Category: Volume 9 Issue 1

Spring 2026 Volume 9 Issue 1

The Ethics of Period Tracking Apps

Alice Steele April 5, 2026

In a time of transitioning out of male-centric health research, period-tracking apps have great potential for advancing women’s healthcare. They can provide users with better health literacy, informing them of important patterns in their bodies. However, instead of living up to their potential, period trackers are causing great harm. Engineers have a responsibility to take accountability for the impact their technology has on women’s lives; they have a responsibility to create a better version of these apps that can truly benefit women’s healthcare. 

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Spring 2026 Volume 9 Issue 1

The Ethics of Engineering & Management of Maquiladoras

Maria Rodriguez April 5, 2026

Maquiladoras, or manufacturing plants in Mexico, have become Mexico’s major economic powerhouse, driven by Mexico’s international tariff programs [1]. Maquiladoras have significantly impacted workers’ quality of life, including their well-being, professional development, and working conditions [2]. However, a lack of enforcement of industry standards and professional codes leads to labor malpractice and continued marginalization [1]. Thus, engineers and employers must consider these ethical issues when optimizing systems and developing new workplace technologies.

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Spring 2026 Volume 9 Issue 1

The Ethical Responsibility of Engineers in the Cobalt Supply Chain

Connor McGartland April 5, 2026

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries power many modern devices, such as smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. These batteries are considered the most effective option and rely on cobalt predominantly sourced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A majority of the country’s cobalt is manually sourced by artisanal small-scale miners who often suffer severe health and human rights violations due to corruption and lack of government oversight. This article will analyze the ethics of maintaining a supply chain alongside such operations and the engineers’ moral obligation to improve it.

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Spring 2026 Volume 9 Issue 1

Artificial Intelligence in the Courtroom: Friend or Foe?

Julius Hultsch April 5, 2026

Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions is the US’s primary predictive analytics tool in the courts. When artificial intelligence (AI) is deployed in high-impact human environments like courtrooms, a volcano of ethical dilemmas erupts. AI improves consistency and efficiency and reduces human error. However, it lacks transparency and moral judgment. Furthermore, AI is a vessel for bias that slips into algorithms, damaging human lives. AI’s consequences generally fall into two categories: broad human rights violations—affecting privacy, education, life, and due process—and systemic bias, exemplified by the unfairness of tools like the COMPAS sentencing algorithm. There is also a clear unequal treatment and violation of the defendant’s liberty. Nevertheless, with transparency of algorithms, there is a brighter path forward. To ensure the safe, widespread use of artificial justice, interdisciplinary collaboration is required. 

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