Ahmad Serhal ENGLISH 206 1-2-2023

Dana Hafi WEEK3

Social Responsibilities:

By Ahmad Serhal and Dana Hafi

American University of Beirut

English 206

Mrs. Rima Iskandarani

Informal Recommendation Report

February 1, 2022
Ahmad Serhal ENGLISH 206 1-2-2023
Dana Hafi WEEK3

Introduction:

In recent years, diversity in engineering programs has been a controversial topic, some are with

diversity and others prefer merit and talent over challenges. In this essay, two articles by

Wichman and Bielefeldt show two different opinions that will be discussed and compared by

highlighting the challenges and opportunities due to diversity in engineering. By analyzing what

approaches are used in Lebanon, we are suggesting some propositions to initiate the change from

the faculty of engineering in MSFEA as the gap between men and women grows larger in this

faculty.

Discussion:

In the first article “professional social responsibility in engineering,” Angela Bielfeldt

emphasized the importance of social responsibilities and the absence of some of its major factors

represented by social justice and diversity:

 According to the writer, Engineering ethics codes related to diversity are absent in

many leading countries such as USA and Netherlands (Bielfeldt, 2017).

 Formal education of engineering students on social justice and/or poverty issues

doesn’t appear to be widespread. Only 15% to 17% of engineering departments

taught these topics in their courses (Bielfeldt, 2017).

As for “Engineering programs teaching social justice,” the author explains his approach toward

engineering with him being uninterested in ethics and diversity in his profession. He believed

that his engineering education was completely scholarly.

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Dana Hafi WEEK3

 Indreck Wichman supported his stance by pinpointing that the diversity theory is

untested and that engineering isn’t for everybody (Wichman, 2017).

 The author gave an example related to NBA indicating that he doesn’t want to ruin

the engineering field just to introduce diversity (Wichman, 2017).

The message of the first article is to emphasize the necessity of promoting diversity and social

justice in engineering communities. On the other hand, the author of the second article didn’t

want to make any sacrifices in terms of introducing diversity as he believed that it could have a

negative effect on the product of engineering. I think that both writers have made a good point

since engineering should be accessible for those who earned it with hard work and

determination. But we must make sure to give this opportunity with no compromises based on

race or gender. In that regard, we should introduce social responsibilities to AUB carefully and

specifically the MSFEA to include diversity and social justice in its ethical code while

maintaining the same requirements and standards.

Conclusion and recommendations:

Finally, the discussion over diversity in engineering programs emphasizes the complicated

obstacles and possibilities that representation in the field presents. While showing how social

responsibility can be related to diversity and how it affects the engineering world, another

opinion was the opposite which insists that a person who calls himself an engineer must merit it

due to his effort not to his gender or color, etc. Ultimately, because Lebanon has a unique culture

and economic problems, integrated balances of diversity and merit may be the best way to
Ahmad Serhal ENGLISH 206 1-2-2023
Dana Hafi WEEK3

succeed in engineering as a field as it is for his benefit to have an inclusive and effective

engineering program.