. Uhlig was Dean, School of Business and Management, National Univer- sity, La Jolla, CA. He returned to the engineering faculty in 2014 and is currently Chair, Department of Engineering, School of Technology and Engineering. During 2005-2010 he served in multiple positions including Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, and Academic Pro- gram Director for the Master of Science in Wireless