Projects in Science and Engineering Ethics
Please note: This index exists as a courtesy for instructors who may have book marked it for use in their teaching. All of these projects, problems, and instructional materials are available in the individual sections of Responsible Research, Engineering Practice, Computers and Software, and Natural Sciences. This index will not be updated after 2/17/04.
Below are problems submitted by visitors to the Center and student projects (problems situations
followed by interviews with knowledgeable people on how best to address those problems). All have been edited slightly for clarity, and most names appearing within the scenarios have been changed.
Academic scenarios
- the Infinite Thesis by Todd Riggs, 1992.
- This project discusses issues about the relationship between students and the supervisors of their dissertations that are important for understanding subtler issues about the responsible conduct of research.
- Research Safety in Laboratories by Gwen Crevensten, May 1995.
- In this scenario, a student going into a lab tries to understand why researchers don't follow uniform procedures when disposing of toxic chemicals.
- Intellectual Property Rights and Responsibilities: A Student's Guide by Chin Yee Ng.
- For this project, the author presents a scenario involving subtle issues of intellectual property rights to a number of interviewees, and compiles their responses. Also includes links to the MIT Technology Licensing Office and the MIT Office of Sponsored Programs, as well as relevant documents.
- Cheating@MIT by Jennifer C. Han.
- This project combines interviews and related institutional policy materials into a detailed discussion of how the use of "bibles" and other questionable study practices are handled at MIT.
- Ethics in the Machine Shop by Eric L. Gravengaard.
- The author presents a scenario in which a student is faced with finding out whether his laboratory is appropriately disposing of the scrap metal, which he produced in a Machine Shop.
- Responsible Research Scenarios
- Scenarios, cases, commentary and role plays. Some are designed for audiences of students and other trainees. Others are designed for learning by departments or laboratories including research supervisors and technical staff as well as trainees.
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Industry scenarios
- Comparison of Ethical Concern Channels in Aerospace Corporations by Jeff Evernhan.
- Based on interviews with representatives of several aerospace firms, this module explores how ethical concerns are managed within these organizations.
- Scenario: Entrepreneur on Company Time, submitted by an visitor to the Online Ethics Center.
- This scenario details a case in which proprietary issues arise when employees are encouraged to develop ideas for new businesses while working for the company.
- Subtle Discrimination in the Workplace by Joel Palacios.
- In this module, the author presents a scenario in which subtle discrimination appears to be a problem for the protagonist. Interviews with professionals who work with such cases shed light on this complicated problem.
- Sexual Harassment in Corporate America by Lauralee Grizzaffi and Christine Rosenwasser.
- Based on interviews with representatives from the aerospace and biomedical industries, this module compares sexual harassment policies within each industry as well as across industries.
- Sexual Harassment and the Foreign Client: What Do You Do When A Client Harasses One of Your Employees? by Sohan "Billy" Lall.
- In this module, the author interviews two professionals who work with sexual harassment cases, in order to ascertain the best ways for individuals to cope with sexual harassment on the job.
- Scenario: The Mirage Referral
- Submitted by a visitor to the Ethics Center One engineer deceptively recruits another engineer to work as a subcontractor. Ethics Center Advisors give comments.
- Ethics and Reverse Engineering by John L. Wallberg.
- Using interviews with Texas Instruments employees, this module explores the ethical ramifications of reverse engineering.
- Legal Records by Michael C. Loui.
- This scenario explores the ethical issues involved in the electronic monitoring of the secretarial staff's email.
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Government scenarios
- Military Projects in the Workplace by Francisco Juan Donez.
- The author presents a scenario in which an employee objects to working on a federally-sponsored corporate project to develop parts for use in a new weapon. Interviews with employees in various companies reveal a diversity of responses to this problem.
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