STEM Archives - Viterbi Conversations in Ethics

Spring 2024 Weekly News Profile

Sex-Based Bias in Medical Research is Dangerous

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.

Spring 2024 Weekly News Profile

History’s Forgotten Women in STEM

Jennah Saqib February 14, 2024 History Inequality STEM Women

February 11 was the UN’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Today, women comprise only approximately 28 percent of the world’s STEM workforce. Historically, women have been barred from pursuing careers in science, and those passionate enough to do so anyway were often overlooked and ignored in favor of their male counterparts. This article shines a light on some of the forgotten women who achieved significant breakthroughs in their field.

Spring 2023 Weekly News Profile

Why Educational Game Design Matters

Jennah Saqib February 26, 2023 Gaming Remote Learning Space STEM Video Games

Kerbal Space Program 2 has just been released, and the scientific community is beyond thrilled. The original Kerbal Space Program is a beloved video game that encourages players to learn rocket science through a complex and realistic physics engine. It tackles a unique design challenge of being educational and fun and has suggested the value of enjoyment as the most necessary aspect of learning.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

The Impact of STEM From Childhood Toys to Adult Careers

Jennah Saqib November 28, 2022 Child Development Education STEM

In recent years there has been an increased interest in toys that are designed to enhance children’s cognitive development. The goal of these toys is to encourage scientific curiosity outside of the classroom; however, the benefits of STEM toys over other forms of play are debatable. Additionally, the increased pressure from parents to push their children into STEM fields may do them more harm than good in the long run.

Fall 2024 Podcast Fall 2024 VCE Podcast

Ethical Challenges in AI: From Mobile Apps to Self-Driving Cars

VCE November 17, 2024

Hosted by Aryan Shah and Deep Shah, with Ethan Oblea and Jack Wang In this episode of the Viterbi Conversations in Ethics podcast, hosts Aryan…

Fall 2024 Podcast Fall 2024 VCE Podcast

Bridging the Gap: Addressing Access Inequities in Emerging Healthcare Technologies

VCE November 17, 2024

Hosted by Aryan Shah, with guest Alice Hernandez In this episode, we dive into the pressing issue of access inequities in emerging healthcare technologies with…

Spring 2023 Volume 6 Issue 3

Redefining Societal Progress for Engineers

Natasha Singh 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

Charles Liu 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

Shub Gaur 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

Huzaifa Aslam 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.

Fall 2024 Featured Weekly News Profile

Digital Doppelgangers: The Ethical Minefield of AI-Powered Digital Twins

Mo Jiang December 10, 2024

Microsoft’s Azure recently introduced AI-powered digital twins that can independently make medical decisions. The technology raises serious concerns over AI’s role in healthcare due to challenges in model confidence and real-time data integration. In healthcare, studies have shown that digital twins can improve cardiac surgery decisions, despite the risk of undermining clinicians’ judgment. Security challenges are significant and current counter-measures have flaws. The future of digital twins hinges on balancing innovation with regulation, ensuring they augment rather than replace medical expertise.

Fall 2024 Weekly News Profile

Uranus Isn’t Actually That Weird: New Research Suggests Potential for Life on the Distant Planet

Rachel Pak November 23, 2024

When Voyager 2 became the first and only mission to fly by Uranus in 1986, the data collected by the probe defined the way astronomers understood the ice giant for the next 40 years. However, a new study published suggests Voyager 2 just happened to zoom by the distant planet on a particularly weird day. These findings mean it might be easier for future missions to search for oceans beneath the surface of Uranus’ moons. This study reminds us that not only are we constantly making new discoveries, but that discoveries we considered facts are ever changing.

Fall 2024 Weekly News Profile

Plan B turned Plan A: Geoengineering To Resolve Climate Change?

Mary Karapetyan November 9, 2024

Geoengineering is considered a potential solution to mitigate the increasingly severe impacts of climate change. However, due to scientific and ethical concerns, it is critical to approach geoengineering techniques with caution. As a result, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) has unveiled a new ethical framework to help promote responsible and sustainable scientific research.

Fall 2024 Weekly News Profile

The Stars We Can No Longer See: The Impediment of Satellite Mega Constellations on Astronomical Research

Mo Jiang November 1, 2024

The launch of thousands of new private satellites for global internet coverage has led to unprecedented levels of light pollution and radio interference levels. Astronomers worldwide report increasing difficulty researching while satellite companies expand their networks. Space debris also makes launching scientific satellites and space operations for research purposes more challenging. This situation highlights the growing tension between expanding global internet access to underserved communities and preserving humanity’s ability to conduct astronomical research, prompting calls for reformed international space policies.

Fall 2024 Weekly News Profile

Fighting Hurricane Misinformation: Meteorologists Make the Climate Connection Amidst Storm of Lies

Rachel Pak October 21, 2024

The warnings preceding Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Martin were more accurate than ever before due to advances in forecasting methodology and technology. However, meteorologists have never faced such intense skepticism, hatred, and conspiracy-minded pushback. Many have been accused of steering the hurricanes, and others have faced threats of violence online. These false claims have been viewed more than 160 million times in the days following the hurricanes, and have even been pushed by government officials. However, in an effort to fight these false narratives, government authorities, civil society organizations, and meteorologists are now pushing back on disaster-related misinformation.