Student Perspectives of Aerospace Engineering Macroethics Issues and Education

Work in Progress: Undergraduate Student Perceptions of Macroethical Issues in Aerospace Engineering

“…It also has questions regarding identity-based mistreatment in aerospace engineering and open-ended questions inquiring about diversity within aerospace, companies they believe to be engaging in unethical practices, the role of aerospace within the military-industrial complex, and possible effects of satellite megaconstellations. The open-ended survey responses are the focus of this study, as previous iterations of our work have detailed quantitative findings from another undergraduate student population (Benham et al, 2022).…”

“…What are students' perceptions and awareness of macroethical issues in aerospace engineering? These questions were developed through three cycles of implementing one-day macroethics lessons into undergraduate aerospace engineering courses, using student feedback to inform and guide future lesson iterations, and analysis of student perceptions about macroethics in their program but also the aerospace industry (Benham et al 2022).…”

Work in Progress: Implementing an Orbital Debris Macroethics Lesson in a Junior-Level Spacecraft Dynamics Course

“…One student was intrigued by the complexity of the Kessler Syndrome. 3 Perhaps the idea of noting the technical complexities involved in macroethical issues inspired them, and another noticed how nuanced the issue of orbital debris is. Lastly, one student was surprised by how difficult it is to think of a solution in spite of everyone agreeing that orbital debris is a problem, and another enjoyed hearing the input of others.…”