Hodge JenkinsMercer University

Macon, GA

Efficacy of Teaching Professional Engineering

Ethics to Engineering Students

Engineering Ethics

• New problem vs. Old problem

?

ABET and Ethics in the Curriculum

• 2019-2021 Criterion 3, Student Outcome 4, ABET states the following as a desired graduate engineer outcome …

“an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts”

What is Ethics?• Moral principles that govern a person's behavior or

the conducting of an activity

• Knowledge of moral principles & adhering to them

What is moral?• Concerned with the principles of right and wrong

behavior and the goodness or badness of human character

• A person's standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do

Personal & Professional Ethics

• An intersection

Personal Professional

Ethical Dilemmas for Engineers

• Just because you can build it … should you?

• Should some clients be refused?

• Should product uses be considered/avoided?• Environment effects: Oceans full of plastic

• Unintended Harm : Vaping, Weapons of mass destruction,..

• Legal /Contractual vs. Moral?

• Personal and Corporate Pressure to succeedusually financially…

Define Professional Ethics for Engineers

• Acceptable behaviors for members of a particular group, association, or profession.

• Professional ethics differs from personal ethics. • National Society of Professional Engineers outlines a professional

code giving a hierarchy of engineering ethical obligations. • Primary is ethical obligations to the public. Secondary is ethical

obligations to client or employer. Tertiary is ethical obligations to other professionals and other parties.

• Professional standards generally require:• 1) formal education, 2) sophisticated skills, use of judgment,

exercising discretion, 3) societies or organizations that establish standards for admission to profession and standards of conduct, 4) practice of the profession benefits mankind, looking out for the public’s welfare.

Clearly engineering fits this description.

Ethics is not seen as a problem in engineering, by general public

Despite some notable engineering/corporate failures in the past and recent times…..

Engineers are viewed as professions having near the highest Honest and Ethical Standards !

How Does the Public View Engineers?

• Consumer Views of Honesty and Ethical Standards in Professions (Gallup)

Responsibility in Engineering

• What engineers do matters a great deal• Accidents are costly

• Public health at stake

• Environmental impact

• Minimal legal standards• Acknowledgement of fault

• Engineering safety should go above and beyond call of duty

Professional Ethics in Practice

• NSPE Guidelines : Seems to be the best source of Professional Ethics in Engineering

• General supervision by State Licensing Bureaus

• Contract Law: Legal & contractual requirements

Teaching Ethics

• The ultimate outcome of teaching ethics to students is that engineering graduates will on practice review their professional decisions with respect to ethics and avoid poor ethical choices.

• Seems like a good idea.

• State/National PE Ethic Guidelines• NSPE has a Professional Engineering Code of

Ethics/Conduct

Let’s focus on NSPE Guidelines

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Primary: Ethical Obligations to the Public

Secondary: Ethical Obligations to Client or Employer

Tertiary: Ethical Obligations to Other Professionals and Other Parties

Hierarchy of Engineering Ethical Obligations: NSPE

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NSPE Rules of Practice

1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health,

and welfare of the public.

2. Engineers shall perform services only in their areas

of competence ...

3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in

an objective and truthful manner.

4. Engineers shall act for each employer or client

as faithful agents or trustees.

5. Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts. Conduct

themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and

lawfully so as to enhance their profession.

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4-Criteria for Safe Designs

1. Design must comply with applicable laws (regulations).

2. An acceptable design must meet the standards of acceptable engineering practice. (codes & standards, IEEE, ASME,etc.)

3. Safer alternative designs for must be evaluated.

4. Engineers must try to foresee potential misuses of the product by the client and must design to avoid these problems.

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Examples of Ethics in Technology Business Gone Astray

• DDOS from zombie web devices• GM Fault Power Switch• Volkswagen pollution control• Ford/Firestone Tire Controversy• Challenger & Columbia Explosion• Hyatt Regency Walkways Collapse• 3-Mile Island• Pinto Automobile• Personal examples• NSPE Case Studies

Limited data on effects of ethics education/training in engineering• Much of engineering management and decision

making is business driven

• Look to other professions that have been teaching ethics longer• Law

• Medicine

• Business

• Human Research

• Business may be the closest profession to engineering regarding ethics

Results of Ethics Education in Business Schools: Mixed/Poor• 70% of business programs had some form of ethics

education by 2013

• Several studies have revealed that a single business ethics course or ethics taught as components of multiple courses yielded no significant change in students ethical attitudes.

• Organizational/performance influences can override personal ethical convictions.

• International study showed impact of a business ethics/corporate social responsibility course was very questionable. (Higher student awareness of CSR in students who had not taken the course.)

Thoughts in Summary

• Teaching Professional Engineering Ethics is not a bad idea

• Ethics is both professional and personal

• Don’t expect the world to change from just 1 course

• Thank you

ABET 2020-2021 Some Overlap• Criterion 3. Student Outcomes

• Outcome 2:“an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

• Criterion 3. Student Outcomes• Outcome 4

“ ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts”