Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society (CEES)

Areas of Interest:

Ethics

Project Type:

NAE Program

Latest Update: May 16, 2013
The Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society engages current and future engineering leaders in industry and academia as well as representatives of public and private organizations and government in examining the ethical and societal challenges of engineering.
Primary Contact: Rachelle Hollander
202.334.3068

As globalization leads to increasing interaction among regions and peoples of the world, ethical questions raised by technological development and innovation also become more complex.As key players in the design, testing, implementation, and evaluation of technological innovations, engineers and engineering organizations must lead in identifying and responding to the social and ethical issues that emerge with those innovations.

A crucial part of the mission of CEES is to manage the NAE Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Research (OEC), an online resource for practitioners, educators, students, and others interested in professional and research ethics. CEES and the OEC sponsor activities that involve multi-disciplinary examinations of the ethical and societal issues in engineering and research.

The mission of CEES and the OEC is:

  • To identify and examine issues in engineering, ethics, and society, drawing on expertise and diverse perspectives;
  • To promote research on engineering ethics, and support the teaching and practice of engineering ethics;
  • To develop and provide—to engineers, engineering students, and engineering organizations—resources for understanding and addressing ethically significant problems that arise in their work and research; and
  • To serve those who promote learning and advance the understanding of responsible research and practice in engineering.
CEES Reports
  • Engineering, Social Justice, and Sustainable Community Development

    Engineering, Social Justice, and Sustainable Community Development is the first in a series of biennial workshops on the theme of engineering ethics and engineering leadership. This workshop addresses conflicting positive goals for engineering projects in impoverished areas and areas in crisis.
    These conflicts arise domestically as well as in international arenas.

    Author: National Academy of Engineering

  • Ethics Education and Scientific and Engineering Research

    The complexity and competitiveness in research environments, the prevalence of interdisciplinary and international involvement in research projects, and the close coupling of commerce and academia have created an ethically challenging environment for young scientists and engineers. For the past several decades, federal research agencies have supported mentoring and ethics training as part of graduate education in research.

    Author: National Academy of Engineering

  • Emerging Technologies and Ethical Issues in Engineering

    Last fall, engineers and ethicists participated in a workshop to discuss the responsible development of new technologies. Presenters examined four areas of engineering--sustainability, nanotechnology, neurotechnology, and energy--in terms of the ethical issues they present to engineers in particular and society as a whole.

    Author: National Academy of Engineering

Project Status
In Progress
Project Sponsor
Online Ethics Center
Online Ethic Center homepage
The Online Ethics Center provides information, case studies, and discussion groups on ethics in engineering and science.