Ethics, technology, and society in the heartland: their role in engineering education

For those who are committed to the importance of the full and integrated spectrum of knowledge, teaching and working in engineering and science offer many opportunities or obligations for sharing this vision with students or colleagues. For the educator this might be done in formal courses dealing with the impact of technology on society or engineering ethics. At North Dakota State University two courses on the impact of technology on society have been offered for about twenty years. A new course in engineering ethics has been required of most engineering majors since 1992. For the practicing engineer this may be done by continuous reflection on a broader perspective and the societal implications of each technological project, product, and object that is being developed.