Download The Ethics Bowl at UPRM: A Capstone Experience for Engineering

William J. Frey
UPRM College of Business Administration
Efrain O’Neill -Carrillo
UPRM College of Engineering: Electrical
and Computer Engineering
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
November 15, 2007
CIAPR / OEG / CEP
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Professional Context of Engineering and
Surveying Ethics in Puerto Rico
Analogy between solving ethics and design
problems
Software Development Cycle: Four steps to
defining and solving
ethical/engineering/surveying problems
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Ethics, Code, and Feasibility Tests help hone in on
the ethical pathway
Hands On Activity: Incident at Morales (NIEE
Ethics Video)
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Law 319 (1938): Established the College of
Engineers and Architects and Surveyors of
Puerto Rico (1938)
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Colegio de Ingenieros, Architecturas, y Agrimensores
de Puerto Rico
Law 173 (1988): Established the Puerto Rico State
Society of Professional Engineers and Land
Surveyors
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Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto Rico
(CIAPR)
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Juridical Entity / Quasi-Public Corporation
Determining standards for practicing engineering
and surveying in PR
Developing a code of ethics to establish moral
standards for the practice of engineering and
surveying
Investigating complaints of unprofessional practice
Investigating and punishing individuals (or
corporations) who practice engineering and/or
surveying without a license
Developing and administering qualifying exams
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Resident of Estado Libre Asociado de PR
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Good conduct and moral reputation in community
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Absence of criminal conduct and convictions
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Recommendations from three licensed engineers
or surveyors who have direct knowledge of moral
reputation and professional experience
Graduate from accredited engineering and
surveying programs
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Pass both fundamental and specialty exams
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Member of Colegio (Colegiado)
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No person who is not a member of
CIAPR can practice engineering and
surveying in PR
A corporation cannot practice
engineering in PR except when
organized as a professional organization
in accordance with law 185 and the
General Law of Corporations of PR
CIAPR vs. Autoridad de Acueductos y
Alcantarillados de PR

Metcalf & Eddy were not allowed to perform
engineering functions contracted by the AAA
because they failed CIAPR requirements for
practice
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Working document shows 15 issues condensed
to 10. These 10 become CIAPR canons
Table correlated CIAPR issues to issues in NSPE,
ECPD, IEEE, ASCE, and ASME codes
Four Stakeholder Groups emerge from these
codes:
 Public, Client, Profession, and Peers
(engineers and surveyors)
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A fin de mantener y enaltecer la integridad, el honor y la
dignidad de sus profesiones, de acuerdo a las más altas
normas de conducta moral y ética profesional, el
Ingeniero y el Agrimensor:
Deberán considerar su principal función como
profesionales la de servir a la humanidad. Su relación
como profesional y cliente, y como profesional y patrono,
deberá estar sujeta a su función fundamental de
promover el bienestar de la humanidad y la de proteger
el interés público.
Serán honestos e imparciales y servirán con fidelidad en
el desempeño de sus funciones profesionales,
manteniendo siempre su independencia de criterio que
constituye la base del profesionalismo.
Se esforzarán en mejorar la competencia y el prestigio de
la ingeniería y de la agrimensura.
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1. Velar por sobre toda otra consideración por la
seguridad, el ambiente, la salud y el bienestar de la
comunidad en la ejecución de sus responsabilidades
profesionales.
2. Proveer servicios únicamente en áreas de sus
competencias.
3. Emitir declaraciones públicas únicamente en una forma
veraz y objetiva.
4. Actuar en asuntos profesionales para cada patrono o
cliente como agentes fieles o fiduciarios, y evitar conflictos
de intereses o la mera apariencia de éstos, manteniendo
siempre la independencia de criterio como base del
profesionalismo.
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5. Edificar su reputación profesional en el mérito de sus servicios y no
competir deslealmente con otros.
6. No incurrir en actos engañosos en la solicitud de empleo y en el
ofrecimiento de servicios profesionales.
7. Actuar con el decoro que sostenga y realce el honor, la integridad y la
dignidad de sus profesiones.
8. Asociarse únicamente con personas u organizaciones de buena
reputación.
9. Continuar su desarrollo profesional a lo largo de sus carreras y
promover oportunidades para el desarrollo profesional y ético de los
ingenieros y agrimensores bajo su supervisión.
10. Conducirse y aceptar realizar gestiones profesionales únicamente en
conformidad con las leyes y los reglamentos aplicables y con estos
Cánones.
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1c: Cuando su juicio profesional haya sido revocado en
circunstancias donde la seguridad, el ambiente, la salud o el
bienestar de la comunidad se ponen en peligro, informarán a sus
clientes o patronos de las consecuencias posibles. De continuar la
amenaza a la seguridad, el ambiente, la salud o el bienestar de la
comunidad, informarán sobre el particular a las autoridades
concernidas.
1d: Cuando tengan conocimiento o suficiente razón para creer que
otro ingeniero o agrimensor viola las disposiciones de este Código,
o que una persona o firma pone en peligro la seguridad, el
ambiente, la salud o el bienestar de la comunidad, presentarán tal
información por escrito a las autoridades concernidas y cooperarán
con dichas autoridades proveyendo aquella información o
asistencia que les sea requerida.
5j: No aprobarán, timbrarán, estamparán o certificarán, según
corresponda, ni autorizarán la presentación de planos,
especificaciones, cálculos, dictámenes, memoriales o informes que
no hayan sido elaborados por ellos o bajo su responsabilidad
directa. Además, le darán crédito por el trabajo de ingeniería,
agrimensura o arquitectura a quienes corresponda.
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Principios Fundamentales de la Etica Profesional
del Ingeniero y del Agrimensor
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A fin de mantener y enaltecer el honor y la dignidad de
su profesion y de acuerdo a las mas altas normas de
conducta etica, el ingeniero y el agrimensor:
 Seran honestos e imparciales y serviran con devocion en su
empleo, a sus clientes y al publico
 Se esforzaran en mejorar la eficiencia y el prestigio de la
ingenieria y la agrimesnsura
 Utiliazran sus conocimientos y destrezas para promover el
bienestar de la humanidad
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Canon 5
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Se velara celosamente por la seguridad, salud, y
bienestar del publico en la ejecucion de sus
responsabilidades profesionales
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1994
FP1: Deberán considerar su principal función
como profesionales la de servir a la humanidad.
Su relación como profesional y cliente, y como
profesional y patrono, deberá estar sujeta a su
función fundamental de promover el bienestar de
la humanidad y la de proteger el interés público.
Canon 1: Velar por sobre toda otra consideracion
por la seguridad, el ambiente, la salud y el
bienestar de la comunidad en la ejecucion de sus
responsabilidades profesionales
Examining the code from the
perspective of key stakeholders and
in terms of the different functions
served by its provisions
Stakeholder codes focus on the duties a
community owes to its stakeholders
Stakeholder = any group or individual
with an essential interest tied up with
professional practice
Engineering and Surveying Stakeholders:
Public, Client, Profession, Peer
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Public: Engineers and surveyors must
hold paramount…
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Public Wellbeing (health, safety, welfare)
Environmental Integrity
Client: Engineers and surveyors must
exercise their professional judgment in
conformity with…
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faithful agency (Agencia Fiel)
avoiding Conflicts of Interests
maintaining confidentiality
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Profession: Engineers and surveyors
must in relation to their profession…
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Uphold the Honor and Reputation of
Profession in activities like expert witnessing
Peer: Engineers and surveyors must
treat their peers with respect which
includes…
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Collegiality
Avoid disloyal competition, public criticism of
peers, comparative advertising
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Who is the stakeholder behind the provision?
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Stakeholder in canon 1?
Stakeholder in canon 4?
What is the job of the provision?
Is it an ideal of the profession? (Does it set forth an
ideal ?)
 Is it a principle of professional conduct? (Does it set
forth a threshold of minimally acceptable behavior?)
 Difference:?
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 Principles of professional conduct specify
circumstances of compliance, i.e., who, when, where,
how, etc.
VALUE-BASED
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Based on ideals of the
COMPLIANCE
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profession
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Articulate, as a community,
the values that are central to
identity
Practice value-based
decision-making
Provide moral support to
those who fall short of ideals
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Based on principles of
professional conduct
Establish rules = thresholds
of minimum compliance
Develop monitoring systems
(often self-monitoring) to
check compliance
Design and publicize a
system of punishment for
non-compliance
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Fundamental principles and many canons (e.g.,
canons 1 and 4) express the aspirations, values,
and ideals of engineers and surveyors
Parts of some of the canons and the practical
norms set forth principles of professional practice
Monitoring and Punishing Functions are carried
out through legal and professional mechanisms
(Civil law and the CIAPR Disciplinary Tribunal)
What remains to be done in the area of moral
support?
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IEEE Amicus Curiae in BART case
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Engineers cannot be fired for refusing to violate a
“clear mandate of public policy.”
Select code provisions (e.g., canon 1) represent clear
mandates of public policy
Code backed by profession becomes a way of saying
“no” to illegal and unethical orders
NSPE and its Board of Ethical Review
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BER discusses real world cases brought to it by
practicing members
Discussions clarify and interpret key provisions of the
NSPE code
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Write a sentence or two about the following:
Micro Engineering Ethics examines the perspective
of the individual engineer focusing on problemsolving and decision making
Macro Engineering Ethics focuses on themes like
the following:
1. Should engineers become directly involved with the military?
2. How and to what extent should engineers take responsibility
for the impact of engineering projects on third world countries.
3. What is the appropriate development and use of technology?
 What
should engineering professional societies do in
relation to these macro ethical issues?
Three Ethics Tests, a code test,
and a feasibility check list
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“an intellectual tool to help us recognize patterns in the
way technology is used and produced”
Engineering is practiced within a socio-technical
system
Engineering practice and socio-technical systems
embody values
Values mismatches within socio-technical systems
produce ethical problems
Design Problem
Ethics Problem
Construct a prototype that
realizes designated
specifications
Construct a solution that
realizes ethical values (justice,
responsibility, reasonableness,
respect, and safety)
Conflicts between
specifications are resolved
through integration of
specifications
Resolve conflicts between
values (moral vs. moral or
moral vs. non-moral) by
integration
Prototype must be
Ethical solution must be
implemented over background implemented over resource,
constraints
interest, and technical
constraints
Problem Specification
1.
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As in engineering and surveying problem solving, be as clear as
possible about your problem
Solution Generation
2.
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As in design problems, solutions are not found ready made but
have to be designed to respond to the problem and to integrate
key ethical and non-ethical values
Solution Testing
3.
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Which of your solutions best responds to the (1) Reversibility, (2)
Harm/Benefits, (3) Publicity, and (4) Code tests
Solution Implementation
4.
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Identify situational constraints (resources, interests, technical)
Develop counter measures to possible obstacles
See how your solutions stand up to
three ethics tests and a feasibility test
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Question: “would I still think
choice of this option good if I
were adversely affected by it?”
Moral Imagination Task:
Visualize the solution from the
standpoint of the stakeholders
 Public,
Client, Profession, Peer
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Question: does this option do less harm and
bring about more benefits than alternatives?
Moral Imagination Task: Use your
experience, knowledge and skill to visualize
the likely consequences
Sort these out and balance benefits and costs
Check for distribution among the
stakeholders
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Don’t purchase client benefit at the expense of
distributing risk to the public
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Question: “would I want my choice of this
option published in the newspaper?”
Moral Imagination Task: What would a
morally exemplary engineer or surveyor do
in this situation?
Does your action realize or frustrate the
following values?
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Justice, responsibility, respect, trust, integrity
Care for public wellbeing
Faithful agency toward the client
Uphold the integrity and reputation of the profession
Maintain collegial relations among your peers
Does the solution under
consideration violate a provision of
the CIAPR code of ethics?
Solution /
Test
Reversibility
Test
Harm Test
Publicity
Test
Code Test
Global
Feasibility
Test
Description
“would I still
think choice of
this option good
if I were
adversely
affected by it?”
“does this
option do less
harm than
alternatives?”
“would I want
my choice of
this option
published in
the
newspaper?”
Does the
solution present
any major code
violations?
What obstacles
arise that could
prevent the
implementation
of this solution?
Solution 1
Solution 2
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A feasibility test introduces practical
constraints
It asks whether the selected alternative
can be implemented given resource,
interest, and technical constraints
Feasibility Matrix
Resource
Constraints
Technical
Constraints
Time
Available
Technology
Cost
Available
Materials,
Labor, etc
Interest Constraints
Manufac- Personturabiity
alities
Organizational
Legal
Social
Cultural
Political
Incident At Morales, an NIEE/NSF
produced video, provides several
situations where decision makers are
challenged to promote ethics
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WALLY: Chuck is going to have a project kick-off
meeting this afternoon. Your plant design will be on
the agenda. It’ll be at three. We don’t waste time
around here. We’re fast at Phaust. Corporate tag
line.
(Wally hands the preliminary plant plans to Fred.)
WALLY: You might want to look at this. (Hopeful)
Tell me if this is like what you were building at your
last job.
You are Fred. Respond to Wally's question. Try to
balance respect to your former employer, Chemitoil,
with your current employer, Phaust.
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You are Fred. After you point out to Wally, that Lutz
and Lutz controls are expensive, he advises you to "pick
your fights when you can win them." (Chuck's brotherin-law is the customer representative for Lutz and Lutz.)
You think about taking Wally's advice. The cheaper
controls should work well except for situations of high
temperature and pressure. This is not a problem with the
formulation first put forth by Phaust chemists.
Evaluate the following option using the ethics and
feasibility tests. Can you think of a better option? Use
the ethics and feasibility tests to show that your
solution it is better.
Take Wally’s advice and recommend purchasing the
more expensive Lutz and Lutz controls. Find some other
budget item for cutting expenses.
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Fred tells Chuck about his environmental
concerns. He feels that toxic wastes will leach
into the groundwater unless the holding ponds
in Morales are lined.
Evaluate the following options using the ethics
and feasibility tests:
Let Chuck go ahead and call a meeting and bring in
the environmental expert.
2. Consult Wally first before allowing Chuck to call
the meeting.
3. Keep your environmental concerns to yourself and
discuss them later with Wally
1.
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After viewing the new paint stripper from Chemitoil,
Phaust decides to redo their own formula. They will use
a higher temperature/pressure process. This cuts deeply
the margin of safety on the couplings, flanges, and
cheaper controls.
You are Fred. What should you recommend? Evaluate
the following using the ethics and feasibility tests:
1. Go along with the new chemical formulation. The
safety margins are close but still adequate. You can also
pass off problems and costs to operations
2. Argue that using the new formulation requires
retrofitting the couplings, flanges, and controls. It is
expensive in the short run but cheaper in the long run.
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You notice that significant leaks are occurring during
the plant’s testing and start-up phases. These leaks are
probably caused by the cheaper controls, inferior
couplings, and the inexperience of the plant operating
team including Manuel. What should you do?
Have Manuel baby sit the batches timing them and constantly
checking their temperature.
 Argue that it is necessary to immediately retrofit the plant
with Lutz and Lutz controls.
 Argue that it is necessary to retrofit the plant with Lutz and
Lutz controls but this should be done after the plant has been
turned over to operations. Let them pay for it.
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Compare and rank these solution alternatives using the
ethics and feasibility tests.
WALLY: Well, this is what we’re going to give to operations when we hand
over the plant. Is everybody okay it?
CHUCK: Fred's the guy who’s got to put his name on it, Fred’s got to be
alright with it...
FRED: Well, the couplings still leak when the pressure is up.
WALLY: And we've alerted operations and given them specific instructions
on how to maintain the connections.
CHUCK: We've got Jen working on a lower temperature formula. That may
make all of this moot.
FRED: We haven't worked out the bugs on the last step of the automation...
WALLY: And next year, we'll retrofit the entire plant with L&L controls.
CHUCK: This is how it works. We design it. We build it, we hand it over.
They run it. We’ve done the best we can. No plant, no process, no system
is ever completely perfect.
WALLY: You built a plant that’s efficient. You've got your upgrades to the
wastewater treatment.
FRED: Yeah, you're right. Um, for now Manuel or one of his guys can use the
manual release valve.
CHUCK: Okay. Time to let those plant jockeys make New Stripper.
You are Fred. Should you sign off on
the documents?
Use the ethics and feasibility tests to
test this solution
Student Criteria in the Engineering Ethics
Bowl:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Intelligibility
Integrating Ethical Considerations into
Solution
Feasibility
Moral Imagination and Moral Creativity
Advocating Ethical and
Professional Judgment
(suggestions from the IEEE)
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Make sure of your motivation
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Count your costs
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Obtain all the necessary background
materials and evidence
Organize to protect your own interests
Choose the right avenue for your
disclosure
Make your disclosure in the right spirit
Whistle Blowing becomes morally
permissible when options for
revealing the information within the
organization have been tried and
have not worked.
MORALLY PERMISSIBLE
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High probability of
serious and
considerable harm
MORALLY OBLIGATORY
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Notified immediate
supervisor and have not
received response
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Exhausted internal
channels for making
potential harm known
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Whistle Blowing becomes
morally obligatory when
in addition to being
permissible there is…
documented evidence that
would convince an
impartial observer and…
a high probability that
publicizing the imminent
harm will prevent it
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Establish a clear technical foundation
Keep your arguments on a high professional plane, as
impersonal and objective as possible, avoiding
extraneous issues and emotional outbursts
Try to catch problems early, and keep the argument at
the lowest managerial level possible.
Before going out on a limb, make sure that the issue is
sufficiently important
Use (and help to establish) organization a dispute
resolution mechanisms
Keep records and collect paper. Document,
document, document!

Write on a piece of paper, five important things
you learned during this seminar on
engineering ethics.
William Frey [email protected]
Efrain O’Neill-Carillo
[email protected]
Visit http://cnx,org
(Check content published by Frey)
Puerto Rico Socio-Technical System
Engineering /
Technology
Projects
Physical and
Cultural
Characteristics
People, Groups,
and Roles
Engineering
Procedures
Laws
Engineering
Ethics Curriculum
•Copper Mining in
Puerto Rico
Island between
North and South
America
CIAPR (Puerto Rico
CIAPR procedures
for becoming a
licensed
engineering
Law 173 (laws 12
and 319)
Amendments
Macro Engineering
Ethics
Micro Engineering
Ethics
Phil. of technology
•CE (Highway 10)
Spanish and US
Colonial
Experience
•Civil Engineering
(Super Aqueduct)
•Mechanical
Engineering (Urban
Train)
•Computer
Engineering (EGovernment)
•Electrical
Engineering
(Power Distribution
Systems)
Two Languages
(primarily Spanish
but English is also
important)
Free Association
with US
Status Debate:
Statehood, Free
Association,
Independence
State Society of
Professional Engineers
and Land Surveyors)
936 Corporations
ABET / ASEE
ASIBEI
Center for Ethics in
the Professions
Office of
Governmental
Ethics
•Engineering
Students
•PR engineers
•PR government
•PR and US
employers
Disciplinary
Tribunal
ABET
accreditation of
engineering
programs
US laws and codes
imposed in PR
Engineering Codes
and Government
Regulations (PR
and US)
EAC integration
projects (Jimenez
and O’Neill in Elec
Eng)
Oficina de la Etica
Gubermental
(anti-corruption,
whistle-blowing
protection,
continuing
education
requirements for
public employees)
Ethics Across the
Curriculum:
OEG ethics
requirements
Questionable
Practices:
•Corruption
•Firmoneria
•Env. Damage
•Conflict of Interests
•Disloyal Competition
•Partial testifying
•Injustice
15/85
Retreat/Workshop
Resource
development
EAC Toolkit