Our interdisciplinary program introduces modules focused on cultivating aptitude for seriously engaging the normative aspects of the technological universe in computer science and computer engineering courses at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Computing (UNL). We aim to raise ethics literacy for Computer Science and Engineering (CS/E) students and faculty, provide valuable interdisciplinary teaching experiences, and establish crucial interdisciplinary relationships at UNL and abroad.
We based the design of our embedded ethics program on Harvard University’s successful model. On that model, a team of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) guided by post-doctoral students and a few faculty members develop and deliver the modules. We started smaller given our unique institutional constraints. Funding from UNL Center for Transformative Teaching, Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, UNL School of Computing, and the Department of Philosophy allowed us to hire GTAs to develop and implement the program with guidance from Dr. Adam R. Thompson and other Philosophy Department faculty.
Recognizing the importance of building an embedded ethics community, we have set up this site and attended conferences/ workshops to share our experiences and learn from the experience of others. It is our hope that this engagement and proliferation will support our effort to develop more effective approaches, systems, and modules. Please explore our work on this website. We strongly encourage visitors to learn from us and to reach out to us with thoughts or suggestions about how we might make the program stronger.
UNL Department of Philosophy
Philosophy is the proper home of Ethics and, so, naturally the Ethics Center. For over a decade the Department of Philosophy has generously made room for the Kutak Ethics Center's main office and has financially supported the UNL Ethics Bowl Team and the Ethics and Broader Considerations of Technology Bazaar as well as other ventures. We're lucky to be surrounded by good company and extra lucky to be housed in the home of ethics proper.visit them
UNL School of Computing
We owe a lot to the excellent faculty and staff of the School of Computing. In particular, Dr. Marilyn Wolf, Dr. Witty Srisa-an, Dr. Massimiliano Peirobon, Dr. Suzette Person, and Dr. Leen-Kiat Soh worked effortlessly to align our goals with their interests and needs. In addition, Dr. Ashok Samal, Dr. Bonita Sharif, and Dr. Mehmet Can Vuran were the first to volunteer their time and energy working with us to develop and implement ethics modules in their courses. We continue to work them while expanding to work with other faculty. We are honored and very lucky to be working with them.visit them
UNL Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts
Megan Elliot, Founding Director of the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts (JCCEMA) has supported the work of the Ethics Center and vigorously pursued a curriculum with an ethics and emerging media course at its core. We are exited to expand that pursuit as we work to embed modules throughout the JCCEMA curriculum.visit them
The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation
The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation generously awarded our embedded ethics program to their extensive list of excellent causes that they current fund. They supported our effort to move beyond the pilot program. Thank you!!!!!! To learn more about them
UNL Center for Transformative Teaching
UNL’s Center for Transformative Teaching (UNL CTT) is dedicated to supporting faculty, staff, and students in their efforts to design and implement the most effective learning experiences that they can with the resources available. UNL CTT believed in our project and generously supported our pilot program.visit them
Adam R. Thompson
Director
Colton Harper
Graduate Ethics Center Associate
School of Computing
Zach Wrublewski
Graduate Teaching Associate
Philosophy
Vileru Trivexi
Riedesel Fellow - AY 2023/2024
