Engineering Ethics—Case Studies in Espionage

The purpose of this course is to broaden the professional engineer’s understanding of engineering ethics through the consideration of three case studies.

The studies are actual espionage cases that have been successfully prosecuted by agencies of the federal government. Espionage was chosen as the subject of the case studies because it provides exposure to ethical situations that are important but probably unfamiliar to most PEs.

The engineering ethics aspects of the cases are developed by showing which standards of conduct for engineers were violated by the actions of the convicted individuals.

Key learning outcomes include:

• Understanding fundamental engineering ethical codes and their relevance to national security.
• Analyzing the severe legal, financial, and professional consequences of ethical violations and espionage.
• Recognizing the critical importance of safeguarding sensitive and classified information.
• Exploring compliance with regulations like the Arms Export Control Act, ITAR, and EAR.
• Implementing best practices for information security, risk management, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms.
• Developing robust ethical decision-making skills through case analysis.
• Upholding professional responsibility, transparency, and public trust in all engineering endeavors.

Master the ethical challenges inherent in modern engineering and become a guardian of both technological integrity and national security.