2021 ASEE Southeast Section Conference © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021 Fostering Ethical Innovation in Engineering Education and Design Benjamin Laugelli University of Virginia Abstract Undergraduate engineering programs often emphasize technological innovation, leadership, and professional ethics. It is less clear, though, how to cultivate the kind of ethical formation that enables students to integrate technical proficiency with ethical reasoning in the technological design process. To that end, the paper describes how ethical frameworks of sustainability, justice, and care were integrated into a first-year engineering course in Science, Technology, and Society. Course material and assignments, as well as select student written reflections, illustrate how the course challenged students to apply both technical and ethical training to generate innovative designs that facilitate socially responsible, just, and sustainable practices. Keywords Engineering ethics, sustainability, engineering education, technological design Introduction Undergraduate engineering programs often challenge students to become innovators in their respective fields. And engineering schools themselves take pride in their ability to graduate new generations of engineering leaders. For example, the mission statement of the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences expresses a commitment “to make the world a better place. . . by preparing engineering leaders to solve global challenges” 1 . The institution goes on to elaborate a vision that includes becoming “a leader among engineering schools” by “educating engineering leaders” 1 . In keeping with this vision, the school promises to graduate students who “are fully prepared to be the leaders of the future” 1 . Undergirding the school’s commitment to producing engineering leaders is a “determination to innovate, create knowledge and lead in teaching and research” 1 . When it comes to defining what engineering leadership and innovation entail, the school emphasizes the acquisition of practical vocational skills, pointing to the expert “technical and professional knowledge” students will gain from their academic training. Although the school’s vision includes a commitment to “abid[e] by the highest standards of ethics” 1 and to graduate students who can apply their engineering expertise with “integrity and wisdom” 1 , it does not explicitly incorporate ethical perspectives into the practice of technological design and innovation. How can engineering curricula prepare students not only to become technically proficient and virtuous professionals but also to practice ethical innovation by making design choices that prioritize and facilitate ethical practices?