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The Ethics Center

Programs

Ethics in Science: 2010 Awards Program
Invitation to Submit:
Submission Deadline: May 7, 2010
Program Description: For the third annual Ethics in Science program, the Center for Ethics in
Science and Technology is inviting selected senior division science fair participants to apply
their interest and skill in science to address the ethical dimensions of their work.
Awards: First place, $500, Second Place, $200, and three Third Place winners, $100 each
Purpose of Program:Science has brought us much that is good, including discoveries about
ourselves and the world around us, as well as the tools to make new discoveries. However,
science can also lead to harm. Effectively anticipating the risk of harm, both intentional and
unintentional, requires a thorough understanding of the science. For this reason, it is essential
that scientists themselves should be part of the discussion about how the products of research
should be used. The purpose of this program is to encourage the next generation of scientists to
see ethics as part of their research, and not as a question to be handled only by others.
Areas of Interest: Many different ways of looking at the world provide useful approaches to answer ethical questions about how to create a good life. Ethics is not only a matter for philosophers nor is it simply a question of our upbringing. For example, many different disciplines, including anthropology, art, economics, education, history, law, literature, political science, psychology, public health, sociology, and theology are all examples of perspectives that could be appropriate for this project.

Submission Requirements
  • To be eligible, you must have a science project selected for the 2010 Greater San Diego
    Science and Engineering Fair. If invited to apply, you will be asked to submit only one
    ethics project, which should be your own work. However, you are also free to consult
    with others as long as you clearly give credit to those who have helped you.
  • Your project should include: (1) title page (title, name, e-mail address, high school, year
    in high school, and names and affiliations of others who helped); (2) up to five pages of
    text (including any figures or tables); and (3) one page for a bibliography.
  • Projects should be prepared using standard word processing software or in pdf format,
    using any standard font, 12 points or larger, on 8½"×11" paper with 1" margins, and be
    submitted electronically to: ethicscenter@ucsd.edu
Judging Criteria
  • Applications must be received on or before the submission deadline. Applications will
    be evaluated for completeness and relevance to the scoring criteria listed below.
    Applications that do not meet the Submission Requirements, that are incomplete, or are
    received after the submission deadline, will not be reviewed.
  • Scoring: Reviewers will evaluate projects according to the following criteria:
    1. Significance: Identify and address an ethical challenge that is of significant concern
    in the area of science relating to the student's science fair project
    2. Ethical principles: Explicitly identify ethical principles that are at stake
    3. Stakeholders: Identify those who are at risk of some harm due to the conduct of or
    products of the science in question, and the stakes of these people in the outcome
    4. Solution: Recommend one or more clear courses of action
    5. Relevant Literature: Consider relevant published work and provide a bibliography