EG 2401A Engineering Professionalism

Group Projects – 2020-21: Semester 2

Set by: Prof. T.H. Lee, Prof. Kevin Kuang and Prof. K.G. Neoh

Project 1: Real-Time Recording Devices and their Technologies (Set by T.H. Lee)
Real-Time Recording Devices and their Technologies have seen great engineering advances in
recent years. These advances have greatly expanded the capability and possibility for usages of
such devices and systems. For larger scale systems, such capabilities include the technological
and engineering capability to store many years of video and audio footages; capability for face-
recognition and tracking even in situations of large congregations of persons; capability for
assessment and prediction of responses/ behaviours of suitable assemblies of persons (useful,
say, for advertising/ merchandising; or for crowd control etc). At the other end, technological
and engineering advances have also achieved unprecedented miniaturization possibilities,
yielding engineering devices of this category which are virtually routinely undetectable.
Consider three or four different major developments of such technologies; and summarise the
ethical dilemmas raised in the new technologies and possible solutions. Consider the present, but
also evaluate the impact on future generations under conditions which will surely change.

Project 2: Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Location-sensing Smart Devices and their
Technologies (Set by T.H. Lee)
It has been noted in many technology sectors that one of the technologies that have significantly
impacted the modern world in this decade has been the maturing and wide availability of Global
Positioning Systems (GPS), Location-sensing Smart Devices and their related technologies. In
day-to-day road transportation for example, systems based on such technologies are commonly
used to assist navigation; and yet in many other engineering systems of various kinds, the
technology and its variants are used to provide location-based information availability for a large
variety of applications. Consider three or four different major application developments of such
technologies; and summarise the ethical dilemmas raised in the new technologies and possible
solutions. Consider the present, but also evaluate the impact on future generations under
conditions which will surely change.

Project 3: Machine/Artificial Intelligence and their Technologies (Set by T.H. Lee)

It is already happening, and growing more so, that new technologies and engineering
developments will lead to an increasing (possibly even widespread) use and deployment of
Machine/ Artificial Intelligence and their Technologies. Already such machine/ artificial
intelligence is embedded in the applications of the widely-used so-called social media (swiftly
and intelligently parsing and inferring from materials uploaded); and clearly also used in various
civilian, commercial, agricultural, industrial, military sectors etc (for example, the already-
present prototype use of a completely autonomous robotic “pack-mule” in the U.S. Army,
replacing the usage of a real blood-and-muscle pack-mule which supports the soldiers in carrying
heavy supplies when traversing mountainous terrain). Consider three or four different major
application developments of such technologies; and summarise the ethical dilemmas raised in the
new technologies and possible solutions. Consider the present, but also evaluate the impact on
future generations under conditions which will surely change.

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Project 4: Professional Code of Ethics (Set by K.S.C. Kuang)
Obtain the Rules for Professional Conduct of The Institution of Engineers, Singapore from
https://www.ies.org.sg/Membership/Rules-for-Professional-Conduct and the Code of Ethics
produced by the National Society of Professional Engineers from
https://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics.

Questions:
(a) What functions do such documentations on engineering ethics or rules for professional
conduct serve in the life of a professional engineer?

(b) Do you think code of ethics (or rules for professional conduct) is important for engineers to
carry out their duties in a morally responsible work place? Discuss what are the prevailing
criticisms and supports for the existence of such codes of ethics

(c) For the two engineering code of ethics above compare and outline the similarities and
differences and discuss your observations and finally draw some meaningful conclusions from
your observations.

Project 5: Conflict of Interest (Set by K.S.C. Kuang)

Engineer Allan Ang, a professional engineer, is the director of the Building Construction
Authority, a government statutory board in charge of approval of building construction work. In
addition to his work at the Building Construction Authority, Er. Ang also has a private part-time
sole engineering practice and prepares, as part of a consultation project, a set of structural
engineering drawings for Client Zimmermann Pte Ltd. The drawings require the approval of the
local building department where Er. Ang works. Engineer Ang does not participate in the review
or approval of the drawings but Er. Ang’s assistant, Er. Ban Kim Moon, a professional engineer,
reviews and approves the engineering drawings prepared by Er. Ang.

Questions:
List the relevant codes from the NSPE Code of Ethics
(https://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics) and use them to support your answers for
the following questions:
1. Would it be ethical for Er. Ang to provide the services in the manner indicated?

2. Would it be ethical for Er. Ban Kim Moon to review and approve the engineering drawings
prepared by Er. Ang?

Project 6: Academic Research Ethics (Set by K.S.C. Kuang)

Dr. Dunne was a intelligent student and medical researcher at the University of Limerick,
Wolton University, East Anglia University, and Mines University. He was regarded by faculty at
all four institutions as a potential research leader in the making with a great research future ahead
of him. At Mines he reportedly often worked more than 100 hours a week as a Research Fellow
in the Cardiac Laboratory headed by Dr. Hugo Peterson. In less than a year at Mines he was first
author of nine publications in top scientific journals. His area of research was in the testing of
heart drugs on cats.

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This achievement came to a halt, when three staff in the Cardiac Research Laboratory observed
Dunne labeling data recordings 24 seconds, 72 hours, one week, and two weeks. In reality, only
minutes had transpired. Confronted by his mentor Peterson, Dunne admitted the fabrication; but
he insisted that this was the only time he had done this, and that he had been under intense
pressure to complete the study quickly. Shocked, Peterson and Dunne's immediate supervisor,
Dr. Stark Klingon, spent the next several months checking other research conducted by Dunne in
their lab. Dunne's research fellowships were terminated, and an offer of a faculty position was
cancelled. However, he was allowed to continue his research projects at Mines for the next
several months (during which time Peterson and Klingon observed his work very closely).
Hopeful that this was an isolated incident, Peterson and Klingon were shocked again in
December. A comparison of results from four different laboratories in a National Health Institute
(NHI) Models Study showed an implausibly low degree of invariability in data provided by
Dunne. In short, his data looked "too good." Since these data had been submitted in April, there
was strong suspicion that Dunne had been fabricating or falsifying data for some time.
Subsequent investigations seemed to indicate questionable research practices dating back as far
as his undergraduate days.
What were the consequences of Dunne's misconduct? Dunne, we have seen, lost his research
position at Mines, and his offer of a faculty position was withdrawn. The National Institutes of
Health (NIH) barred him from NIH funding or serving on NIH committees for ten years. He left
research and went into training as a critical care specialist. However, the cost to others was
equally, if not more, severe. Mines-affiliated Brompton Children’s Hospital became the first
institution NIH ever required to return funds ($426,341) because of research involving fraudulent
data. Peterson and his co-workers had to spend many weeks investigating Dunne's research,
rather than simply continuing the work of the Cardiac Research Laboratory. Furthermore, they
were severely reprimanded for carrying on their own investigation without informing NIH of
their concerns until several months later. The morale and productivity of the laboratory was
damaged. A cloud of suspicion hung over all the work with which Dunne was associated. Not
only was Dunne's own research discredited, but insofar as it formed an integral part of
collaborative research, a cloud was thrown over published research bearing the names of authors
whose work was linked with Dunne's.

Discussion Questions
1. What reasons are offered for fabricating data?

2. Which, of those reasons, if any, are ‘good’ reasons--i.e., reasons that might justify fabricating
data?

3. Who is most likely harmed by the fabrication of data? It is said that “if there is no harm done it
can’t be ethically wrong” Do you agree?

4. What implications does the above case highlight in the teaching of science (or other subjects)
at the primary or secondary school levels? Should academic honesty be taught as earlier as
possible?

5. Why is honesty in scientific research important to the scientific community and the public?

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Project 7: Product/Process Safety and Whistleblowing (Set by K.G. Neoh)
According to the professional engineering codes of ethics, engineers have a duty to protect the
safety, health and welfare of the public. In performing their professional duties, engineers may
be confronted by projects or products that violate these obligations. It can be argued that
whistleblowing aimed at exposing these problems and protecting the welfare of the public is
warranted on moral grounds. However, whistleblowing is not without risk, and the reputation of
the organization and the career of the whistleblower may be jeopardized. Discuss 3 or 4 factual
cases of external whistleblowing related to the safety of products or processes and analyze the
ethical issues from the point of view of the various parties. Please do not use the case studies in
the textbooks by Fleddermann and Harris. For the selected case studies, discuss whether you
consider the whistleblower’s action is justified and whether there are better ways to resolve the
problem without resorting to external whistleblowing. In general, do you think whistleblowing in
the engineering and scientific fields should be encouraged?

Project 8: Exporting Wastes (Set by K.G. Neoh)

Many developed countries export their wastes to less developed countries for disposal, further
treatment or recycling. An example is plastic wastes. While many developed countries touted
their plastic recycling rates, much of the plastic wastes were not managed in their own countries
but exported to other countries. In 2016, China imported two-thirds of the world’s plastic waste.
But, in 2018, China banned the import of 24 types of wastes including plastic in its bid to cut
down on emissions coming from processing the wastes and improve the country’s environmental
quality. As a result, many plastic wastes exporters are now looking to ship their wastes to other
countries including Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Discuss the ethical issues of
exporting/importing wastes from the point of view of the various parties. What benefits, if any,
do the less developed countries derive from importing such wastes? For plastic wastes in
particular, discuss possible actions to achieve a win-win solution for waste exporters and
importers, and the potential impediments that may be encountered. Please include the case of
Singapore in your discussion of the possible actions and impediments.

Project 9: Genetically Modified (GM) Food (Set by K.G. Neoh)

Genetic engineering of crops has been carried out to achieve a number of purposes, for example,
to increase resistance to drought or pests or to enhance a crop's nutritional value. However,
genetic engineering of crops has also given rise to ethical concerns as well as concerns about
safety and environmental impact. Analyze these concerns using 2 or 3 examples in your
discussion. With advances made in genetic engineering techniques, scientists are now genetically
modifying animals for food. Discuss with relevant examples any potential ethical issues that may
arise with the leap from GM crops to GM animals. Are consumers in Singapore are well-
informed that some of the foods they consume are genetically modified, and if not, should
actions be implemented to address this?