ABET Outcome

4) Emphasize the importance of professional responsibility and public service in engineering. These include an awareness of engineering ethics and participation in professional activities, societies, or outreach programs. Outcome 4 covers EC-2000 criterion f.

ECEN interprets this outcome somewhat differently than the other outcomes. The purpose is interpreted as producing engineers with a sense of fair and ethical behavior that is learned during college. Since the ethical behavior is difficult to both define and assess, ECEN faculty will satisfy this outcome primarily by example: teaching and enforcing ethical guidelines in class. ECEN faculty will also demonstrate active participation and support of professional societies.

Specifically the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering will adopt the IEEE code of ethics into standard departmental guidelines in academic honesty consistent with university policy that will be incorporated uniformly in all ECEN classes. Certain modifications will be made to these guidelines such that they apply more specifically to academic rather than professional conduct. Students will be given these guidelines upon matriculation into the professional school, and asked to sign a statement agreeing they will honor them. Additionally faculty will abide by these guidelines in their interaction with students.

To inform students about difficult ethical choices in engineering practice, specific examples (cases) of ethical dilemmas will be addressed at several points in the curriculum. This may occur as early as the freshman year in courses like ENGR1111.

To encourage professional standards, behavior, and activities the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering will actively support student professional organizations. Representative examples of these are the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Eta Kappa Nu (HKN). ECEN support can be through local, student organized chapters; faculty advising; or student-faculty participation in professional or outreach activities.