Ethics, Epistemology, and Engineering Workshop
On April 24-26, 2026 the University of Delaware is hosting a workshop “Ethics, Epistemology, and Engineering” featuring keynote talks by Zachary Pirtle (fPET) and Deborah Johnson (UVA).
About the event
Engineering is both a technical and a normative practice, involving judgments about evidence, models, uncertainty, and risks that carry ethical consequences. This workshop brings together philosophers and engineers to examine how engineering knowledge is produced, applied, and justified in ways that have significant social impact.
Topics include:
- the nature of engineering expertise
- the use of models and simulations
- uncertainty in risk assessment
- epistemic and moral responsibility in design
- values in standards, regulations, and infrastructures
- ethical and epistemic challenges in engineering with AI.
The workshop aims to foster dialogue between philosophical theory and engineering practice.
Please direct any questions about the workshop to eeeworkshop2026@udel.edu.
Keynote speaker: Deborah G. Johnson
Deborah G. Johnson is Anne Shirley Carter Olsson Professor Emeritus of Applied Ethics at the University of Virginia. She is best known for her work in computer ethics and engineering ethics. In 1985, she published one of the first textbooks on computer ethics, which has been translated into several languages. Drawing on her background in philosophy and ethics, she has written about a wide range of issues related to the ethical, social and policy implications of technology, especially information technology.
Keynote speaker: Zachary Pirtle
Zachary Pirtle is a researcher, engineer and policy entrepreneur. He has worked in government and academia and currently serves as co-chair of the steering committee for the Forum on Philosophy, Engineering, and Technology. The forum’s mission is to bring philosophy and engineering together for the mutual benefit of both. Beginning in fall 2026, he will hold a faculty appointment at Arizona State University and its Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Location of keynote talks - Willard Hall 007
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Deborah Johnson, University of Virginia, "How to think about engineering ethics" |
| 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Coffee Break |
| 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. | Zach Pirtle, Forum on Philosophy, Engineering, and Technology, "Engineering Knowledge: From Systems to Outcomes" |
Location: Harker ISE Lab 467
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | Nick Treanor, University of Edinburgh “Agency Collapse in Engineering” |
| 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Ken Howarth, Mercer County Community College “Engineering Judgment Under Uncertainty: From Expertise to Adequacy” |
| 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Eric Young, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences/SINTEF Ocean “Beyond Good and Ore: Systems Analysis, Value Pluralism, and Deep-Sea Mining” (via Zoom) |
| 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m | Kristin Schaupp, University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire “Risky Consensus: Epistemic Decision-Making Procedures in the Challenger Disaster” |
| 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Coffee break |
| 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Mark Greene, University of Delaware “The Elusive Benefits of Early Genetic Engineering” |
Location: Harker ISE Lab 467
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | Guru Madhavan, National Academy of Engineering “What New York Taught Us: Engineering Knowledge from Maintenance” |
| 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Marco Innocenti, University of Milan/Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne “Justifying Engineering Decisions Under Uncertain Norm Compliance” |
- Nick Treanor, University of Edinburgh - “Agency Collapse in Engineering” co-authors Luke Bisby (University of Edinburgh), Bill Hewlett (CROSS-UK/Bill Hewlett Associates Ltd.)
- Ken Howarth, Mercer County Community College - “Engineering Judgment Under Uncertainty: From Expertise to Adequacy”
- Eric Young, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences/SINTEF Ocean - “Beyond Good and Ore: Systems Analysis, Value Pluralism, and Deep-Sea Mining”
- Kristin Schaupp, University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire - “Risky Consensus: Epistemic Decision-Making Procedures in the Challenger Disaster”
- Mark Greene, University of Delaware - “The Elusive Benefits of Early Genetic Engineering”
- Guru Madhavan, National Academy of Engineering - “What New York Taught Us: Engineering Knowledge from Maintenance”
- Marco Innocenti, University of Milan/Paris 1 Panth´eon-Sorbonne - “Justifying Engineering Decisions Under Uncertain Norm Compliance”
Contact Information
- Noel Swanson, nswanson@udel.edu, +1(925) 408-6433
- Tom Powers, tpowers@udel.edu, +1(302) 897-8923
- Deborah Biddle (Philosophy Department), dbiddle@udel.edu, +1(302) 831-2359
- Hyatt Place, +1(302) 266-2000
Key Locations
The keynote talks on Friday evening are on the ground floor of Willard Hall (room 007).
The workshop on Saturday-Sunday will be in conference room 467 on the 4th floor of Harker ISE Lab. Both locations are in central campus.
- Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Lab, 221 Academy St
- Willard Hall, 16 W Main St
- Hyatt Place/Overnight Parking, 94 E Main St
- Greenhouse Gastropub, 102 E Main St
- Taverna, 121 E Main St
- Philosophy Department, 24 Kent Way
- Daily Visitor Parking Lot 41, 190 S College Ave
- Newark Train Station, 10 Mopar Dr
The hotel is located on Main Street in downtown Newark. There will be a workshop dinner Friday night at the Greenhouse Gastropub right next to the hotel and Saturday night at Taverna one block down. We will provide coffee at strategic intervals (as well as breakfast and lunch on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday), but should you need more coffee, there are two good coffee shops nearby, Little Goat (16 Haines St) and Brew HaHa! (45 E Main St, top floor of Main Street Galleria). The philosophy department is located at 24 Kent Way and will be open on Friday if you need a place to hang out or store baggage before checking into the hotel.
Parking
If you are staying at the Hyatt and parking overnight, the hotel has a parking lot whose entrance is located on the right hand side of E Main St just before the hotel. The daily rate is $12, you should be able to get the parking cost added to your hotel bill (which we will cover) when you check in. If you are driving down for the day only, there is visitor parking in lot 41 whose entrance is located at 190 S College Ave near the philosophy department. The department has a parking validation code which we will send out to those who need it. You cannot park in lot 41 overnight.
