2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This case study paper brings together insights from across the major branches of engineering to highlight how ethics and equity shape the early career experience of engineers. This study employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods, showing the real-world challenges that arise when engineers transition from academic training to professional practice. Thirteen in-depth interviews with early-career engineers, alongside survey responses from 184 participants provide a comprehensive view of the ethical dilemmas and equity challenges faced by early career engineers in their first few years of professional practice.

The purpose of this paper is to bridge the persistent gap between engineering education and professional practice by offering tools that help prepare engineering students for the ethical and equity challenges they may face in the workplace. Our study shows that early-career engineers often encounter challenging situations where technical decisions are entangled with questions of fairness, safety, accountability, and responsibility to society, among others. These cases provide a live experience of such challenges, making them a powerful resource for helping students imagine themselves as professionals before they graduate.

The paper employs a mixed-methods design that ensures both depth and breadth of perspective. Qualitative interviews bring forward personal narratives of early-career engineers’ ethical dilemmas and coping strategies, while survey findings provide broader trends and patterns across the engineering profession. Together, the findings using both methods reveal a disconnect between academic preparation and professional practice in ethics and equity, one that calls for intentional, structured interventions in engineering education. Each case presented in this paper is grounded in ethical frameworks drawn from the codes of conduct and professional responsibilities published by engineering societies, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Institute of Biological Engineering (IBE), Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). By aligning lived experiences with these established professional guidelines, the cases provide concrete and relatable entry points for classroom and workplace conversations.

The paper is designed not only to document these experiences but also to serve as a teaching resource. To support educators, each case is accompanied by a structured discussion section that explores ethical dilemmas and professional obligations in depth. An educator’s guide offers strategies for integrating the cases into class activities, and a set of discussion questions is included to encourage critical thinking and meaningful dialogue among students. References to professional codes of ethics and standards ensure that classroom discussions remain anchored in disciplinary expectations while also opening space for interdisciplinary reflection.
This case study paper contributes to ongoing conversations about professional responsibility in engineering by providing both a practical teaching resource and an evidence-based account of early-career experiences.

Keywords: engineering ethics, engineering education, case study, early-career engineers, mixed-method research, ethical dilemmas