Standard: The Social Responsibilities of Scientists and Engineers: Developing a Global Survey

American Association For The Advancement Of Science, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

During the past four decades, a considerable amount of professional and public attention and resources have been dedicated to examining the scope, content and boundaries of researchers? professional responsibilities. In the U.S., legislation has been enacted, state and federal regulations have been implemented, research institutions have established policies on the conduct of research, and professional societies have adopted codes of ethics/conduct on what constitutes good and ethical research practices. Moreover, ?research on research integrity,? has grown significantly during this same time frame, with funding available through public and private sources worldwide. As a result, there is a vast amount of data collected on the conduct of research. If one reviews that scholarship and data, it is possible to gain insight into how researchers and others view the research enterprise, how the organization and support of research contributes to or detracts from a culture of responsibility, the factors that influence research behavior, and much more. The overwhelming evidence is that when it comes to scientists? and engineers? professional responsibilities, there has been no shortage of attention and activity, and this has built a substantial knowledge base about the factors affecting a culture of responsibility related to research practices. The same cannot be said, however, with regard to the social responsibilities of scientists and engineers. There is no consensus inside or outside the scientific community on the nature of such responsibilities - what they are, how they can be operationalized, to whom they are owed, and in what circumstances. Yet, calls for scientists and engineers to accept and fulfill such responsibility are widespread, both from within and outside science and engineering. This project will result in the design, pre-test and subsequent fielding of a rigorous and robust international survey that will be the most globally comprehensive effort to date to generate data that will advance knowledge and understanding in the fields of science policy, science and technology studies, and the history and philosophy of science and technology. The data generated by the survey and its analysis are expected to make the following contributions: 1) influence ongoing national and international conversations about the roles and responsibilities of scientists and engineers in society; 2) help clarify public expectations about science and engineering and inform the evaluation of options for exercising oversight of science and innovation; 3) enhance discussions among scientists and engineers about the normative forces that underlie their social responsibilities; 4) provide a major data point for considering specific recommendations on the nature and scope of those responsibilities (leading, perhaps, to their codification in codes of ethics/conduct and other relevant statements of principle and/or practice); 5) point to ways that consideration of social responsibilities might be integrated into the education and training of scientists and engineers.