Engineering, Social Justice, and Sustainable Community Development: Summary of a Workshop (2010)
Chapter: Front Matter
ENGINEERING, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Summary of a Workshop
Rachelle Hollander, Editor
Nathan Kahl, Co-editor
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
500 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
On October 2-3, 2008, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) held a workshop on “Engineering, Social Justice, and Sustainable Community Development.” This summary, prepared by NAE staff, provides summaries of the workshop presentations and discussions.
This workshop was supported in part by Contract/Grant No. 0750007 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.
CENTER FOR ENGINEERING, ETHICS, AND SOCIETY ADVISORY GROUP AND WORKSHOP PLANNING COMMITTEE
JOHN F. AHEARNE, NAE, chair,
National Academy of Engineering Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society Advisory Group; director, Ethics Program, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
JUAN LUCENA, associate professor,
Liberal Arts and International Studies, Colorado School of Mines
DEBRA STEWART, president,
Council of Graduate Schools
CAROLINE WHITBECK, Elmer G. Beamer–Hubert H. Schneider professor in ethics,
Case Western Reserve University
WM. A. WULF, president emeritus,
NAE;
university professor and AT&T professor of engineering and applied sciences,
University of Virginia
Principal Support Staff
CAROL R. ARENBERG, senior editor,
National Academy of Engineering
JESSICA BUONO, program associate,
National Academy of Engineering Program Office (until November 2008)
CECILE GONZALEZ, program associate,
National Academy of Engineering Program Office (until mid-August 2008)
RACHELLE D. HOLLANDER, director,
National Academy of Engineering Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society
NATHAN KAHL, program associate,
National Academy of Engineering Program Office
JACQUELINE MARTIN, senior program assistant,
National Academy of Engineering Awards Program
VALERIE HENDERSON SUMMET, Mirzayan Fellow,
National Academy of Engineering Winter, 2010
Acknowledgments
This summary has been reviewed, in draft form, by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Academies. The purpose of this independent review process is to provide candid and critical comments to assist the committee and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in making its published reports as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The reviewers’ comments and the draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their reviews of this report:
John Ahearne, director, Ethics Programs, The Sigma Xi Center
Paul Citron, vice president (retired), Medtronic, Inc.
David Daniel, president, University of Texas at Dallas
Charles Ed Harris, Harry E. Bovay professor of engineering ethics, Texas A&M University
Deborah Johnson, Olsson professor of applied ethics, University of Virginia
William Oakes, director of the EPICS Program, Purdue University
Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were neither asked to endorse the views expressed in the report nor did they see the final draft of the report before its public release. The review was overseen by Dr. George Bugliarello, President Emeritus and University Professor, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, who was appointed by NAE to ensure
that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the editors and the NAE.
In addition to the reviewers, the Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society (CEES) advisory group wishes to thank the project staff. Program associates Cecile Gonzalez (until mid-August 2008), Nathan Kahl, and Jacqueline Martin managed the project’s logistical and administrative needs, making sure the workshop ran efficiently and smoothly, and Jessica Buono (until November 2008) provided research and administrative services. NAE senior editor Carol R. Arenberg edited the summary drafted by CEES director Rachelle Hollander. Nathan Kahl drafted the initial reports of the small group discussions and helped edit the report and supervise the editorial and review response process. Mirzayan Fellow Valerie Henderson Summet reviewed the final draft of the summary, selected the quotes to include in the text, and worked with National Academies Press on the production of the volume. CEES director Rachelle Hollander managed the project from start to finish.
