Background + Frameworks
Name one of the ethical frameworks mentioned in the presentation.
Framing, incrementalism, or conformity bias
Who was the CEO of OceanGate?
Stockton Rush
What was the claimed max dive depth of the Titan 2?
4000m
Which material, less expensive but more unpredictable than titanium, was used by engineers to make the Titan's hull?
Carbon fiber
The incident sparked further research into the effects of which type of force on carbon fiber?
Compressive loads
What is the typical standard material that submersibles mostly be made up of?
Titanium
What did the then director of marine operations warn OceanGate about with regards to the development of Titan 2 in 2018?
Development was far too rushed for a highly experimental design and OceanGate's fault detection systems could only detect component failure when it was imminent
Despite its maximum claimed dive depth, what was a particular component that was certified for dives that the Titan would take?
The viewport was only rated for dives up to 1300 m
Name any canon or aspect of the NSPE Code of Ethics mentioned during the presentation.
"Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public,” “to place service before profit”, or “avoid deceptive acts”. (Name any of the three)
What is the process in which someone can report unethical or illegal activity within their company to a higher up?
Whistleblowing
What did Stockton rush view the ignorance of safety protocol as, thus doing ethical framing?
Innovation
What was OceanGate's justification for not going through proper testing/certification of the Titan 2?
OceanGate published a blog in 2019 stating “the vast majority of marine (and aviation) accidents are a result of operator error, not mechanical failure”
Other than hull design, what were some other questionable design choices OceanGate made on the Titan?
Use of off-the-shelf components; Use of material intended for aerospace, rather than marine, application; Lack of emergency beacon/locater; Lack of proper testing/design certification and non-conformity to engineering standards
This government board investigated Titan and found there were flaws in the hull prior to 2023, emphasizing the role of the engineer to "avoid deceptive acts.”
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
Faults in which system gave the false impression that the Titan was still intact, even after the implosion?
The underwater communications system
Engineers at Ocean Gate had inadequate training and little to no experience in submersibles, but continued to work for the company. What failure framework does this represent?
Self-serving bias
Why do engineering organisations like the ASME create engineering standards?
They exist to establish baseline in quality of design - even if not legally binding, following them gives assurance about a product's safety
What was the Titan's pressure hull made of?
Carbon fiber composites with Titanium end caps and an acrylic window
These are the two ways mentioned in the presentation about how the Titan submersible impacted sustainable development.
Disturbing marine habitats/ecosystems and wasting resources through tourism
Which large-scale ethics debate, also applicable to the development of AI, was reignited by this event?
Innovation vs. regulations debate
How many days before the implosion did the Titan suffer a platform malfunction?
6
Why was OceanGate allowed to operate with little oversight by any regulatory body?
They operated exclusively in international waters and also misrepresented excursions as scientific rather than commercial operations
What type of technology did OceanGate rely on for fault detection on the Titan pressure hull and what problems arose from it
Acoustic monitoring, which could only detect a failure when an event was imminent.
Who was the director of marine operations at OceanGate was fired in in 2018 after expressing concerns about potential problems with the Titan?
David Lochridge
Which group was majorly responsible for the mishandling of David Lochridge's complaint file?
OSHA