This latest update of the ethics workshop will address a range of common conflicts of interest that engineers may encounter in their professional roles, in both private and public sector firms. These include issues such as simultaneous employment with a competitor, supplier, or referral source without proper disclosure; conducting business with firms in which an employee or their close relatives have a significant ownership interest; managing or having financial ties to firms that receive referrals or from which the firm purchases goods or services; accepting gifts or entertainment beyond firm guidelines; misusing privileged information or sharing confidential data; using one's position for personal financial gain; and otherwise engaging in reciprocity practices that undermine ethical standards. 

Through active discussion of cases with the audience, this workshop will explore the importance of recognizing these potential conflicts and discussing the with responsible parties.  A key theme will be that while engineers may understand their ethical obligations and consciously desire to act ethically, the pressure to meet deadlines, secure business, or maintain/strengthen relationships can sometimes lead even the most ethical individuals to compromise their values.  We are particularly interested in exploring the differences we sometimes see in treatment of Conflicts of Interest, as sometimes what private consulting firms view as “networking” is perceived by public sector agencies as creating influence that can lead to biased judgments.  How do we navigate these tricky frameworks for behavior?

• Professional Engineers
• Architects
• Related technical professionals

During this ethics workshop you will:

• Discuss a range of common conflicts of interest that professionals may encounter in their roles
• Explore the importance of recognizing these potential conflicts and how they may be perceived differently by private and public sector firms
• Examine professional codes of ethics and how these guiding documents provide greater clarity when facing ethical dilemmas
• Evaluate real case examples of ethics problems

Laura Grossenbacher

Laura Grossenbacher, PhD, is the Director of the Technical Communication Program in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has been teaching courses in engineering communication for over twenty years. Dr. Grossenbacher has been an active member of the Association for Practical and Profession Ethics, serving as a judge at the National Ethics Bowl Intercollegiate Competition for several years. She has served a three-year rotation as an NSF proposal reviewer for the Ethics in Engineering and Science Education panel, and actively develops cases for her undergraduate capstone course, Contemporary Issues in International Engineering.