Donna Riley

Hidden in Plain View: Feminists Doing Engineering Ethics, Engineers Doing Feminist Ethics

How has engineering ethics addressed gender concerns to date? How have the ideas of feminist philosophers and feminist ethicists made their way into engineering ethics? What might an explicitly feminist engineering ethics look like? This paper reviews some major themes in feminist ethics and then considers three areas in which these themes have been taken up in engineering ethics to date. First, Caroline Whitbeck’s work in engineering ethics integrates considerations from her own earlier writings and those of other feminist philosophers, but does not use the feminist label. Second, efforts to incorporate the Ethic of Care and principles of Social Justice into engineering have drawn on feminist scholarship and principles, but these commitments can be lost in translation to the broader engineering community. Third, the film Henry’s Daughters brings gender considerations into the mainstream of engineering ethics, but does not draw on feminist ethics per se; despite the best intentions in broaching a difficult subject, the film unfortunately does more harm than good when it comes to sexual harassment education. I seek not only to make the case that engineers should pay attention to feminist ethics and engineering ethicists make more use of feminist ethics traditions in the field, but also to provide some avenues for how to approach integrating feminist ethics in engineering. The literature review and analysis of the three examples point to future work for further developing what might be called feminist engineering ethics.

Situation critical: critical theory and critical thinking in engineering education

Over the last decade, there has been an increased focus on developing critical thinking (CT) skills within the engineering curriculum. Typically, the practice of CT occurs fragmentarily in a singular, limited context, within one of several ABET learning outcomes. Drawing on critical theory, theories of moral development, and pedagogies of liberation, we examine and challenge conceptions of CT presently used in engineering education. We develop a reflexive view of CT, leading to CT not only within but also about engineering. In this framework, CT can no longer be reduced to the application of skills, but is reconceived as creative action resulting from reflective engagement with epistemic assumptions. We implemented this integrative approach to CT across multiple course contexts and educational outcomes in engineering, finding that thinking critically about engineering can challenge power/knowledge relationships, critique engineering epistemologies, engage in reflective and reflexive practice, and work relationally for social justice.

Mercury Use and Exposure among Santeria Practitioners: Religious versus Folk Practice in Northern New Jersey, USA

Objective. To understand and characterize exposure to and use of elemental mercury among practitioners of Afro-Cuban religions in Hudson County, New Jersey, USA. Design. Participant observation and open-ended interviews with 22 religious supply store employees and practitioners of Santeria, Espiritismo or Palo Mayombe probed respondents’ knowledge and use of mercury, as well as their beliefs about its benefits and risks. Including a cultural and religious insider as part of the research team was crucial in working with this relatively closed community. Results. Seventeen of the 21 practitioners reported using mercury or mercury compounds in various forms of practice and in services that they provide to clients. The contained nature of these uses suggests that accidental spills, as opposed to the practices themselves, emerge as the greatest exposure concern for this population. Mercury was never recommended to clients for individual use. This restriction appears to be rooted in the way the religion is practiced and in the way santeros receive compensation, not in a perception of mercury as hazardous. Most practitioners were aware that mercury can be hazardous, but were not familiar with the most significant exposure pathway, inhalation of mercury vapor. A climate of fear surrounds the use of mercury in this community, so that health concerns pale in comparison to fear of reprisal from authorities. Among those who sell or formerly sold mercury, several shared the erroneous belief that it was illegal to sell mercury in New Jersey. Conclusion. Despite widespread reported use, there were no reports of practices believed to result in the highest exposures. To reduce exposure in the community, interventions presenting general information on mercury hazards and instructions for cleaning up spills are recommended. To address insider–outsider dynamics and the climate of fear, educational materials should be accessible to the community and avoid any mention of religious practice.

Engineering Thermodynamics and 21st Century Energy Problems: A Textbook Companion for Student Engagement

Energy is a basic human need; technologies for energy conversion and use are fundamental to human survival. As energy technology evolves to meet demands for development and ecological sustainability in the 21st century, engineers need to have up-to-date skills and knowledge to meet the creative challenges posed by current and future energy problems. Further, engineers need to cultivate a commitment to and passion for lifelong learning which will enable us to actively engage new developments in the field. This undergraduate textbook companion seeks to develop these capacities in tomorrows engineers in order to provide for future energy needs around the world. This book is designed to complement traditional texts in engineering thermodynamics, and thus is organized to accompany explorations of the First and Second Laws, fundamental property relations, and various applications across engineering disciplines. It contains twenty modules targeted toward meeting five often-neglected ABET outcomes: ethics, communication, lifelong learning, social context, and contemporary issues. The modules are based on pedagogies of liberation, used for decades in the humanities and social sciences for instilling critical thinking and reflective action in students by bringing attention to power relations in the classroom and in the world. This book is intended to produce a conversation and creative exploration around how to teach and learn thermodynamics differently. Because liberative pedagogies are at their heart relational, it is important to maintain spaces for discussing classroom practices with these modules, and for sharing ideas for implementing critical pedagogies in engineering contexts.

Special session - new engineering stories: How feminist thinking can impact engineering ethics and practice

The goal of this special session is to examine the way we as engineers frame stories about engineers and engineering, and to ask: do we need to embrace new stories? We will explore traditional stories about engineers and engineering ethics and ask, how might these stories, and the kind of engineering practice and education they inspire, change if framed from a feminist perspective? The outcomes of this session are to build a greater community interested in social engagement, engineering ethics, and feminist methodologies as they apply to engineering.

Special session: Re-imagining engineering education: Feminist visions for transforming the field

The goal of this special session is to explore what engineering education might be like if it were done from a feminist perspective, and how this new vision might influence the profession and society. Feminist perspectives are understood broadly to recognize the connectedness of all forms of social injustice. Thus feminist visions of engineering might address a broad set of concerns such as militarism, racism, and global economic inequality as well as sexism and heterosexism. Outcomes include concrete ideas for future research and institutional transformation, collaboration and mutual support of one anothers efforts.

Modeling methylene chloride exposure-reduction options for home paint-stripper users

Home improvement is a popular activity, but one that can also involve exposure to hazardous substances. Paint stripping is of particular concern because of the high potential exposures to methylene chloride, a solvent that is a potential human carcinogen and neurotoxicant. This article presents a general methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for reducing these risks. It doubles as a model that assesses exposure patterns, incorporating user time–activity patterns and risk-mitigation strategies. The model draws upon recent innovations in indoor air-quality modeling to estimate exposure through inhalation and dermal pathways to paint-stripper users. It is designed to use data gathered from home paint-stripper users about room characteristics, amount of stripper used, time–activity patterns and exposure-reduction strategies (e.g., increased ventilation and modification in the timing of stripper application, scraping, and breaks). Results indicate that the effectiveness of behavioral interventions depends strongly on characteristics of the room (e.g., size, number and size of doors and windows, base air-exchange rates). The greatest simple reduction in exposure is achieved by using an exhaust fan in addition to opening windows and doors. These results can help identify the most important information for product labels and other risk-communication materials.

You're all a bunch of fucking feminists: Addressing the perceived conflict between gender and professional identities using the Montreal Massacre

A case study of the Montreal Massacre was employed in a core engineering thermodynamics class, using two video news clips to spur discussion about the event and about the intersection of gender identity and feminist politics with the engineering profession. In the pilot test of our lesson plan, students discussed strategies for addressing overt and subtle sexism, negotiating questions of dress in the profession, the ways they use gendered behavior or gender distancing as strategies, work-life balance, competition and womens success as a threat. Such concerns are not typically included in professionalization aspects of engineering curricula, but their importance for both women and men is evident. We present our lesson plan and discussion outcomes, and address multiple contexts in which this case can be utilized to teach about gender and engineering

Workshop - feminist engineering education: Building a community of practice

As a result of a series of papers and special sessions held at FIE between 2004 and 2008, a community of CSET educators interested in exploring feminist pedagogies has formed at FIE. Past participants in these sessions have expressed a desire to learn more about what makes a set of pedagogies “feminist.” At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of research papers at FIE that draw on feminist research methods or topics. This workshop is designed to meet the needs of members of the FIE community who have some experience with feminist pedagogies or research methods, and who are looking to develop intellectual relationships with others also working in engineering educational research. We will discuss the history of feminist education and feminist research methods in the US, including a connection to science and engineering education; participants will then work in small groups focusing on a sub-topic (feminist pedagogies, feminist research methods, and feminist research topics/content). We invite participants to bring part of a project (such as a syllabus or course plan, assignment, class or research project, research question or protocol) to this workshop; some time will be dedicated to the guided design/redesign of this project.

Workshop Classroom Border Crossings: Incorporating Feminist and Liberative Pedagogies in your CSET Classroom

Effective teachers use a variety of pedagogies to engage a wider diversity of students, providing a more equitable classroom. In this workshop, participants will explore the use of feminist and liberative pedagogies in CSET classrooms. These pedagogies are founded on the ideals of social justice and democracy. The workshop will include discussions of classroom management strategies, critiques and redesign of the engineering process, and assessment and evaluation of student learning. Participants will leave the workshop with a list of concrete ideas for implementing feminist and liberative pedagogies and an annotated bibliography of helpful references. This workshop continues the collaborative work of these authors, presented in a 2004 Special Session and a 2005 Paper Session at FIE conferences