2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Ethics in aerospace engineering is often treated as an imperative rather than a shared professional responsibility, yet the ability to recognize and reason through ethical issues is structured by those who get to learn, belong, and persist in the field. This paper develops a theoretical model that links two forms of inequity: the Ethical Access Gap and Structural Pathway Inequality, through the lens of the Academic Wheel of Privilege (AWoP). Using the seven AWoP identity domains as keywords, the framework connects patterns in gender, race, socioeconomic status, and wellbeing to three recurring themes in aerospace education: structural inequity (barriers to entry), climate and belonging, and pathways of support.
The paper draws on Goal Congruity Theory (Diekman et al.) to explain how aerospace roles are often framed as purely technical and agentic, limiting appeal for students who value communal and ethical goals. Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura) further illuminates how limited representation and the absence of relatable role models undermine self-efficacy, particularly for women and students of color who navigate intersecting biases. Recent aerospace education studies documenting gendered classroom climates, financial barriers, and first-generation access gaps substantiate these mechanisms. The resulting Macroethical Equity in Aerospace Education (MEAE) Framework positions ethical learning as both an educational and a social-justice concern. Including macroethical reflection and inclusive mentorship in aerospace curricula, programs can move toward an aerospace education that not only broadens access but also results in better design outcomes in terms of safety and sustainability, and more representative of diverse human needs.