Being an Ethical Job Candidate

Abstract:: This student module has been developed to help students in the practical and professional areas become aware of the ethical issues that often arise in the pursuit of employment. The point of departure is the "Guidelines to Professional Employment for Engineers and Scientists" set forth by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and republished by Stephen Unger in his book, Controlling Technology: Ethics and the Responsible Engineer, 2nd Ed. Each intermediate moral concept set forth in the guidelines is challenged by a case. Students from past professional and occupational classes at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez have provided the cases. While realistic, these cases are not necessarily representative of actual historical events since in some occasions confidentiality concerns have led to the altering and generalizing of some facts. To add another dimension to this module, each case requires a decision as well as the application of concepts to realistic situations. This student module is being developed as part of an NSF-funded project, "Collaborative Development of Ethics Across the Curriculum Resources and Sharing of Best Practices," NSF SES 0551779.

Masters of Engineering Concepts of Engineering Practice, Fall 2007

Abstract:: This course is a core requirement for the Masters in Engineering program designed to teach students about the roles of today's professional engineer and expose them to team-building skills through lectures, team workshops, and seminars. Topics include: written and oral communication, job placement skills, trends in the engineering and construction industry, risk analysis and risk management, managing public information, proposal preparation, project evaluation, project management, liability, professional ethics, and negotiation. The course draws on relevant large-scale projects to illustrate each component of the subject.

No Strings Attached

Abstract:: This exercise in Business and Professional Ethics uses the DVD developed by the National Institute for Engineering Ethics, "Incident at Morales" to teach the ethical leadership and social responsibility in business and engineering. It also raises issues of how professionals must work to realize professional standards while operating within the constraints posed by the financial objectives. This derived copy has been developed to go along with the presentation given on engineering and surveying ethics before the Puerto Rico State Society of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors on November 15, 2007. This activity was co-sponsored by the Puerto Rico Office of Governmental Ethics. As with the original Incident at Morales module, this module has been completed as a part of the NSF-funded EAC Toolkit project, SES 0551779.

No Strings Attached

Abstract:: This module provides activities that allow students to develop insights into the ethical approach commonly called virtue ethics. A previous module on moral exemplars has helped students to reflect on the characteristics and skills that make up individuals who consistently act for the good. This module builds on these insights and helps students identify and develop profiles for virtues pertinent to the occupational and professional domains. Students are provided with background information on virtue theory with emphasis on Aristotle's classical formulation and MacIntyre's recent attempt to see virtues as skills and traits cultivated to realize goods internal to a practice. In its original form, this module assigns virtues to small groups of 3 to 5 students. Students use a table format to "flesh out" their assigned virtue. Each group provides the others with copies of its virtue table. The result from students debriefing on their virtues and exchanging their virtue tables is a small virtue handbook that can be employed in subsequent decision-making exercises.