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Chapter 1: Introduction to Engineers and Society

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Roles and responsibilities of Engineers

Theistic and secular concepts of personal, social
and professional ethics
Ethics associated with engineering and
engineering boards
Chapter 1: Introduction to Engineers and Society

Regulation of practice of engineering

Codes of conduct of Engineers
The impact of Engineering on society
Importance of outcome based education (OBE)

Roles and responsibilities of Engineers

The results of engineering activities contribute to the
welfare of man by furnishing food, shelter, and comfort; by
making work, transportation and communication easier and
safer; and by making life pleasant and satisfying.

Advances in engineering have been central to human

progress ever since the invention of the wheel
Engineering has transformed the world we live in,
contributing to significantly longer life expectancy and
enhanced quality of life for large numbers of the worlds
population
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Engineering encompasses science and art, mathematics and

creativity, models and approximations in solving real-world
problems.
Engineers integrate their knowledge of the physical sciences
with more abstracts areas beyond the boundaries of current
technology in all areas of life.
Engineers have many different types of jobs to choose from,
including research, design, analysis, development, testing, and
sales positions.
Engineers are problem solvers who search for quicker, better,
less expensive ways to meet tough challenges.

Engineers exist to create practical solutions

to societys problems

Roles And Responsibilities Of Engineers

-Overpopulation - too many people; no food, water, housing, etc.

-Pollution - environmental damages

-Global Warming - chlorofluorocarbons, etc.
-War - people killing each other for bad reasons
-Stupidity - general population becoming less concerned with education
-Disease - people dying from poor decisions or bad luck

-Habitat Destruction - people destroy nature to make room for more people
-Species Extinction - above practices causing diversity of life to diminish

This is why engineering deserves our attention, and why

its contribution to development must be acknowledged
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fully

Improved healthcare, housing, nutrition, transport,

communications, and the many other benefits
engineering brings are distributed unevenly
throughout the world.
Millions of people do not have clean drinking water
and proper sanitation, they do not have access to a
medical centre, they may travel many miles on foot
along unmade tracks every day to get to work or
school

engineerings role should be more visible and

better understood
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we need to ensure that motivated young women and

men engineers concerned about these problems
The most well known needs-based approach is
probably Maslows hierarchy of needs, which is
often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five
levels. The higher needs in this hierarchy
only come into focus when the lower needs in
the pyramid are satisfied.

Maslows hierarchy of needs

Unlike science, in engineering, the environment in

which engineers plan, design, build, manufacture,
maintain and operate continually changes and
so the engineer must be prepared within an
acceptable level of risk for all possibilities and
outcomes.
In a controlled laboratory there is much less chance of
an uncertain event.
The biggest risk factors in engineering are planning for
the unknown behaviour of humans and natural
systems.
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What is engineering profession?

The central focus of the
engineering profession is the
application of scientific
knowledge to meet societal
needs.
Engineering connects pure
science to society
Engineering therefore has a
social responsibility
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What does having social responsibilities

mean?
It means a commitment from the engineering profession to
place the public safety and interest ahead of all other
considerations.
It means that engineers take into account and show due
regard for the consequences of their conduct for the wellbeing of others as well as for the impact of their work on
society and the citizenry.
This requires the engineer to make determined efforts to
discover all of the relevant facts concerning the design,
development, and deployment and all of the possible
outcomes of the choices available that may positively and
negatively affect/impact society and the citizenry
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Social Responsibilities of Engineers (Examples)

Ensure the safety and well-being of the public
Ensure that societys funds and resources concerning
technology are well used
Refusing to work on a particular project or for a particular
company
Speaking out publicly against a proposed project
Blowing the whistle on illegality or wrong-doing
Professional Societies obligation to provide protection for
whistleblowers
Individual and organizational concern about the impact of
engineering projects on society
Contributing ones services to worthy, non-profit groups and
projects
Engineering schools commitment to educating future
engineers about their social responsibilities
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Social Responsibilities of Engineers

(Some Examples)
Commitment of risk assessment experts to ethical risk/safety
assessments
Voluntarily assume the task of educating the public about
important consequences of various technological and
scientific developments
Commitment of engineers to design and develop sustainable
technologies
Provide expert advice to non-experts
Explicit care and concern about technologys impact on
Nature and the Environment
Abiding by the principles of sustainable development when
thinking about engineering designs
Abiding by the precautionary principle when thinking about
engineering designs
In engineering design, engineers have practiced social
responsibility by applying factors of safety to their designs and
by building in redundancy
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An Engineer is a Professional
A professional is a person
who is paid to undertake a
specialized set of tasks and
to complete them for a fee
Due to the personal and
confidential nature of many
professional services, a
great deal of trust is placed
then.
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Professional Engineer
A profesional engineer is competent by virtue of his fundamental education and
training to apply the scientific method and outlook to the analysis and
solution of engineering problems.
He is able to assume personal responsibility for the development and
application of engineering, notably in research,designing, construction,
manufacturing, managing and in the education of the engineer.
The work is predominantly intellectual and requires the exercise of original
thought and judgment.

He is able to give authoritative technical advice and to assume responsibility

for the roles

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Main criteria for professionals

Expert and specialized knowledge in field
which one is practicing professionally.
Excellent manual/practical and literary skills in
relation to profession.
High quality work in (examples): creations,
products, services, presentations, consultancy,
primary/other research, administrative,
marketing, photography or other work
endeavours.
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Main criteria for professionals

A high standard of professional ethics,
behaviour and work activities while carrying
out one's profession.
Reasonable work morale and motivation.
Appropriate treatment of relationships with
colleagues.
A professional is an expert who is a master in
a specific field.
They accept responsibility and accountability
for the decisions they make.
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The professional owes a higher duty to a client, often

a privilege of confidentiality, as well as a duty not to
abandon the client just because he or she may not be
able to pay or remunerate the professional.
Often the professional is required to put the interest
of the client ahead of his own interests.
Having interest and desire to do a job well as holding
positive attitude towards the profession are important
elements in attaining a high level of professionalism.
Consideration should be shown to elderly, junior or
inexperienced colleagues, as well as those with special
needs. An example must be set to perpetuate the
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attitude of one's business without doing it harm.

Engineer Functions
The function of the scientist is to know, while that of the engineer is to do
The scientist adds to the store of verified, systematized knowledge, the
engineer brings this knowledge to bear on practical problems

Unlike the scientists,

- the engineer is not free to select the problem that interests him;
- he must solve problems as they arise;

his solution must satisfy conflicting requirements.

- Usually efficiency costs money;
- safety adds to complexity;
- improved performance increases weight.
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ENGINEERING FUNCTIONS:
The branches indicate what the engineer works with;
the functions describe what he does.

The major functions of all engineering branches :

Research. The research engineer seeks new principles
and processes by employing mathematical and
scientific concepts, experimental techniques, and
inductive reasoning.
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The major functions of all engineering branches :

Development. The development engineer applies the
results of research to useful purposes. Ingenious and
creative application of new knowledge may result in a
working model of a new electronics circuit, a chemical
process, an industrial machine, or a gadget of
optronics.
Design. In designing a structure or a product, the
engineer selects methods, specifies materials, and
determines shapes to satisfy technical requirements
and to meet performance specification.
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The major functions of all engineering branches:

Construction. The construction engineer is
responsible for preparing the site, determining
procedures that will economically and safely yield the
desired quality, directing the placement of materials,
and organizing the personnel and equipment.
Production. Plant layout and equipment selection,
with consideration of human and economic factors, is
the responsibility of the production engineer. He
chooses processes and tools, integrates the flow of
materials and components, and provides for testing
and inspection.
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The major functions of all engineering branches:

Operation. The operating engineer controls machines,
plants, and organizations providing power,
transportation, and communication. He determines
procedures and supervises personnel to obtain reliable
and economic operation of complex equipment.
Management and other functions. In some countries
and industries, engineers analyze customer
requirements, recommend units to satisfy needs
economically, and resolve related problems. In some
industries, too, engineers decide how assets are to be
used.
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ENGINEERING RESPONSIBILITIES.
One activity common to all engineering work is

problem solution.
The problem may involve quantitative or qualitative
factors; it may be physical or economic; it may require
abstract mathematics or common sense.

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ENGINEERING RESPONSIBILITIES.
Of great importance is the process of creative
synthesis or design, putting ideas together to create a
new and optimum solution of the problem.
Since the engineer functions at the socio-technological
interface (with science and technology on one side
and individuals and communities on the other), he
bears a unique responsibility to decide on priorities,
establish performance criteria, select materials and
processes, and specify evaluation procedures.

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The engineering solution is the optimum solution,

- the end result that, taking many factors into account, is most
desirable.
- It may be the cheapest for a specified level of performance,

- the most reliable within a given weight limit,

- the simplest that will satisfy certain safety requirements,

- the most efficient for a given cost.

- In many engineering problems, the social costs are
significant.

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Problem Solution.
Although engineering problems vary greatly in scope and complexity,
but the same general approach is applicable.

analysis of the overall situation

preliminary decision on a plan of attack.
the broad and vague problem is reduced to a more categorical
question that can be clearly stated.
the stated question is then answered by deductive reasoning from
known principles or by creative synthesis, as in a new design.
the answer or design is always checked for accuracy and adequacy.
the results for the simplified problem as stated are interpreted in
terms of the original problem and reported in an appropriate form.
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Problem Solution.
In search for solutions to problems, especially new problems,
the engineer is:
in conflict with a rather inflexible environment

in competition with predecessors who tried and failed

In competition with contemporary rivals who are trying to
solve the same problem.
Engineer success depends on ability to create a new idea, a
new device, a new process, or a new material.

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Common Traits of Good Engineers

Although the activities of engineers are quite varied, there are some personality
traits and work habits that typify most of todays successful engineers.

Engineers are problem solvers.

Good engineers have a firm grasp of the fundamental principles of engineering,
Good engineers are analytical, detailed oriented, and creative.
Good engineers have a desire to be lifelong learners.
.
Good engineers, regardless of their area of specialization, have a core knowledge
that can be applied to many areas.

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Common Traits of Good Engineers

Good engineers have written and oral communication skills that equip them to
work well with their colleagues and clients.
Good engineers have time-management skills that enable them to work
productively and efficiently.
Good engineers have good people skills that allow them to interact and
communicate effectively with various people in their organization.
Engineers are required to write reports.

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Common Traits of Good Engineers

Engineers are adept at using computers in many different ways to model and
analyze various practical problems.
Good engineers actively participate in local and national discipline-specific
organizations by attending seminars, workshops, and meetings. Many even make
presentations at professional meetings.

Engineers generally work in a team environment where they consult each other
to solve complex problems. They divide up the task into smaller, manageable
problems among themselves; consequently, productive engineers must be good
team players.
Good interpersonal and communication skills are increasingly important now
because of the global market.
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As engineers, we have a significant impact upon the

world around us. This is both an opportunity and a
responsibility

a key aspect of being an engineering professional is to

actively seek opportunities that have a positive impact on
global problems such as war, pollution, poverty or climate
change.
This is the heart of social responsibility in engineering.
engineers professional activities may raise specific ethical
questions
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