Historical Cases
In 1986, poor ethical decisions were made by engineers and administrators alike ultimately leading to the failure of an O-Ring due to cold temperatures.
What does this refer to?
The Challenger Disaster (1986)
Starlink satellites are capable providing global internet access to even remote areas of Earth. They also contribute ~40% of space debris currently.
What is the parent company?
SpaceX
Developing machine learning algorithms that perpetuate or amplify social biases; managing vast amounts of private user data; societal impact of automation.
Name the major.
Computer Science
Texas Instruments (TI) develops military hardware like guided missiles, radar systems, and high-reliability electronics.
What consumer product do they manufacture?
Calculators
Who first developed the ethical philosophy of Utilitarianism in the late 19th century?
John Stuart Mill (1861)
The atomic bomb is the epitome of the phrase "Just because you can doesn't mean you should". Over 250,000 deaths are attributed to its initial explosions alone (much higher due to long-term radiation).
What does this refer to?
The Manhattan Project (1940s)
Optimus Gen 2 is a general-purpose, AI-powered bot currently under development. Its use, while useful, are controversial and bring up concerns about privacy.
What is the parent company?
Tesla
Privacy of thought; free will and personal autonomy; equity and access; augment normal human capability.
Name the major.
Neural Engineering
General Electric (GE) is a major supplier of military and commercial aircraft engines.
What consumer product do they manufacture?
Refrigerators, washing machines, and ovens
Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, and Marcus Aurelius all practiced which ethical philosophy?
Virtue Ethics
Improper safety regulations, critical design flaws, and poor risk management - all of which involved engineers' input - led to ~1500 lives being lost. Of those, roughly 1100 could've been saved with the right amount of lifeboats.
What does this refer to?
Titanic (1912)
Balloons filled with sulfur dioxide released into the stratosphere can cause deeper shades of red in sunsets and even be the first step to solving global warming. Side effects include acid rain hazy skies.
What is the parent company?
Make Sunsets
The safety and testing of pharmaceuticals; managing and disposing of hazardous waste; prioritize human life and health over production targets and cost savings.
Name the major.
Chemical Engineering
Honeywell supplies aerospace and defense industries with engine components, navigation, and control systems.
What consumer product do they manufacture?
Home thermostats, humidifiers, and security equipment
By 2030, this engineering field (not major) is estimated to have the annual environmental impact equivalent to:
The water consumption of all of London, the electricity consumption of all of Japan, and the CO2 emissions of approximately 130 million personal vehicles.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Engineers building a suspension bridge removed deep support trusses for aesthetics and purely relied on small bridge calculations/testing. Wind ultimately caused the bridge to collapse.
What does this refer to?
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse (1940)
"Sunlight on Demand" can increase crop yield and more than double power generated by solar farms. This power can also decimate the sea turtle populations.
What is the parent company?
Reflect Orbital
Ethical use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs); water and land resource depletion; responsible use of animal subjects in research.
Name the major.
Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE)
3M develops advanced materials, sensors, and components used in defense and aerospace applications.
What consumer product do they manufacture?
Scotch Tape and Post-it Notes
This company aims to create a brain-to-computer interface that allows for a "symbiosis with artificial intelligence," helping humans keep pace with AI advancement.
Neuralink
Efficiency over safety is never a good idea. Engineers knowingly used a less safe, graphite-moderated reactor design and operators chose to disable safety protocols. While only immediately killing 2 workers on-site, another 10-600 THOUSAND deaths are counted in the final estimated toll.
What does this refer to?
Chernobyl Disaster (1986)
Gene editing can completly eliminate genetic diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis and Down Syndrome. It can potentially alter the human gene pool in permanent ways we cannot fully predict.
What is the California-based startup parent company?
Bootstrap Bio
Environmental responsibility; auditory pollution; designing responsible-use autonomous systems; long-term accountability for operational waste.
Name the major.
Aerospace Engineering
Ball (BAE Systems specifically) is a leading provider of spacecraft, optical systems, and antenna systems for defense and intelligence customers like DoD (think F-35 fighters).
What consumer product do they manufacture?
This company designs, manufactures, and services power systems for the aerospace, defense, and marine sectors, but formerly manufactured luxury automobiles
Rolls-Royce