Ethics
Introduction
1. What is ethics?
2. Why should we discuss it?
Personal ethics
What determined your personal code of behavior?
Personal ethics
What if…?
Your code of ethics
ASCE code
of ethics
Professional ethics
What should ASCE’s code of ethics include?
https://www.asce.org/pdf/ethics_guidelines010308v2.pdf
Example 1
• Terry needs a C or better in CE 377 to graduate and take a
great job with a consulting firm.
• Unfortunately, the class is not really in Terry’s main area
of interest, and the professor is really boring, and the
homework is confusing, and this semester Terry has
senior design, which is real engineering—unlike CE 377.
• During the final exam, Terry sits next to a star student. A
quick peek (or two) to the left might help Terry get that
C.
Example 2
• Ollie Mobrien of Himlycorn Engineering prepares a
traffic study for a client who wants to build a facility
in a high-priced area of the country.
• Ollie’s study suggests the client will need a road with
five lanes of traffic. However, a three-lane road
would use less land and save the client millions of
dollars. Himlycorn sure could use the repeat business
of this client.
Example 3
• A professor assigned a term paper in an engineering
class. Two students wrote particularly good papers,
and the professor decided to submit them to a
journal. He rearranged some paragraphs, cut some
text, and removed one-third of the original
references. He was the sole author on the published
papers.
Adapted from ASCE News
Example 4
• To provide an opportunity for professional
development, an engineer prepares a review course
for people planning to take the Fundamentals of
Engineering Exam. The engineer uses the ASCE logo,
without permission, on the brochure used to
promote the course.
Adapted from ASCE News
Example 5
• An engineering firm hired another engineer as a
subconsultant to study the soil types at a site. The
engineer’s report stated that the soil consisted of
“gravel, sandstone, brown coarse sand, and light
brown well graded sand”. However, after a contractor
raised concerns that the report did not match
conditions at the site, a member of the firm
investigated and found no evidence of soil borings.
Furthermore, the entire site consisted of volcanic
rock.
Adapted from ASCE News