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6 Small Group Meetings
Pages 29-36

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From page 29...
... Group 4 discussed how the National Acad emy of Engineering (NAE) and professional engineering societies might encourage efforts by engineers to promote social justice and sustainable community development.
From page 30...
... 6.1 GROUP 1, ENGINEERS' PERSPECTIVES Karen Smilowitz, Northwestern University, rapporteur of Group 1, first noted that the difficulty of defining terms, even among like-minded people with common concerns, is indicative of their complexity. Group 1 ultimately decided that, for their purposes, getting to social justice requires "achieving equality in human rights" and "equity in human opportunity." The group then moved on to a discussion of how to reach that goal.
From page 31...
... Schools can also promote opportunities for students to work in the real world with NGOs, the United Nations, and similar organizations through summer- and semester-long cooperative learning programs. The group also noted that engineering societies should lead the way by adopting a coherent message and providing continuing education opportunities.
From page 32...
... These negative consequences might be a function of engineers operating far from decision makers and with "blinders" on in large organizations such as the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and others in the private sector, that have been shown to ignore the social and, often, the environmental consequences of their work. When faced with these problems, individual engineers need and deserve assistance; professional societies should assume responsibility for questioning the structure and functioning of these large organizations.
From page 33...
... Engineers should also engage in a public conversation on social justice issues and ensure that representatives of typically disadvantaged groups are involved. 6.3 GROUP 3, ETHICS EDUCATION Bruce Seely, Michigan Technological University, spoke for the third breakout group, which was asked to identify successful programs that address social justice and sustainability issues.
From page 34...
... Therefore, it is important to introduce a variety of perspectives on how to address problems, from feminism to race and ethnic studies to postcolonial studies, and so on. Group 3 also took up some broad issues related to bringing ethics into engineering education, such as reexamining structures in the curriculum that lead students to feel "they must cheat to survive." The group considered whether the "first" engineering degree should be a six-year master's degree, that perhaps the four-year curriculum is too crowded and too short for the complete development of engineering students.
From page 35...
... To encourage changes in professional practices, societies must maintain a highly visible, continuing dialogue on these issues. Members of Group 4 suggested that professional societies carefully develop overt and covert messages on engineering, social justice, and sustainable com
From page 36...
... In addition, professional societies should recognize exem plars with prominent conference sessions, awards, and prizes. The group discussed how CEES could work with other engineering organizations, such as AAES and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, to promote international cooperation on sustainability and social justice, as well as a focus on ethical leadership and organiza tional ethics that go beyond legal requirements.


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