University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
School of Marine Science
MAR599: Special Topics: Marine Science and Ethics (mostly online)
Course Syllabus
Instructors: Dianne Quigley, PhD Email: dquigley@umassd.edu
Tracie Ferreira, PhD, Email: tferreira@umassd.edu
Format: On-Line- Several in-class sessions (but mostly online) at UMASS-Dartmouth Campus
–Textiles Building – 219 on Tuesdays: 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
Course credit: 3
It is expected that each student post discussion topic responses each week and respond to discussions 2x
minimal. There is an expectation that the student engage in this course a minimum of 4 days a week, with
no scheduled on-line meeting times
Course Description and Objectives
Marine science and engineering researchers grapple with common ethical problems and dilemmas that
challenge all academic sciences. Some of the ethical issues include the potential for data fabrication/
falsification, conflicts of interest, human subjects violations, working with scientific uncertainty and
values conflicts in marine conservation and fishing regulations. The National Science Foundation has
made “Ethics Education” a priority for student researchers in these sciences. Science and engineering are
global endeavors, introducing cultural differences, social and environmental contextual complexities, and
professional pressures for funding and publication. Building ethical knowledge and ethical sensitivity for
marine science research are critical learning skills for graduate and undergraduate students.
This new course for Marine Science Ethics is for graduate/undergraduate students in marine science
fields, who expect to conduct marine science research. This course development has been funded through
a grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Ethics Education in Science and Engineering
(EESE) and collaboratively developed with The School of Marine Science and Technology and the
Department of Bioengineering of the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and the Northeast Ethics
Education Partnership (NEEP) at Brown University’s Center for Environmental Studies.
Students will gain ethics training in these topical areas: research integrity, human subjects protections,
ethical challenges in marine science modelling and fishing governance, ethics of marine conservation and
regulations, environmental ethics/sustainability in marine sciences, and data management/ intellectual
property rights. Students will learn about professional codes of ethics, types of moral reasoning for
professional and research ethics, ethical theories and field guidance/perspectives from applied ethics
articles/case studies.
This online course will provide students with video discussions of ethical issues in marine sciences, peer
discussion boards, powerpoint lectures, case studies and applied ethics articles. Guest speakers will
deliver material via online video pertaining to certain topics.
1
Course Goals:
To familiarize students with:
1. Types of moral reasoning
2. Professional codes of ethics
3. Case Studies/Ethical Perspectives in Marine Sciences
3. Intellectual property rights and data management
Providing them with the foundation to apply this knowledge to:
1. Ethical questions regarding marine science modelling, marine conservation and regulations
2. Issues regarding environmental ethics/sustainability in marine sciences
Requirements
1. Attendance: Attendance is monitored by the online discussion and response board and it is
mandatory. Weekly questions related to the assigned material will require a response by the
designated deadline. Additionally, you are required to comment to at least one other student
response for each discussion board question. Because these discussions are monitored, they will
be considered your attendance and will be directly applied to your class participation grade.
2. Online Access: MyCourses contains the necessary material for the class. You will use your
UMass Dartmouth email and username and password to access MyCourses. The website can be
accessed by typing in UMassd.edu in your browser
3. Completion of all assigned readings, papers, and take home exams...
Grading:
Grading is based on the discussion board, student-developed resources, response papers, midterm and
final take homes at these percentages:
Discussion board participation (25%),
Student-developed training resources (25%)
Response Papers (10%)
Midterm take-home (20%)
Final take home (20%)
Communication Policy/How to get help: The general policy is to communicate through discussion
boards to participate in course dialogue. Assignments will be graded in a timely manner by the instructor
and grades posted in the online grade center. If urgent questions arise please contact Dr. Quigley at the
email listed above.
Discussion Board: Every student needs to provide one response to every discussion board question and
at least one reaction to discussion threads of other students per week. 25% of the course grade is the
Discussion Board so that several thread responses of each student per week will earn an A for that 20%,
2
only one response will equal a B. Students will be marked down for no discussion threads weekly. The
Discussion Board is compulsory and you will lose grade points if you do not join discussions.
Academic Integrity Policy: Any assignments including should be submitted on time. Late submissions
will not be graded. A grade of “Incomplete” may be given only after a student requests it in exceptional
circumstances at the instructor’s discretion.
Students should be aware that suspect assignments (e.g., those without works cited section, or with large
departures in style) will be submitted to SafeAssign by the instructor for the purpose of detecting possible
plagiarism. Submitted assignments will be included in the UMass Dartmouth dedicated databases of
assignments. These databases of assignments will be used solely for the purpose of detecting possible
plagiarism in the grading process during this term and in the future. Students must provide an electronic
copy of their assignments to the instructor for submission to the service when plagiarism is suspected, in
order to receive a grade on the assignment and to avoid possible sanctions.
Students with Disabilities: In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability
and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please meet with the instructor at the
beginning of the semester and provide the appropriate paperwork from the Center for Access and Success
Office. The necessary paperwork is obtained when you bring proper documentation to the Center for
Access and Success Office, which is located in Woodland Commons; phone: 508-999-8711.
Required Reading:
Dallmeyer, D. 2003. Values at Sea: Ethics for the Marine Environment. Athens, GA: University
of Georgia Press
Steneck, N.. 2007. Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research. Office of Research
Integrity (Available on MyCourses)
Optional: Harris, C., M. Pritchard and M. Rabins, 2009. Engineering Ethics: Concepts and
Cases. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
***All other readings will be available through MyCourses
Class Schedule
September 9 -12:
(In class session on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, Textiles 219)
Introduction: Overview of Ethics: Categories, Theories, Knowledges
Reading Required:
Harris et al (textbook): Chapter Three: pp: 47-58 (MyCourses)
Dallmeyer (text) Chapter One: Human values, ethics, and the marine environment
Powerpoints: Overview of Ethics, Ethical Issues in Marine Sciences, and Ethical Theories Folder
(Liberal-Individualism, Utilitarianism/Consequentialism and Deontology)
September 16 – 19:
Research Integrity Topics: Overview of Research Integrity and Scientific Misconduct
3
Reading Required:
RCR Text: Part One: Shared Values: Rules of the Road and Research Misconduct
Sovacool, Benjamin .Exploring Scientific Misconduct: Isolated Individuals, Impure Institutions, or an
Inevitable Idiom of Modern Science? Bioethical Inquiry (2008) 5:271–282
Parrish, Debra M. Scientific Misconduct and Findings Against Graduate and Medical Students. Science
and Engineering Ethics (2004) 10, 483-491
Cases in Marine Science Research Misconduct (MyCourses)
Powerpoint: Research Integrity

First response paper due by September 24, 2014: 6:00 pm (see lecture notes)
September 23 – 26
Environmental Ethics in Marine Sciences
Reading Required:
Dallmeyer (text) Chapters: Stephen R. Kellert -- Environmental ethics and marine ecosystems : from a
"land ethic" to a "sea ethic" and Chapter: Clark Wolf -- Marine environmental ethics : where we might
start
Heike K. Lotze1, Marta Coll1,2, Anna M. Magera1, Christine Ward-Paige1 and
Laura Airoldi “ Recovery of marine animal populations and ecosystems” Trends in Ecology and
Evolution, November 2011, Vol. 26, No. 11

Students outline course training product on marine environmental ethics – due by Oct.1,
2014
September 30 – Oct. 3
Common Morality/Common Rule for Human Subjects Protections
Individual and Group Protections
Reading Required:
Rabins, MJ and CE Harris.1997. The Ethics of Modelling. Control Engin Practice, v. 3, #4
(on MyCourses)
Harris et al (text), Chapter Four: Resolving Problems (the Common Morality, Human Subjects)
(on MyCourses)
Powerpoints – “NEEP Common Morality for Environmental Studies and Engineers” “IRB Requirements
for Human Subjects Review” “Group Protections” (MyCourses)
October 7- 10
Animal Ethics/Protections and Ecosystem Ethics
Guest Lecture: Tracie Ferrreira, PhD
4
Reading Required:
RCR Text: Part II: Chapter Four: Protection of Laboratory Animals
Kehinde, 2013. They see a Rat, We seek a cure for animal diseases: The Current Status of Animal
Experimentation in Medical Practices
Evans, JC The Ethics of Fish Welfare. Journal of Fish Biology (2009) 75, 2872–2874
Marsh, Helene and Richard Kenchington. 2004. “The role of ethics in experimental marine biology and
ecology” Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 300: 5-14

Students complete first course product on marine environmental ethics
October 14 – 17
Professional Integrity: Conflicts of Interest and Whistleblowing
Reading Required:
Harris et al Text: Chapter One – Professional Ethics, Chapter Two – pp: 37-48
RCR Text: Part Two: Chapter 5 RCR Text: Data Management Chapter
Intellectual Property Rights
Reading Required: (TBA)
Guest Lecture: Sankha Bhowmick, PhD
***MID-TERM TAKE HOME IS POSTED OCT. 14, DUE OCT. 24
October 21 – 24
Ethics of Fishing Governance
Review of Powerpoint on Fishing Governance: Unilateral-Bilateral Governance
Series of Video Talks
October 28 – October 31
Ethics of Fishing Governance (Continued)
Reading Required:
Laxe, Fernando. Dysfunctions in common fishing regulations. Marine Policy 34 (2010) 182–188
Dallmeyer (text) R.E. Johannes -- Perceptions of legitimacy in conflict between commercial fishermen
and regulatory agencies : some ethical concerns /
Choose One of These Two Readings:
Acheson, J., Roy Gardner, The evolution of conservation rules and norms in the Maine lobster industry
Ocean and Coastal Management 53 (2010)
5
Brodziack, J. et al. Ecosystem Trade-Offs in Managing New England Fisheries. Bulletin of Marine
Science 74(3): 529–548, 2004

Students develop a powerpoint on a local/regional case study on fishing governancce
November 4 – November 7
November 4: Student Project Reports (Powerpoints) for Fishing Rights, Local/Regional
Governance (please send to Prof. Quigley by Nov. 4 for upload to MyCourses)
Ethics of Modelling in Marine Sciences
Reading Required:
Dallmeyer Text: Chapter - Michael B. Shilin ... [et al.] -- Roles and practices of the scientific community
in coastal science : understanding values that underlie science
Challenges for a new generation of marine ecosystem models: Overview of the Advances in Marine
Ecosystem Modelling Research (AMEMR) Symposium, 23–26 June 2008, Plymouth UK. Journal of
Marine Systems 81 (2010) 1–3, Preface
Robinson, LM et al. Pushing the Limits in Marine Species Distribution Modelling- Lessons from the
Land Present Challenges and Opportunities. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 2011, 20, 789-802
November 11 – November 14
Ethical Issues in Marine Sustainability
-
Overview of Ethics and Sustainability
Management of Marine Pollution
Reading Required:
Wheeler, S.(2013) Planning for Sustainability Part One, Chapter 2, Sustainable Development –
pp: 23-38
Hester, RE, R M Harrison, 2011. Marine Pollution and Human Health Cambridge, England: Royal
Society of Chemistry. Chapter 3, Estuarine and Marine Pollution and Chapter 5, Scientific
Challenges and Policy Needs

Student response paper or visual aid due on November 18 (see lecture notes)
November 18 – November 21
Ethical Issues in Marine Sustainability (continued)
-
Coastal Development
Climate Change
Reading Required:
Ashton, Andrew & Jeffrey P. Donnelly & Rob L. Evans. A discussion of the potential impacts of climate
change on the shorelines of the Northeastern USA. Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change (2008) 13:719–743
6
Dallmeyer (text). Barbara E. Ornitz -- Restoring naturally functioning beaches and dunes on developed
coasts using compromise management solutions : an agenda for action./ Karl F. Nordstrom -- Involving
the public in coastal conservation : obstacles and opportunities / Doug Daigle -- How American ecologists
think about coastal zone environments
November 25 – November 27
Research with Place-based Communities/Cultural Groups
-
Community Partnerships/Co-management for Marine Sciences
Reading Required:
Thiollent, Michel. Action Research and Participatory Research. International Journal of Action
Research, 7(2), 2011: 160-174
St. Martin, Kevin, and Madeleine Hall-Arber. 2008. “Creating a Place for "Community" in New
England Fisheries,” Human Ecology Review 15(2):161-17
Almany, G.R., R. J. Hamilton, D. H. Williamson, R. D. Evans, G. P. Jones, M. Matawai, T. Potuku,
K. L. Rhodes, G. R. Russ, and B. Sawynok. 2010. “Research partnerships with local communities:
two case studies from Papua New Guinea and Australia,” Coral Reefs 29:567-576.www.springer.com

Student response paper due on November 30
November 30 – December 2
-
Cultural Competence/Relativity and Environmental Justice
Reading Required:
Harding, Anna , B. Harper, D. Stone et al 2012. Conducting Research with Tribal Communities:
Sovereignty, Ethics and Data-Sharing Issues” (Commentary), Environmental Health Perspectives 120
(1) : 6 - 10
McCarthy, Daniel et al. Collaborative geomatics and the Mushkegowuk Cree First Nations: Fostering
adaptive capacity for community-based sub-arctic natural resource management. Geoforum 43 (2012)
305–314 OR
Harris, Paul G. Global Warming in Asia-Pacific: Environmental Change vs. International Justice.
Asia- Pacific Re-10view, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2002
****Final Take Home Exam Posted on December 2, 2014 due December 8, 2014
7