Fall 2022 Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Viterbi Conversations in Ethics

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

How Telehealth Contributed to the Adderall Shortage and Reignited Concerns

A recent shortage in Adderall comes after a large spike in demand for the prescription drug, with many prescriptions being issued from telehealth startups earlier this year. These platforms that emerged during the pandemic have raised concerns regarding the overprescription of controlled substances. However, the high amount of prescriptions coming from these newer companies follows a longstanding trend of potential ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in the US.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

Why Ethical Free-to-Play Game Design Matters

VCE October 9, 2022 Consumers Developers Game Development Monetization Video Games

The recent release of Blizzard Entertainment’s “Overwatch 2” has sparked many conversations in the gaming community centered around the ethics behind free-to-play video games and the duty that developers have to their consumers. As the game industry continues to shift away from a traditional one-time purchase model, developers must continue to consider what they can do to keep games as fair as possible for all players.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

How Climate Change Intensified Hurricane Ian

VCE October 3, 2022 Climate Change Environmental Engineering Hurricane Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian has already devastated Cuba and Florida, and will soon reach the coastline of North and South Carolina. The storm intensified rapidly in a very short period of time and has been fueled by rising ocean temperatures due to climate change. This increased storm intensity has been predicted for years, and the U.S.’s preparation efforts and response to climate change will impact millions of lives.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

Mass Protests in Iran Garner U.S. Tech Support

VCE September 26, 2022 Human Rights Internet Iran Protest Satellites Tech

Iranian protests have made headlines – and social media feeds – around the world. As the internet becomes an increasingly important ally in the global fight for human rights, tech firms in the United States are seeking to expand internet access to Iranians.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

The Rise and Conflict of AI-Generated Images

VCE September 18, 2022 Art Artificial Intelligence Computer Science Machine Learning

From art competitions to online horror stories, AI art has seen a massive spread online. These internet-based machine-learning models raise questions about misinformation, originality, and bias. While most results from AI-generated images have been developed as jokes, the internet may soon need to contend with these models as they become more realistic.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

How California’s Heat Wave Almost Broke the State’s Power Grid

VCE September 12, 2022 Climate Change Energy Environmental Engineering heat wave Power Grid

A historic heat wave in California has led to high demand for energy usage this past week, but officials have urged millions of residents to turn up their thermostats and shut off their appliances to prevent overwhelming the power grid. However, lawmakers and regulators at the forefront of the state’s green energy initiatives are also feeling the heat.

Podcast

Featured Spring 2023 VCE Podcast

Electric Vehicles: Climate Saver?

VCE January 31, 2023

Hosts Maya and Josh discuss the ethics of lithium battery mining and electric vehicle use with a panel of engineering essayists.

Fall 2022 VCE Podcast

Predictive Policing

VCE October 31, 2022

In this episode, the Viterbi Conversations in Ethics team explores the ethics behind predictive policing.

Fall 2022 VCE Podcast

Clean Energy

VCE October 31, 2022

In this episode, the Viterbi Conversations in Ethics team explores the ethics behind clean energy.

Fall 2022 VCE Podcast

Cryptocurrency

VCE October 24, 2022

In this episode, the Viterbi Conversations in Ethics team explores the ethics behind cryptocurrency.

Fall 2022 VCE Podcast

Autonomous Vehicles

VCE October 24, 2022

In this episode, the Viterbi Conversations in Ethics team explores the ethics behind autonomous vehicles.

Grand Challenges Special Issue

Spring 2023 Volume 6 Issue 3

Redefining Societal Progress for Engineers

VCE March 29, 2023

Dr. Erin Cech’s critique of the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges focuses heavily on the pitfalls of technological determinism. This paper supports Cech’s argument through a discussion of current examples of the consequences of technological determinism, such as the Black Lives Matter and Me Too movements, medication accessibility, and facial recognition technology. Though the consequences of a zealous engineering mentality are commonplace in our society, there are also current examples of tech companies neglecting to develop technology due to its possible negative consequences.

Spring 2023 Volume 6 Issue 3

How the Technical Sciences and the Social Sciences Should Go Hand-in-Hand

VCE March 29, 2023

The fourteen Grand Challenges presented by the National Academy of Engineers (NAE) fail to involve ethics as a part of the solution to these issues. Traditionally, engineers have kept their work separate from its societal implications. Engineers and their non-technical counterparts have an obligation to view all technical solutions under the moral lens of ethicists and futurists. Going forward, engineers must be aware of their limits and work with experts outside of their fields to develop solutions that will be cognizant of society as a whole.

Spring 2023 Volume 6 Issue 3

The Lies We Tell to Inspire: Responding to the Engineering Double Standard

VCE March 29, 2023

The National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges are critiqued by Dr. Erin Cech for what she describes as a double standard in engineering. Though Cech rightly discusses a lack of accountability and acknowledgement within the profession, her argument lacks nuance. The Grand Challenges were ultimately a promotional tool meant to inspire the next generation of engineers, yet Cech holds them to a standard of being professional rules and guidelines. This paper will discuss the distinctions that Cech’s argument lacks, including placing an unreasonable amount of responsibility on engineers and overstating their influence.

Spring 2023 Volume 6 Issue 3

The Grand Challenges: Authorial Particularism and a Lost Opportunity for an Equitable Society

VCE March 29, 2023

The fourteen Grand Challenges were developed by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in an effort to expose future generations to the wide range of innovation and technology that they could one day take part in. As detailed by the Challenges’ creators, the list includes challenges that are most significant to our current world. Dr. Erin Cech’s critique of the Grand Challenges is that a lack of diversity in the panel of engineering experts led to a lack of oversight into issues that are actually pertinent to developing nations. Cech’s argument that the Grand Challenges are a missed opportunity for social justice holds validity, but her mischaracterization of the lack of diversity requires further consideration.

Weekly News Profile

Featured Spring 2024 Weekly News Profile

Fighting for our Latino Migrant Workers after Baltimore’s Bridge Collapse

Janessi Diaz April 10, 2024

Tragedy struck on the night of March 26 when the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore came tumbling down. The collapse occurred after a large container ship, the Dali, collided with the bridge. However, the collapse was far from the most heartbreaking news of the event; Six men who had been working on the bridge when it fell lost their lives. The six men, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Miguel Luna, Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, Carlos Hernandez, Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, and Jose Mynor Lopez, were all migrant workers from Central America. As we remember and honor their lives, their deaths highlight the lack of care in the construction industry when it comes to protecting Latino migrant workers.

Spring 2024 Weekly News Profile

AI’s Impact on Tomorrow’s Jobs

Mary Karapetyan April 2, 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the workforce, with thousands of companies developing advanced systems to streamline productivity. Despite its promise to enhance efficiency, there is a growing concern over its potential to displace millions of jobs across various industries over the next five years. As AI models become more sophisticated, there is a need for a deeper understanding of their capabilities and implications for the future of work and society.

Spring 2024 Weekly News Profile

Engineering Ways to Care for Astronauts’ Mental Health

Rachel Pak March 27, 2024

Amidst plans for space missions designed to establish a stronger human presence in space, concerns rise for the mental health of the astronauts. These astronauts, such as those selected for NASA’s Artemis missions, will embark on trips into deep space that will last months or even years away from Earth’s familiar environment and their loved ones. Since spacecraft tend to have an isolated and confined nature, NASA engineers are devising strategies to safeguard the mental health of their astronauts.

Spring 2024 Weekly News Profile

Sex-Based Bias in Medical Research is Dangerous

Jennah Saqib March 19, 2024

Women have historically been underrepresented in Phase I and II clinical trials, including areas of research such as Alzheimer’s and autoimmune diseases in which women are more affected. This results in drugs being tailored for men, which leads to a higher rate of women experiencing adverse effects of these drugs than men. Medical testing needs to involve women at every stage to prevent these inequalities from occurring and to prioritize women’s health.