Some Interesting Websites:

Chemistry:  www.chem.vt.edu/ethics/hbauer/hbauer-toc.html  (previous to 1996)

Forensics:   www.chem.vt.edu/ethics/garrison/index.html

Cold Fusion and other cases:   www.onlineethics.org/cases/index.html

Bio-ethics:   http://europa.eu.int/comm/european_group_ethics/liens_en.htm

Engineering:  www.stat.wisc.edu/other/ethics/#center

Data Management:  www.amstat.org/profession/ethicalstatistics.html

Other sites:   http://www3.utsouthwestern.edu/ethics

Center for Applied Ethics: www.ethics.ubc.ca/resources/sci-tech/topics.html

Bibliography on ethics:   http://library.wustal.edu/subjects/generalsci/ethics.html

Online Ethics Center for Science & Engineering: www.onlineethics.com

Scientific Misconduct:   www.aps.org/conduct.html

Week 4:   
Tuesday:  Dr. Beverley Taylor
The Chilly Climate for Women

Week 3:  

Tuesday:  Guest Speaker:  Dr. Rose Ward
Transtheoretical Model:  Or how to affect change in your behavior as regards personal health issues

Week 2:   Using Electronic Resources to Search for Articles

      In preparing to direct the discussion, highlight the main questions listed below for your particular case, and have identify answers to the following so you are ready to fill in if the discussion slows down.

• What are the issues brought out in the study?
• Who is affected by the problem (may or may not be persons directly mentioned in stories)?
• What are possible directions one could take from where the story left off?
• What would be the possible consequences of such actions?
• Is there a viable solution (or are there viable solutions) to the problem?

Week 1:   Integrity in Science & Ethics and the Scientist

Thursday:  Mentoring

In-Class Discussion Questions

1. What type of mentoring have you had in your life so far?  (might not be in science)

2. What characteristics did you find most helpful in a mentor (or did you wish they had)?

Tuesday:  What is science?  What is ethics?

The Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary
Defines:
1.  Science:  possession of knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding, knowledge attained through study or practice, a department of systemized knowledge as an object of study, knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws as obtained through scientific method

2.  Ethics:  the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation, a set of moral principles or values, the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group

3.  Integrity:  firm adherence to a code of moral or artistic values

4.  Moral:  of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior

5.  Misconduct:  mismanagement of governmental or military responsibilities, intentional wrong-doing, deliberate violation of a law or standard

In Class Writing & Topics of Discussion:
1.  Define scientific ethics
2.  Define scientific misconduct

For Thursday's In Class Discussion:
1.  Find the statement on ethics from your major field's governing body on the web and bring a copy to class.
2.  How do you do science in your field (what are the current practices) and Where are areas in which misconduct or ethics/integrity are involved?

Neat reference article:  Scientific misconduct from Chronicle of Higher Education

Note:  You should be prepared to direct the discussion, highlighting the main questions listed below, and have identified answers to the following for each case study.

• What are the issues brought out in the study?
• Who is affected by the problem (may or may not be persons directly mentioned in stories)?
• What are possible directions one could take from where the story left off?
• What would be the possible consequences of such actions?
• Is there a viable solution (or are there viable solutions) to the problem?

Co-Facilitators:   Nicole Raney, Head Resident to Wells Hall
   Jan M. Yarrison-Rice, Physics Dept. and Faculty Advisor to WIMSE
   Office Hours:  11- noon WR and by appointment, Rm. 15 Culler Hall
   Email:  yarrisjm@muohio.edu

Course website:  www.cas.muohio.edu/~yarrisjm

Text:  "Scientific Integrity: An introductory text with cases"  Francis L. Macrina
 Also, needed one notebook specifically for class

Goals:  To provide a cross-disciplinary study of the scientific enterprise and the ethics involved that will allow students from many SME majors to understand the various issues facing both the scientific community and a scientifically-literate society.  Study units are broken into different aspects of "doing" science and the associated moral and ethical questions.  The course is a seminar format, so that after topics are introduced, students are in charge of the learning situation.
 

• Students are given an overview on each unit's topic.
• Students can learn to investigate topics via the internet and library.
• They will work in groups to research an area that is particularly interesting  in light of their career goals.
• They will learn how to present information they have learned via posters and other presentation mechanisms.
• They will present the details from their particular sub-topic to the group.
• The class will then discuss the implications of various presentations both as a specific topic and as they pertain to the scientific community at large.

Skills Developed & Used In Course:

• Web-based search mechanisms - for literature searches as well as internet searches
• Group -based working skills
• Presentation formats-  Computer-based, poster, and other oral presentation styles.

Course Structure:

    After an introductory class to present the overview of the course and the issues to be addressed therein, the course will have the following structure.  Specific topics will be presented by invited speakers on a weekly basis; the following class will consist of follow-up discussion from the speaker and then presentations by groups on a topic of interest to the group. 

Topics will include (but are not limited to):
Science & Ethics and the Scientist
Mentoring
Chilly Climate for Women
Collaborative Research
Medical Ethics
Ethical use of Statistics in Scientific Reporting
Gender Issues in Research
Conflicts of Interest in the Lab
Putting it all together:  How the study of  ethics & science will inform your future?

Weekly Assignments: 
•    Students will write a 1 page paper in response to the speakers each week (~6 speakers).  This paper will be 12 pt font, single spaced, with 1 inch margins. 
•    Students will come prepared to discuss the previous speaker’s topic for about 15-20 minutes
•    Student groups will then present an ethical dilemma in science, math, or engineering from recent news articles (web searches) for about 30-35 minutes.  Student Groups prepare a formal presentation of a particular REAL LIFE case study they have chosen and researched.  Sharing with the rest of the class how their ethics topics fit together into a global viewpoint.  Groups need to have materials prepared to present the topic, and questions prepared to lead discussion on the topic.  All members of the group are to participate in preparation and presentation of the topic.  A paper detailing each member’s contribution and a copy of all materials must be presented to the facilitator (Nicole or Jan) at the beginning of the presentation.

Wrap-Up  Assignment:
•    Individual students write a 3 page reflection papaer relating what they have learned about ethics and science to hand in and discuss the last day of class.

Grades:
Group Presentations/Discussion Leading                     40 points total
6 Reflection Papers                                                       30 points total
1 Final 3 page paper                                                      30 points total

Students must earn at least 70% to receive credit.
 

Students must earn at least 70% to receive credit.