An Engineer’s Responsibility to Society

While Practicing Business

Larry Jones

Patrius Robinson

Tedrick Rollings

Shannah Trailor

Donna Wright

Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest.

Engineers shall seek opportunities to participate in civic affairs; career guidance for youths; and work for the advancement of the safety, health, and well-being of their community.

Became an engineer after dreams of being a pilot were shattered due to injury.

He visited Nigeria where he decided to help administer relief for the war and famine stricken inhabitants.

Noticing numerous flaws in the disaster relief system, including food distribution and apathy, Cuny decided to devote his engineering expertise to humanitarian efforts.

Cuny started his own crisis management firm, INTERTECT, in 1971. Among his many humanitarian acts, Cuny and his firm made their presence felt in Guatemala after the 1976 earthquake, where he showed the residents how to build earthquake resistant houses. Defying the UN, Cuny also aided Ethiopians with food and supplies during a severe famine. Although he disappeared in 1995, his legacy continues to live on.

Successful structural engineer – Flaw was found in his building plans – Dilemma: tell and his carrer might be ruined or let it go and rely on the contractors word -

Consequences: reputation still in tact building still standing and safe factor has been extended

INEZ AUSTINAustin was requested to propose a document that would certify the safety of pumping dangerous combinations of liquid wastes to stabilize the tanks.

Austin's draft report was returned (without her safety cautions) for her signature of approval. She refused to sign it.

Austin received almost no technical assignments for a three-year period.

She was excluded from meetings, sexual harassed and wiretapped.

Inez AustinThe only crime Austin committed was adhering to ethical conduct and following government policies. In the face of overwhelming adversity, Austin followed her ethical convictions and responsibilities to society.

In 1992, Inez Austin received the Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) "for her courageous and persistent efforts to prevent potential safety hazards involving nuclear waste contamination, Ms. Austin's stand in the face of harassment and intimidation reflects the paramount professional duty of engineers -- to protect the public's health and safety -- and has served as an inspiration to her co-workers.”

Austin was fired in 1996, but was later rewarded a settlement in a civil suit against her former employers.

Roger Boisjoly

Given the “Prize for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility” by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Roger Boisjoly exemplifies what a professional engineer should be. By the year 1985 Roger had accumulated more that twenty five years of experience in the field of aeronautics. In that same year he was called upon to improve the O-rings of the Challenger Space Shuttle.

Boisjoly

These rings are used to connect portions of Morton Thiokol's Solid Rocket Booster that is responsible for bringing the Space Shuttle into orbit. Boisjoly presented information to impress upon management that the launch should be delayed.

Boisjoly

Manager Arnie Thompson stated that they needed to make a management decision after the phone was temporarily muted from the other participants in the conference. Thompson appeared to push the launch after which Boisjoly showed pictures proving that low temperatures were causing the hot gas blow-by. He was ignored. The teleconference resumed with Joe Kilminster.

Boisjoly

After the shuttle cleared the tower Rogers friend Bob told him that they’d dodged a bullet, and God had answered his prayers for a successful launch. Thirteen seconds later the shuttle self destructed in the air and the devastated Boisjoly retired himself to his office the rest of the day.

NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers

Engineers' Creed

As a Professional Engineer, I dedicate my professional knowledge and skill to the advancement and betterment of human welfare.

I pledge:

To give the utmost of performance;To participate in none but honest enterprise;To live and work according to the laws of man and the highest standards of professional conduct; To place service before profit, the honor and standing of the profession before personal advantage, and the public welfare above all other considerations. In humility and with need for Divine Guidance, I make this pledge.

Adopted by National Society of Professional Engineers, June 1954