Nano-ethics on the World Wide Web: Helping Faculty Enhance Graduate Education

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This project is developing a comprehensive, multifaceted web resource for faculty to utilize in incorporating social and ethical issues in nanotechnology (SEIN) through the following goals. It will make ethics training available for the emerging nanotechnology workforce, provide faculty with free access to instructional materials available in multiple formats, encourage graduate students to gain an appreciation of the application of ethics training in their everyday research activities as well as the larger implications of their research, and provide a centralized resource for nano-ethics teaching materials. A comprehensive web resource of existing SEIN materials, coupled with a large symposium and the development of case studies, will provide faculty with a new-found perspective on nanotechnology ethics in the development of professional skills to share with their graduate students. This web resource, the first of its kind, will generate long-term improvement in ethics education for graduate students in multiple ways. This resource can be utilized by institutions nationally in providing them with a variety of ways to incorporate nano-ethics training. Second, the presentations at the proposed conference will be recorded and edited to create short 15 minute modules on a subject that can be downloaded or streamed from an internet site. The Nano-Mentoring Program will focus on the development of case studies of nanotechnology ethics in order to develop real world situations that graduate students may be confronted with in their research careers.