The Foundations of Research Ethics for Engineers: A Proposal to Develop a Curricular Package for Graduate Engineering Programs

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

Although the literature of the past 20 years on research ethics has focused increasingly on investigation and definition of research misconduct, little of that work has addressed how to teach emerging researchers - our graduate students - about responsible conduct and dissemination of research. Charges of research and publication misconduct abound in the media and in academia. Questions of what is right and what is wrong with respect to intellectual property become increasingly complicated, as the means of research and publication are multiplied every day by newfound digital capabilities. The confusion is compounded by ongoing debates over questions such as how do the rules of plagiarism or presentation of data differ between different fields; and how does the Internet change the boundaries of intellectual property. Some argue that the time has come for a complete re-examination of our notions of copyright and fair use. So it is no wonder that graduate students are unprepared for the challenges of academic research. In this project, the PIs will build upon the web-based framework recently developed for their successful Professional Responsibility Modules for Engineering (PRiME) project, which supports flexibile, appealing and engaging module delivery. In collaboration with experts and practitioners in the fields of engineering ethics and engineering education from UT Austin and three outside institutions (North Carolina State University, University of Washington, and Virginia Tech), the PIs will develop, assess, and disseminate a unified curricular package that prepares graduate engineering students for the ethical conflicts and dilemmas they are likely to face as academic and professional researchers in the conduct of research and in publication and dissemination of data. Ultimately, the project will result in four web-based learning modules: on falsification and fabrication of research, on plagiarism, on presentation of data, and on intellectual property. These modules can either be incorporated as discrete units into existing courses, or taught all together as a short course on Foundations of Research Ethics for Engineers. The modules will be specifically aimed at a graduate audience, and supported by an instructor's guide. They will foster a deeper understanding by graduate students and faculty of the complex ethical issues involved in research, and increase their ability to analyze, synthesize, and judge for themselves as such issues arise. Broader Impacts: The project proposed will have significant and substantial impact on approaches to teaching research ethics in engineering at the graduate level by providing materials where currently there are few if any. Senior faculty will teach and disseminate the materials in several universities and begin the process of wider dissemination. Moreover, because many of the target audience of the proposed materials are preparing to enter careers in academia themselves, the project will have far-reaching impact. First of all, the curricular package will benefit all graduate students exposed to it. The increased awareness and understanding of research challenges are benefits those students will carry with them after they receive their graduate degrees. Those who become academic researchers and faculty themselves will carry that increased understanding to the next generation of students. As faculty, they too can avail themselves of the project's customizable educational materials when they introduce their students to research ethics.